Data Tapes, Back Up Media, Data Cartridges and Cleaning Tape Cartridges by IBM, Exabyte, Fuji, HP, Imation, Intuix, MAM-A, Maxell, Verbatim, Quantum, Sony, Tandberg, TDK and more!

About LTO Tapes

About Ultrium Technology. The Ultrium system is based on the industry's first open data storage platform. The LTO consortium — comprised of drive manufacturers HP, IBM and Certance — developed this technology to meet the rapidly growing midrange and enterprise storage demands analysts predict over the next decade. The result of this unprecedented collaboration is an exceptionally reliable, high-performance format. Add to that an exciting drive migration plan that permits consortium drives to work interchangeably with a host of media brands over time. The Ultrium format is the high-capacity, single-reel implementation of LTO Technology. It is ideally suited for backup, restore and archive applications and provides excellent performance and reliability in both stand-alone and automated environments.

The Ultrium format is the preferred format when capacity rather than fast access is the key storage consideration. An Ultrium format generation 3 cartridge has a capacity of up to 800 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 400 GB native, while the Ultrium format generation 2 has a capacity of up to 400 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 200 GB native. Capacity for LTO Ultrium generation 1 format cartridges reaches up to 200 GB (2:1 compression) and up to 100 GB native.

Benefits of Using Ultrium Format:

High Capacity

The Ultrium format generation 3 allows for 800GB capacity (2:1 compression) in a single compact cartridge. As with previous generations, the cartridge is smaller than existing single-reel tape cartridges.

Ultrium format Generation 2 allows for 400GB capacity (2:1 compression) in a single compact cartridge. Like Generation 1, the cartridge is smaller than existing single-reel tape cartridges.

Ultrium format Generation 1 allows for 200GB capacity (2:1 compression) in a single compact cartridge. The cartridge is smaller than existing single-reel tape cartridges.

High Data Transfer Range

Ultrium format generation 3 provides data transfer rates of 80 ­ 160 MB/second (2:1 compression) for the third generation of the 8-channel version.

Ultrium format Generation 2 provides for data transfer rates of 40-80 MB/ second (2:1 compression) for the second generation of the 8-channel version.

Ultrium format Generation 1 provides for data transfer rates of 20-40 MB/ second (2:1 compression) for the first generation of the 8-channel version.

Roadmap — The Ultrium format is designed with a six-generation roadmap that provides up to 6.4 TB per cartridge capacity (assuming a 2:1 compression) in Generation 6 with compressed transfer rate of up to 540 MB per second (assuming a 2:1 compression).

Instant Access to Usage Data — Via LTO CM (cartridge memory), an embedded electronics and interface module that can store and retrieve a cartridge's historical usage and other information.

* Assuming 2:1 compression.