• What is LTO Technology?
• What did Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Seagate contribute to LTO Technology?
• What is the LTO format?
• Are products based on the LTO format compatible with any other storage products that exist today?
• How can users be sure of data interchangeability among LTO format products?
• What are the key feature differences between LTO format Generation 1 and Generation 2?
• What are the backward compatibility characteristics of the LTO format Generation 2?
• Is LTO on track with its roadmap with the introduction of Generation 2?
• Why did Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Seagate develop new open tape format specifications?
• What is an "open tape format specification"?
• Why is tape so popular for data protection today? Considering new technologies like DVD-RAM, OAW (optically-assisted Winchester) and near-field recording, how long will tape be a viable and desirable solution?
• How does an open tape format specification ultimately benefit customers?

What is LTO Technology?

LTO Technology, or Linear Tape-Open Technology, combines the advantages of linear multi-channel bi-directional tape formats in common usage today with enhancements in the areas of timing based servo, hardware data compression, optimized track layouts and high efficiency error correction code to maximize capacity and performance.

HP, IBM and Seagate each provided expert knowledge of customer needs and complementary technology that provided for delivery of a best-of-breed technology and promotes a strong foundation for data interchange. It is their intent that other companies can participate in this tape industry opportunity through the open licensing process.

What is the LTO format?

The LTO tape format specification is optimized for high capacity and performance with outstanding reliability, in either a stand-alone or an automated environment. Using a single-reel tape cartridge to maximize capacity, the LTO tape format is ideally suited for backup, restore and archive applications. It is our intent that the LTO tape format will meet the needs of the enterprise through single server user on a roadmap, or migration path, which extends well into the next decade. The LTO tape format establishes a new benchmark for large volume backup and archive.

The new LTO tape format specification has been designed to incorporate the best-of-breed strengths of several existing technologies. Compatibility with existing formats was not a primary consideration but is not prohibited by the LTO tape format specification.

The LTO format trademark identifies products that are subject to annual 3rd party compliance verification sample testing to verify that these products comply with the LTO tape format specification. This compliance will maximize the likelihood for data interchange of LTO tape cartridges between different manufacturers' LTO tape mechanisms. Use of this trademark will be granted only after an LTO tape format product has passed the compliance verification testing process.

Speed and capacity is expected to double with each generation of the LTO format. The LTO format Generation 1 allows for up to 100GB capacity (uncompressed) in a single cartridge, while LTO format Generation 2 doubles the capacity up to 200GB (uncompressed) using Generation 2 data cartridges. The data transfer peak performance speed doubles from up to 20MB/second native in the LTO format Generation 1 up to 40MB/second native in Generation 2.

Users will benefit from a greater than 30 percent increase in the number of tracks and average tape speed, as well as an improved recording method. The LTO format Generation 2 provides users with outstanding data and investment protection because of its capability to read-and-write Generation 1 cartridges in the LTO Generation 1 format.

The LTO LTO compatibility is defined with two concepts demonstrating investment protection:
1) An LTO drive is expected to read data from a cartridge in its own generation and at least the two prior generations.
2) An LTO drive is expected to write data to a cartridge in its own generation and to a cartridge from the immediate prior generation in the prior generation format

For example:
- An LTO format Generation 2 drive will read and write data on an LTO format Generation 1 cartridge as specified by the Generation 1 format.
- An LTO format Generation 2 drive will read and write data on an LTO format Generation 2 cartridge as specified by the Generation 2 format.

Yes. In fact, Generation 2 licenses are now available and on schedule with the roadmap. LTO has followed its four-generation roadmap set forth in 1997 and has not changed it. IT managers and storage administrators can trust that LTO will hold true to its promises as we have so far, and by adhering closely to our roadmap, ensure that storage solution investments are future-proofed.

Customers, OEMs and industry analysts believe that the fragmentation in the tape industry and proliferation of formats and technologies has overly complicated customer-buying decisions. With these issues in mind, HP, IBM and Seagate have taken steps to define a technology that has led to open tape format specifications that can better serve multiple market needs and be supported by multiple suppliers.

Tape remains unrivaled in terms of cost and capacity for data storage, and should play an increasing crucial role in corporate data protection strategies. No other technology offers the same combined low cost and high capacity advantage of tape. While other technologies may offer strengths in one or more areas, overall, they do not meet the entire set of customer needs that tape addresses.

The end-user customer and OEMs benefit from this open tape format specification approach through the availability of multiple sources of product, multiple sources of tape cartridges and common tape format specifications for interchange. The pro-competitive environment fostered by multiple sources of product leads to faster paced innovation and enhancements, generally means lower prices and provides for data compatibility. For OEMs, open tape format specifications shorten their qualification cycles and reduce complexities in system configuration.

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