Sony SDX-700C, Product Specifications Manual

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1.Introduction
SONY AIT-3 drive SDX-700 series Ver.2.1 1-1
1. Introduction
1.1 About this Product Specification Manual
This Product Specification Manual is applicable for AIT-3 drive.
This manual provides information about the Sony SDX-700 series Advanced Intelligent Tape Drives which is
necessary to integrate the drives into OEM products. This manual describes the specifications, SCSI Interface,
diagnostics, operation and installation of the Sony AIT-3 Tape Drives.
The Sony SDX-700C drive uses data compression to achieve high capacity and high transfer rates. Actual capacity
and transfer rate depends on the source file type. The capacity ratings listed in the next subsection are based on a
230 meter tape AIT-3 cassette. The Sony SDX-700C drive is a high capacity data storage device using Advanced
intelligent tape (AIT) technology. The Sony SDX-700C drive achieves high data integrity through read-after-write, an
additional level of Error Correction Code, and other features.
The Sony SDX-700C drives provide MIC technology that automatically enhance reliability and performance. The
Sony SDX-700C drives provide read and write capability for MIC user data area.
1.2
Introducing The Sony AIT Technology
While magnetic storage technologies continue to push the envelope of recording density and provide higher
capacities and transfer rates every 18 to 24 months, improvements in time to access this data have become very
limited. Since 1990, tape recording densities have increased up to ten fold, while the time to access this data has
increased less than two fold, creating a large mismatch between the amount of stored data and the ability to access
it.
This large “gap” between data access latency and area density has created a dilemma in application development
and limited the potential to implement truly cost-effective tertiary storage solutions. Many applications compensated
for this deficiency by incorporating multiple redundant tape drives, at higher cost, to achieve an acceptable level of
service for their users. Sony’s new Advanced Intelligent Tape design has recognized this need and provided an
innovative approach to solving the data latency problem while increasing capacity and data transfer rates.
Traditional, older tape technologies relied mostly on conventional mechanical means, such as faster search speeds
or an on-tape index to improve access to stored data. While improvements in electronics and magnetics have been
the main enablers of increased capacity and transfer rates, rarely have these same technologies been employed to
significantly improve access to data.
Sony’s Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT) architecture has deviated from conventional designs and employed
electronic enhancements to significantly improve access to stored data, using a captive, non-volatile memory chip
contained within the magnetic data cartridge. Known as Memory-In-Cassette, or MIC, this memory chip provides a
direct and immediate connection to the tape drive’s on-board processors to enable quick media load, fast access to
user files and provide a wealth of data about the history and current state of the data cartridge.