Tape libraries are available to fit a wide range of budgets and
storage requirements, and many models are expandable to support
thousands of tape cartridges with transfer rates exceeding 25 TB/h.
The following product snapshots highlight key specifications for a
cross-section of enterprise-class tape library systems with a
minimum of 100 TB of compressed capacity, SAN connectivity, and
room for at least 100 tape cartridges in a base configuration. The
following products were selected based on input from industry
analysts and SearchStorage editors, and specifications are current
as of
September 2006.
Go to the
first
product snapshot, or select the desired product below:
Product Snapshot #1
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Product:Quantum Scalar i2000 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:1,397 to 2,794 TB (compressed
capacity; depending on drives)
# of Drives:1 to 48 (SDLT 600 drives); 1 to 96 (LTO-2 or
LTO-3 drives) depending on configuration (2)
Tape Drives:LTO-2; LTO-3; SDLT 320 and SDLT 600 drive
support
Tape Media:Ultrium 200 (LTO-2), Ultrium 400GB (LTO-3),
SDLT-1 (SDLT 320), and SDLT-2 (SDLT 600) tapes
# Tape Slots:100 to 3,492 tape slots (depending on
expansion options) (2)
Transfer Rate:259 to 576 GB/h (compressed rate;
depending on configuration)
Connectivity:SCSI-2 LVD and FC
Release date:Spring 2005
Base price range:Please contact your preferred VAR for
pricing.
Software:http://www.adic.com/adicSupportShell.jsp?Page=supportCertificationMatrix
Detailed Specs:http://www.adic.com/us/collateral/DS_Scalari2000.pdf
Vendor URL:www.adic.com
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Product Snapshot
#2
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Product:Quantum Scalar 10K Tape Library(1)
Library Capacity:5,554 to 11,107 TB (compressed
capacity; depending on configuration)
# of Drives:Up to 208 (IBM TS1120 drives); Up to 324
(LTO-2/LTO-3 drives) depending on configuration (2)
Tape Drives:IBM TS1120; LTO-2 and LTO-3 drive
support
Tape Media:Ultrium 200 (LTO-2), Ultrium 400GB (LTO-3),
IBM TS1120 media
# Tape Slots:11,386 to 13,884 tape slots (depending on
expansion options) (2)
Transfer Rate:374 GB/h (TS1120 native); 252 GB/h (LTO-2)
or 504 GB/h (LTO-3) compressed rate
Connectivity:2Gb FC
Release date:Summer 2001
Base price range:Please contact your preferred VAR for
pricing.
Software:http://www.adic.com/adicSupportShell.jsp?Page=supportCertificationMatrix
Detailed Specs:http://www.adic.com/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10028&item=121882
Vendor URL:www.adic.com
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Product Snapshot
#3
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Product:HP StorageWorks EML-E Series Tape Library
Family (1)
Library Capacity:Up to 404 TB (compressed
capacity)
# of Drives:1 to 16 drives (2)
Tape Drives:LTO Ultrium Gen-3 and Gen-2 drive
support
Tape Media:Ultrium tapes
# Tape Slots:71 to 505 tape slots (depending on
configuration) (2)
Transfer Rate:Up to 9.2 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:FC
Release date:Available now
Base price range:$81,300
Software:http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ebs/
Detailed Specs:http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/emleseries/specs.html
Vendor URL:www.hp.com
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Product Snapshot
#4
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Product:HP StorageWorks ESL E-Series Tape Library
Family (1)
Library Capacity:to 284 TB (single frame); to 1,418
TB (five frames); native capacity
# of Drives:1 to 24 drives (single frame); to 44 drives
(multiple frames) (2)
Tape Drives:LTO Ultrium Gen-2 SCSI and FC; LTO Ultrium
Gen-3 (FC only) and SDLT 600 SCSI drive support
Tape Media:Ultrium and SDLT media
# Tape Slots:322 to 712 LTO slots (single frame); to
3,540 LTO slots (five frame); 286 to 630 SDLT slots (single frame);
to 3,138 SDLT slots (five frame) (2)
Transfer Rate:to 13.8 TB/hr (compressed ; single
frame)
Connectivity:SCSI, 2Gb FC, 4Gb FC via interface
controllers (four tape drives in and two fibre channel ports
out)
Release date:Available now
Base price range:$120,000
