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StorageTek SL3000 Systems Assurance Guide E20876-08 |
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# B Tape Drives and Media

This appendix provides basic information about the tape drives and media supported by the SL3000 library. For more information about currently available tape drives, see the tape drive section on the corporate website: `http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/tape-storage/overview/index.html`

Additionally, for more information about the T-series tape drives, refer to the drive specific System Assurance Guide. For more information about LTO drives, refer to the LTO specific documentation. Both resources can be found on the Oracle Technical Network at: `http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/documentation/tape-storage-curr-187744.html`

## Tape Drives

The SL3000 library supports three families of tape drives and media:

- StorageTek T-Series (T9840C and D)

- StorageTek T-Series (T10000A, B, C, and D)

- Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium generations 3, 4, 5, and 6

  Note: Tape drives must support the dynamic World Wide Name feature for them to be placed online by the SL3000 library.

### T9840

The T9840 tape drive is an access-centric tape drive that use a unique dual-reel cartridge design with mid-point load technology. This design enables fast access and reduces latency by positioning the read/write head in the middle of the tape when the cartridge is loaded. With the dual-reel design, the entire tape path is contained within the cartridge, which reduces contamination and enables the drive's fast access capabilities.

T9840C and T9840D drives are:

- Backward read compatible to the first generation (T9840A) written cartridges

- Not backward write compatible

### T10000

The T10000 tape drive is a capacity-centric tape drive that is capable of storing a native capacity of up to: 8 TB (T10000D). There are two generations of cartridges: the T10000 for A and B drives and the T10000 T2 for C and D drives. The T10000C and D drives are capable of reading T10000A or T10000B media. The T10000C and D drives only write to StorageTek T10000 T2 media. In addition to the standard data cartridge, there is a sport cartridge for faster access, but with less capacity.

### LTO Ultrium

The LTO Ultrium is a capacity-centric tape drive that conforms to an open standard that provides media compatibility across all brands and manufacturers of LTO Ultrium products. Check the corporate web site listed above for the most current sales information.

LTO tape drives are:

- Read compatible backward two generations

- Write compatible backward one generation

### Encryption Capable Tape Drives

The following drive models have encryption capabilities:

- StorageTek =T10000A, B, C, D and T9840 Model D only

- HP and IBM =LTO Generations 4, 5, 6

For more information, refer to the tape drive specific documentation and Oracle Key Manager documentation on the Oracle Technical Network.

### Tape Drive Comparisons

The table below provides a quick comparison of tape drives compatible with the SL3000 library.

Table B-1 Tape Drive Comparisons

Specification | T10000 C | T10000 D | T9840D | LTO5 | LTO6
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Capacity (native) | 5 TB 1TB (sport) | 8 TB 1.6 TB (sport) | 75 GB | 1.5 TB | 2.5 TB
Transfer rates (native) | 252 MB/s | 252 MB/s | 30 MB/s | 140 MB/s | 160 MB/s
Buffer size | 2 GB | 2 GB | 64 MB | 256 MB | —
Load Time (sec) | 13.1 | 13 | 8.5 | 19 | 22
Access (sec) | 57 17.5 (sport) | 50 14 (sport) | 8 | 52 | 50
Maximum Rewind time (sec) | 115 32.5 (sport) | 97 26 (sport) | 16 | 96 | 98
Unload Time (sec) | 26 | 23 | 12.5 | 19 | 19
Length–usable | 1,107 m (3,632 ft) | 1,107 m (3,632 ft) | 251 m (889 ft) | 850 m (2789 ft) | —
Fibre Channel | 4 Gb/s FCP | 16 Gb/s FCP 10 Gb/s FCoE | 2 Gb/s FCP | 8 Gb/s FCP | 8 Gb/s FCP
SCSI /SAS | — | — | — | 6 Gb SAS | 6 Gb SAS
FICON | 4 Gb/s | 8 Gb/s | 2 Gb/s | — | —

## Media

Most drives are capable of reading the data recorded by an earlier generation tape drive from the same family. Therefore, the customer can use their existing cartridges. However, the media must be compatible with the tape drives supported by the SL3000 library and still within their warranty period.

Generally, there are four types of tape cartridges (media) used with these drives: data, write once read many (WORM) or VolSafe secure media, cleaning, and diagnostic (special, reserved data tapes). For information about labels and barcodes for tape media, refer to the Barcode Technical Brief on OTN.

Contact an Oracle representative to obtain more information about tape cartridges and labels, or see the tape media section on the corporate website: `http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/tape-storage/overview/index.html`

### Media Comparisons

The table below provides a comparison of compatible media.

Table B-2 Tape Drive Media Comparisons

Specifications | T10000 C | T10000 D | 9840 D | LTO5 | LTO6
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Capacity, native | 5 TB | 8 TB | 75 GB | 1.5 TB | 2.5 TB
Transfer rate (MB/s) | 252 | 252 | 30 | 140 | 160
Number of tracks | 3584 | 4608 | 576 | 1280 | 2176
Total length | 1147 m (3763.1 ft) | 1147 m (3763.1 ft) | 271 m (889 ft) | 846m (2776 ft) | 846m (2776 ft)
Archival life (years) | 30 | 30+ | 15–30 | 15–30 | —
Load/unloads | 25,000 | >150,000 | 10,000 | 5,000 | —
Uncorrected bit error rate | 1x10–19 | 1x10–19 | 1x10–18 | 1x10–17 | 1x10–17