IBM TS4300 3555, User Manual

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Appendix B. LTO media
This section provides an overview of LTO media, which is recommended for use with this library.
To ensure that your IBM tape drive conforms to IBM's specifications for reliability, use only IBM LTO tape
cartridges. You might use other LTO-certified data cartridges, but they might not meet the standards of
reliability that are established by IBM. The IBM LTO data cartridge cannot be interchanged with the media
used in other IBM non-LTO tape products.
Figure 86 on page 156 shows the IBM LTO data cartridge and its components.
1 LTO cartridge memory 4 Write-protect Switch
2 Cartridge door 5 Label area
3 Leader pin 6 Insertion guide
Figure 86. The IBM LTO data cartridge
Note: The same components are on all the IBM LTO data cartridges.
Data cartridges
Use the LTO data and cleaning tape cartridges that are designed for your model of library.
You can order tape cartridges with the bar code labels included, or you can order custom labels. To obtain
tape cartridges and bar code labels, see “Ordering media supplies” on page 172.
When tape is processed in the cartridges, LTO Tape Drives use a linear, serpentine recording format. The
native data capacity and recording format of LTO data cartridges is as follows:
Table 45. Cartridge data capacity and recording formats
Type
Native Data Capacity Recording Format
LTO8 12 TB (30 TB at 2.5:1 compression) Reads and writes data on 6656
tracks, 32 tracks at a time.
LTO M8 9 TB (22.5 TB at 2.5:1
compression)
Reads and writes data on 3584
tracks, 32 tracks at a time.
LTO7 6 TB (15 TB at 2.5:1 compression) Reads and writes data on 3584
tracks, 32 tracks at a time.
156 IBM TS4300 Tape Library Machine Type 3555: User's Guide