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New tape specification debuts

The fourth-generation Linear Tape Open spec boosts security, performance and capacity
By Deni Connor , Network World , 01/10/2007
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An industry organization today announced a new version of the ultra-compatible Linear Tape Open specification that adds encryption and offers greater performance and capacity than previous versions.

The LTO Program, led by HP, IBM and Quantum, launched the fourth-generation LTO specification, which vendors will implement in their tape drives and media in the first half of 2007.

LTO 4 is an interoperable tape specification that lets tapes written on HP drives be recovered on IBM gear, for example. The specification also ensures devices can read data from LTO 2 and LTO 3 tapes and write data to LTO 3 tape media.

LTO accounts for as much as 82% of the mid-range tape market, says research firm IDC. The specification was first introduced in 2000. A number of vendors including Maxell, Imation, TDK, Sony and Fujifilm manufacture LTO tape cartridges.

The LTO 4 specification adds AES 256 encryption at the drive level and enables faster performance than LTO 3. LTO 4 drives can operate at 120M bytes/sec; LTO 3 drives operate at 80M bytes/sec.

In addition the capacity of an LTO 4 cartridge is double that of an LTO 3 cartridge. LTO 4 supports 800GB uncompressed capacity -- which is equivalent to the contents of 300 DVD movies. For comparison purposes, the Library of Congress collections could fit on six LTO 4 cartridges.

LTO 4 also supports Write-Once, Read-Many capability, which was first introduced in LTO 3.

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Partner Content

Explore the Ultrium Edge

The powerful tape technology can address data security with tape encryption as well as long term data protection.

Find Out More

Disk and Tape Square Off

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Download this White Paper

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