Robust drive components optimized for automation environments
To help enhance reliability and prolong the life of the drives, some of the most robust components
available are used such as an all metal clutch, steel ball bearings in loader, robust leader block
design, and a single circuit card.
Power management
The power management function of the Ultrium 7 and Ultrium 6 Tape Drives controls the drive
electronics to be completely turned off or in a low-power mode when the circuit functions are not
needed for drive operation.
Adaptive read equalization
This equalization automatically compensates for dynamic changes in readback signal response.
Dynamic amplitude asymmetry compensation
This compensation dynamically optimizes readback signals for linear readback response from MR
read head transducers.
Separate writing of multiple filemarks
Separate writing of multiple filemarks evokes any write command of two or more filemarks to cause a
separate data set to be written that contains all filemarks after the first. It helps improve performance
if a subsequent append overwrites somewhere after the first filemark. This change helps prevent
having to rewrite data sets that contain customer data and the first filemark, if such an append
occurs.
LTO Data Compression (LTO-DC)
The Ultrium LTO uses LTO-DC, which is an implementation of a Lempel-Ziv class 1 (LZ-1) data
compression algorithm. LTO-DC is an extension of Adaptive Lossless Data Compression (ALDC)
and an improvement over previous IBM lossless compression algorithms. IBM patented "Scheme-
Swapping" compression looks ahead at incoming data and determines the most efficient storage
method (ALDC or pass-through mode) to help optimize data compression and increase data
throughput.
LTO Cartridge Memory (LTO-CM)
Contained within the LTO Ultrium data cartridge is the LTO-CM, which is a passive, contactless
silicon storage device that is physically a part of the cartridge. The LTO-CM holds information about
that specific cartridge, the media in the cartridge, and the data on the media. The storage capacity of
the Generation 7 and 6 LTO-CM is 16320 bytes, which is double the capacity of Generation 5 LTO-
CM 8160 bytes. Communication between the drive and the LTO-CM is via a low-level RF field
transmitted by the drive to the cartridge.
Statistical Analysis and Reporting System (SARS)
The Ultrium Tape Drive uses SARS to help isolate failures between media and hardware. SARS uses
the cartridge performance history that is saved in the CM module and the drive performance history
that is kept in the drive flash EEPROM to help determine the likely cause of failure. SARS causes the
drive to request a cleaner tape, mark the media as degraded, and indicate that the hardware
degraded.
Highly integrated electronics that uses IBM engineered copper technology
This technology reduces the total number of components in the drive, helps lower chip
temperatures, and reduces power requirements to deliver a more reliable drive. The sixth-generation
drive electronics provide error correction of soft errors in the memory arrays in data and control
paths.
IBM TS3100 and TS3200 Tape Libraries for Lenovo
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