IBM LTO Ultrium 6 Data Cartridge

High-capacity tape media designed for reliability and longevity

Highlights

• BaFe (Barium Ferrite) technology offers a longer archival life
• Achieve increased capacity 
• Ensure optimal data security
• Support IBM Linear Tape File System 
• Meet stringent Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium Generation 6 specifications
• Choose between rewritable and write-once-read-many (WORM) models 
• Utilize custom as well as blank and RFID-embedded cartridge labels

Overview

Organizations have more data than ever before to manage, protect and preserve for longer periods of time. They must balance between mitigating risks and reducing costs when making data storage investment decisions. The IBM LTO Ultrium 6 Data Cartridge is designed to help organizations manage explosive data growth; sustain rapid, reliable access to data; and ensure business resilience.

Increased capacity

Rapid data growth compounds the need for increased storage capacity. The sixth generation of LTO Ultrium tape media delivers 2.5 TB native capacity and up to 6.25 TB of compressed capacity for even greater efficiency and performance. This exceptional capacity helps reduce the number of cartridges and the amount of equipment, space and labor associated with tape-based data storage.

Optimal data security

To comply with regulatory requirements and preserve stakeholder trust, organizations must protect data from unauthorized access and unintentional loss. Tape cartridge portability facilitates remote, offline data storage for superior protection from natural or manmade threats that can impact online or onsite data storage.

IBM LTO Ultrium 6 data cartridges are compatible with LTO Ultrium 6 tape drives, which offer device-level data encryption to ensure data privacy and reduce the risk of data corruption due to virus or sabotage. The WORM cartridge model stores data in a nonerasable, non-rewritable format to prevent overwriting of stored data and reduce the risk of data loss due to human error.

BaFe (Barium Ferrite) Technology offers a longer archival life

Barium Ferrite (BaFe) is a type of magnetic particle with can be greatly reduced in size to improve recording density without magnetic signal loss. In accelerated life tests, BaFe shows no loss of magnetic signal. Based on its chemical stability, archivability of BaFe proves to be over 30 years. Metal particles show a slight degradation in magnetic signal over 30 years although not detrimental to read/write performance.

IBM’s LTO 6 and future generations of LTO use Barium Ferrite particles with NANOCUBIC technology for a thin and uniformly coated magnetic layer. Barium Ferrite will extend the life of your drive - High signal-to-noise ratio of BaFe ensures maximum performance even when natural head wear occurs. Users can expect longer head life when using BaFe tape.

Accelerated life test measures the change of tape’s magnetic property under temperatures of 60 degrees celsius, and humidity of 90%, where one day under such an environment corresponds to one year in ambient conditions. Linear Tape File System support

LTO Ultrium 6 supports tape partitioning and Linear Tape File System (LTFS), making tape storage an even more compelling solution for data protection and preservation. With LTFS, the data files are indexed to facilitate search and retrieval using disk-like directory tree structures and drag-and-drop techniques. LTFS allows users and applications to directly retrieve files from tape rather than rely on proprietary, third-party applications, thereby significantly enhancing data access and potentially reducing software licensing costs and dependencies.