Software:http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ebs/
Detailed Specs:http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/esltapelibraries/index.html
Vendor URL:www.hp.com
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Product Snapshot
#5
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Product:IBM 3500 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:LTO up to 5.5 PB (compressed
capacity at 2:1); TS1120 up to 9.3 PB (compressed capacity at
3:1)
# of Drives:1 to 192 drives (2)
Tape Drives:IBM TS1120, IBM 3592, IBM LTO Gen-3, Gen-2
drives
Tape Media:3592 and LTO tapes
# Tape Slots:LTO up to 6887, TS1120 up to 6260
(2)
Transfer Rate:up to 160 MBps for LTO; up to 260 MBps for
TS1120
Connectivity:SCSI-LVD, 4 Gbit FC
Release date:2000
Base price range:Starts at $45,000
Software:Tivoli Storage Manager, Symantec Veritas
NetBackup and Backup Exec, EMC Legato Networker,CA Brightstor, HP
Openview Storage Data Protector,CommVault Galaxy, BakBone
NetVault
Detailed Specs:http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/storage/tape/ts3500/index.html
Vendor URL:www.ibm.com
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Product Snapshot
#6
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Product:Overland Storage NEO SERIES 8000 Tape Library
(1)
Library Capacity:51 to 255 TB (compressed
capacity)
# of Drives:2 to 12 drives (2)
Tape Drives:LTO Ultrium Gen-2 and Gen-3 and SDLT 600
drive support
Tape Media:Ultrium 2-3 and SDLT-2 tapes
# Tape Slots:85 to 500 tape slots (depending on model)
(2)
Transfer Rate:to 3.1 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:LVD SCSI, native FC std, or GbE (NDMP or
iSCSI)
Release date:January 2004
Base price range:$64,706
Software:Atempo – TimeNavigator; BakBone – NetVault; CA
– Brightstor/ARCserve; CommVault – Galaxy; EMC/Legato – Networker;
HP – OpenView/Data Protector; Tivoli – TSM; Symantec – Bakcup
Exec/NetBackup; Bridgehead – HT Backup; Bull Media – Server Virtuo;
SyncSort – Backup Express; Dantz - Retrospect
Detailed Specs:http://www.overlandstorage.com/PDFs/NEO8000_data.pdf
Vendor URL:www.overlandstorage.com
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Product Snapshot
#7
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Product:Qualstar TLS-8000 Tape Library Family
(1)
Library Capacity:4.4 o 211 TB (compressed
capacity)
# of Drives:2 to 8 drives (2)
Tape Drives:LTO-2 and LTO-3 drive support
Tape Media:Ultrium tapes
# Tape Slots:11 to 264 tape slots (depending on model)
(2)
Transfer Rate:to 4.6 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:SCSI, FC, GigE
Release date:Currently shipping; in production since
1999
Base price range:$10,000 (base models)
Software:www.qualstar.com/swmatrix.pdf
Detailed Specs:http://www.qualstar.com/146081.htm
Vendor URL:www.qualstar.com
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Product Snapshot
#8
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Product:Qualstar XLS Enterprise Library System
(1)
Library Capacity:100 TB to 4.8 PB (compressed
capacity)
# of Drives:Up to 96 drives (2)
Tape Drives:LTO-3 drive support
Tape Media:Ultrium tapes
# Tape Slots:295 to 6000 tape slots (depending on model)
(2)
Transfer Rate:to 553 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:SCSI and FC
Release date:Currently shipping
Base price range:$50,000 (base models)
Software:www.qualstar.com/swmatrix.pdf
Detailed Specs:http://www.qualstar.com/xls/
Vendor URL:www.qualstar.com
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Product Snapshot
#9
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Product:Quantum PX720 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:60.8 to 1,027 TB (compressed
capacity; depending on configuration)
# of Drives:1 to 20 drives per frame (Up to 5 frames)
(2)
Tape Drives:SDLT 320; SDLT 600; DLT-S4; LTO-2;
LTO-3
Tape Media:Ultrium 200 (LTO-2), Ultrium 400GB (LTO-3),
SDLT-1 (SDLT 320), SDLT-2 (SDLT 600), and DLT tapes
(DLT-S4)
# Tape Slots:190 to 726 tape slots per frame (depending
on configuration) (2)
Transfer Rate:461 GB/h to 11,520 GB/h (compressed;
depending on configuration)
Connectivity:Ultra 160 SCSI or 2 Gbps FC
Release date:Fall 2003
Base price range:Please contact your preferred VAR for
pricing.
