Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. announced that it has begun shipping its new LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridge, which meets the growing demand for storing and backing-up digital information by offering a maximum storage capacity of 3TB (assuming 2:1 data compression).
According to the statement, Maxell recently completed the LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridge compliance verification process including an exhaustive series of tests to confirm interchange compatibility with other drives and media. Upon completion of the tests, users of Maxell LTO Ultrium products can be confident of compatibility and interchangeability between Maxell LTO Ultrium media and all brands of Ultrium drives and media. Maxell has a successful track record with LTO compliance testing and was first to pass the Ultrium 1, Ultrium 2, Ultrium 3 and Ultrium 4 data cartridge compliance verification process, as well.
With a compressed tape drive transfer rate of up to 280MB/sec and maximum cartridge storage capacity of up to 3TB, Maxell’s Ultrium 5 data cartridge is the fifth generation in the LTO Ultrium technology roadmap which are planned to be extended to capacities of up to 6.4TB with the sixth generation. The new technology provides a near doubling of capacity over the previous generation. The LTO Ultrium 5 tape drive technology is backward compatible with earlier generations, read and write capability with the Ultrium 4 cartridges, and read capabilities with Ultrium 3 cartridges to help extend investments made in previous versions. The Maxell LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridge may be used in all Ultrium 5 drives.
The LTO Ultrium 5 format features encryption capabilities that debuted in LTO Ultrium 4 products, designed to enable hardware-based writing of encrypted data to the LTO Ultrium data cartridge, helping to protect the storage and transport of sensitive information. The LTO Ultrium 5 format also features the WORM (Write Once, Read Many) functionality as well as LTO Ultrium 4 and 3, allowing secure backup and storage of critical data for legal support and regulatory compliance.
“Through the introduction of LTO Ultrium 5, Maxell is proud to provide our customers the latest technologies to fulfill changing data storage needs. End-users know they can rely on Maxell to continue our focus on quality, innovation and manufacturing excellence,” stated Kazunobu Maeda, General Manager, Hitachi Maxell Storage Media Division. “With vastly increased performance and capacity along with encryption and WORM functionality, Maxell is confident of maintaining its dominant market share and the continued success of the LTO Ultrium format.”
Maxell is widely recognized as a major provider within the data storage industry. With NeoSMART technology and ongoing joint development efforts with the world’s foremost tape drive developers, Maxell has remained at the forefront of the data recording business, with an emphasis on quality, reliability and innovation. Maxell has developed and marketed LTO Ultrium 1, LTO Ultrium 2, LTO Ultrium 3, LTO Ultrium 4, Super DLTtape I, Super DLTtape II, DLTtape S4 and now released new format LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridges. Maxell is in the process of developing a higher capacity class tape through the utilization of cutting edge technology.
The implementation of Maxell NeoSMART (Super Maximum-capacity Advanced Reliability Tape) technologies, developed through years of refinement and experience in data storage, has been instrumental in enabling the development and release of LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridges. Key features of Maxell LTO 5 data cartridge include:
・ New ultra-fine ceramic-armored metal particles with high energy and superior recording performance realize high capacity of 3TB. Maxell’s ceramic armor coats the metal particle with a thin ceramic layer to protect it from corrosion and provide advanced archival storage life and superior durability.
・ Extremely accurate servo writing technologies, which Maxell developed originally in its manufacturing process, ensure stable servo characteristics and superior tracking reliability, corresponding to increased data track density, approximately 1.4 times compared with LTO 4, to achieve the high capacity of 3TB.
・ Maxell’s exclusive magnetic coating was formed by cross-linking the binder system with two different functional binders. The main binder utilizes CB (Chemical Bonding) segments to bond chemically with the ceramic layer of the magnetic particles to improve packing-density characteristics. This allows an extremely strong chemical linkage of the metal particles, resulting in superior durability and excellent stability during long term storage.
・ For significantly increased data track density, the basefilm with superior dimensional stability, ensures excellent reliability and durability for high density recording and playback, as well as archival storage.
・ Maxell developed the technology to enable uniform, ultra-thin and sub-micron magnetic coating. This technology and advanced calendaring processes achieves remarkably high output and enhanced stability for read/write performance.
・ Built-in non-contact 8kB memory chip stores historical usage records and enables high speed data searches by the drive. In addition Maxell Cartridge Memory Analyzers use this chip to diagnose drive or tape abnormalities. Moreover, Maxell’s reddish brown colored LTO 5 cartridge provides quick and easy visual identification.
For more information visit: www.maxell.com