IBM Announces Ultrium Linear Tape-Open Products
Fredrik Johnsen
IBM has announced its Ultrium Linear Tape-Open (LTO) products, based on breakthrough industry-standard technology, will allow customers to back up information with up to twice the capacity and speed at about the same cost of existing technology.
The tape can transfer information at 30 megabytes per second.
“The announcement of LTO is an important part of our leadership strategy for IBM’s storage business,” said Linda Sanford, senior vice president and group executive of IBM Storage Systems Group. “Superior products like LTO – with its ability to store and access vast amounts of data with superior performance and reliability, will allow IBM to deliver open storage networking solutions – including Storage Area Networks – that none of our competitors can match.”
The products are intended for customers backing up large volumes of digital data, such as media companies and those doing business on the Web. By using LTO, media companies automate the process of searching and retrieving video and film content. Paramount Domestic Television’s Entertainment Tonight (ET) will use LTO to convert more than 100,000 hours of video footage.
Prices for the desktop Tape Drive start at $9,250, and will be available Sept. 1.