Software:http://www.quantum.com/swcompguide.aspx
Detailed Specs:http://www.quantum.com/Products/TapeLibraries/PX720/Index.aspx
Vendor URL:www.quantum.com
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Product Snapshot
#10
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Product:SpectraLogic T120 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:48TB to 192TB (compressed capacity
with LTO-4)
# of Drives:2 to 6 drives (with LTO-4) (2)
Tape Drives:LTO Ultrium Gen 2-4 and SAIT drive
support
Tape Media:Ultrium and SAIT tapes
# Tape Slots:30-120 tape slots (depending on model)
(2)
Transfer Rate:to 5.2 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:SCSI, FC, GigE
Release date:April 5, 2005
Base price range:$22,800
Software:BakBone, CommVault, Legato, NetApp, IBM HPSS,
Computer Associcates, Masstech, SyncSort, Cicso, EMC, Backup Exec,
Symantec/ VERITAS, Dantz, IBM Tivoli, Microsoft, Xiotech
[http://www.spectralogic.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.compatMatrix&catID=835&p=816&gp=566,9]
Detailed Specs:http://www.spectralogic.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.displayContent&CatID=566&P=148
Vendor URL:www.spectralogic.com
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Product Snapshot
#11
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Product:SpectraLogic T950 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:160 to 11,920 TB (compressed
capacity with LTO-4)
# of Drives:2 to 120 drives (including expansion frames
with LTO-4) (2)
Tape Drives:LTO Ultrium Gen 2-4, RXT, SAIT and SDLT 600
drive support
Tape Media:LTO Ultrium, RXT, SAIT and SDLT
tapes
# Tape Slots:100 to 7,450 tape slots (depending on
model) (2)
Transfer Rate:to 51.8 TB/hr (compressed rate using
maximum number of drives)
Connectivity:SCSI, FC, GigE
Release date:September 8, 2003
Base price range:$150,000
Software:BakBone, CommVault, Legato, NetApp, IBM HPSS,
Computer Associcates, Masstech, SyncSort, Cicso, EMC, Backup Exec,
Symantec/ VERITAS, Dantz, IBM Tivoli, Microsoft, Xiotech, others.
[http://www.spectralogic.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.compatMatrix&catID=831&p=809&gp=449,9]
Detailed Specs:http://www.spectralogic.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.displayContent&CatID=449&P=148
Vendor URL:www.spectralogic.com
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Product Snapshot
#12
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Product:Sun StorageTek L1400 Tape Library (1)
Library Capacity:13.5 to 339 TB (single frame); 27 to
672 TB (dual frame); uncompressed capacity depending on selected
drives
# of Drives:1 to 40 drives (LTO or DLT/SDLT); 1 to 24
drives (T9840, T9940, and T10000); mixed drives supported
(2)
Tape Drives:LTO, DLT/SDLT, T9840, T9940, and T10000;
mixed tape drives supported
Tape Media:LTO, DLT/SDLT, T9840, T9940, and T10000;
seamless support of mixed media
# Tape Slots:200 to 1,344 tape slots (depending on
model) (2)
Transfer Rate:0.82 to 5.75 TB/h (single frame); 1.6 to
11.5 TB/h (dual frame); uncompressed rate depending on drives
selected
Connectivity:SCSI and FC
Release date:January 2004
Base price range:$69,000 (200 slot library, no tape
drives or media)
Software:Local Op Panel and Remote Management included;
advanced library and backup management and monitoring packages
available
Detailed Specs:http://www.sun.com/storagetek/tape_storage/tape_libraries/l1400m/
Vendor URL:www.sun.com
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Product Snapshot
#13
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Product:Sun StorageTek StreamLine SL8500 Tape Library
(1)
Library Capacity:29 to 724 TB (uncompressed
capacity)
# of Drives:1 to 64 drives per SL8500 frame; up to 448
drives per system (2)
Tape Drives:T10000, T9840, T9940, LTO, and SDLT600;
mixed tape drives supported
Tape Media:T10000, T9840, T9940, LTO, and SDLT; seamless
support of mixed media
# Tape Slots:1,448 to 10,000 slots per frame; up to
70,000 per system (2)
Transfer Rate:4.4 to 27.6 TB/hr (uncompressed rate using
64 drives) depending on selected drives
Connectivity:Fibre Channel, FICON, and ESCON tape
drives
Release date:June 2004
Base price range:$195,000 (1,448 slot library with 64
drive bays without tape drives or media)
Software:Remote Management software (StreamLine Library
Console software) included; optional local touchscreen operator
panel, advanced library and backup management and monitoring
packages available
Detailed Specs:http://www.sun.com/storagetek/tape_storage/tape_libraries/sl8500/
Vendor URL:www.sun.com
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NOTES:
(1) There are various configurations of this product model.
Exact specifications depend on the selected/expanded
configuration.
(2) The exact number of drives/slots depends on selected options or
expansion chassis.
** All prices shown are in US dollars (USD)
LEGEND:
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface
FC: Fibre Channel
GigE: Gigabit Ethernet
iSCSI: Internet SCSI
TB: Terabyte
LTO: Linear Tape Open
SDLT: Super Digital Linear Tape