9940 Tape Technology

The Standard in Capacity, Performance and Reliability in Tape Technology

StorageTek

T9940B Tape Drive

While the growth of electronic data continues at an unabated pace requiring ever more capacity and performance from storage solutions, IT budgets continue to shrink. This convergence of forces demands progressive storage innovations to meet customer needs. StorageTek is proud to continue is leadership in tape innovation with the introduction of the T9940B, which meets and exceeds customer demands for capacity, performance and reliability.

Data, Data and More Data.

In a competitive business climate, data is a critical asset. Storing and accessing valuable data is not only essential to business continuance, but fundamental to strategic decision-making. As electronic storage needs escalate exponentially, how do businesses meet the challenges before them? With the latest technology from StorageTek. The revolutionary 9940 tape cartridge, the first 200 GB cartridge on the market, is designed to deliver massive capacity coupled with requisite performance and superior data protection.

Unparalleled Performance and Reliability

Ultra-high capacity tape calls for correlative performance and reliability requirements to realize system improvements. The T9940B tape drive is the fastest data mover of any half-inch tape drive with a data transfer rate of 30 MB/sec native (70 MB/s with compression). With a full 2 Gb, (200 MB/sec) fibre channel connectivity, fabric aware, and FC2 compliant, the T9940B delivers the data. It can even drive your SAN to the max.

With so much valuable data on one cartridge, reliability is a given. The T9940B tape drive and cartridge were developed as a integrated set for the most demanding environments. They were engineered for the utmost in reliability, designed for the highest duty cycles - 16 hour a day duty cycles, and deliver customer plug and play certified connectivity.

Investment Protection

The T9940B tape drive protects previous investments in media and library resources. The T9940B tape drive provides backward read compatibility along with the ability to rewrite current T9940 cartridges with over three times more data enabling businesses to triple their tape storage capacity without acquiring new media.

Capacity

- 200 GB (400 GB compressed) means the lowest dollar per gigabyte media and lower back up costs

- Increased cartridge capacity minimizes mounts, improving automation efficiency

- Increased automation system capacity protects previous automation investments

Performance

- Higher data transfer shortens backup time allowing utilization of shorter backup windows

- Leading edge native fibre interface for more SAN connectivity options and simplified SAN implementation

Reliability

- High duty cycle for 7X24 operations allows fewer drives and improves resource utilization

- Innovative cartridge design offers excellent physical protection for fewer damaged cartridges and lower replacement and data recovery costs

- Enhanced data integrity provides the highest level of error detection and correction available which also means lower data recovery costs

Timeline 2000 < 2002 <

T9940A technology 60 GB, native T9940B drive Increased capacity by 330% to 200 GB, native

introduced 10 MB/sec introduced Increase transfer rate 3X to 30MB/sec

Combining expertise in drive and media technologies

The collaboration of StorageTek and Imation to develop the T9940 technology exemplifies market-driven drive and media design. The integration of StorageTek drive and library expertise with proven Imation media and cartridge innovations produced this leading edge technology, which delivers the highest capacity, highest data transfer rate technology on the market today. In short, the T9940 tape cartridge delivers a new benchmark for capacity, performance and data integrity.

Ÿ The 9940 tape cartridge delivers the first 200 GB cartridge on the market. This "capacity-centric" technology offers exceptional storage capacity and value for business applications such as growing archive, backup, record-retention and disaster recovery.

Ÿ The 9940 tape technology with a data transfer rate of 30 MB/sec is the highest performing tape technology on the market.

Ÿ At the beginning of each cartridge is a “Media Information Region (MIR)” which represents a kind of map or directory of the location of user data on the physical media. This capability allows the drive to optimize access to user data, saving vital time to data access.

Ÿ The media floats on hydrodynamic air bearing guides, enabling very fast search speeds and eliminating friction between the tape and guides, which decreases media wear and debris compilation.

Ÿ The T9940 tape drive features a head with 16 read/write elements, requiring only 36 full-length passes to fill its 576 tracks. This means that the tape is filled with fewer passes ensuring longer media life and reducing the possibility of data errors due to media wear.

Ÿ Convenient form factor is based on 3480/3490E cartridge preserves previous automation investments.

Ÿ During high-speed searches and rewinds, the T9940 tape drive unloads the head from the tape to reduce head and media wear. This function is unique to StorageTek drives and media.

Ÿ When the media stops moving, the tape drive lifts the tape head from the media, so that the media is protected from thermal damage.

Ÿ StorageTek’s primary design objective for the T9940 tape drive was to ensure data integrity. To this end, STK combines a sophisticated error correction code (ECC) and cyclic redundancy data check (CRDC) to deliver the highest levels of error detection and correction available. With this capability, four of the 16 tracks being read could be lost for an indefinite length of time and the data would still be recoverable.

Ÿ A unique locking mechanism holds the cartridge in place, eliminating wobble effects that cause servo track errors.

Ÿ The tape drive uses a brake device to keep the media wraps in place so that they do not unravel, particularly in transport.

Ÿ The drive uses a plastic guard between the cartridge and search motor to prevent debris from contaminating media.

The future of enterprise data storage management is here today

With requirements of an ever mounting need for storage capacity and fast access to data, tempered by shrinking budgets, businesses are facing the challenge of how to manage the data so critical to their success.

Revolutionary Technology Plus Manufacturing Expertise

Employing Imation’s extensive expertise in media development, the 9940 tape cartridge sets a new benchmark for capacity, performance and data protection with:

Robust cartridge design

Ÿ Reinforcing ribs - added to the cartridge shell protects the tape inside if cartridge is squeezed or dropped.

Ÿ Drop Ring - consists of a raised area inside the cartridge to concentrate forces of impact or daily wear in the area where the reel flange is structurally strongest to reduce damage to tape edges.

Media innovations

Ÿ Metal Particulate (MP) tape with proprietary unique, durable back coating that dissipates static and prevents damage to the magnetic coating caused by wrap imprinting.

Ÿ A patented leader block design eliminates compaction of the block’s curled end, so that the tape wraps smooth and evenly, reducing creasing and imprinting. This innovation significantly improves reliability and raises overall tape and data integrity.

Imation’s leading-edge injection molding group at our Wahpeton, North Dakota, manufacturing facility – an Industry Week 2001 “Best Plants” Award Winner – utilizes state-of-the-art molding software and systems to product cartridge components.

The 9940 Volsafe Cartridge

As the original WORM (Write-Once-Read-Many) tape-based storage solution, StorageTek VolSafe technology meets the most stringent electronic storage regulatory requirements, including those of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Tried and proven in the T9840 technology, Volsafe capability will be extended to the T9940B tape drive and 9940 media. Unlike many other alternatives, all T9940 tape drives are VolSafe enabled. In order to utilize the VolSafe functionality, the customer purchases 9940 VolSafe data cartridges. The 9940 Volsafe cartridge will store over 200GB on one cartridge, giving customers a secure, scalable and highly-cost-effective alternative to traditional optical and microform options.