IBM Magstar™ 3590 Tape Drives

Tape storage media can provide low-cost data storage for sequential files, inactive data, and vital records. Because of the continued growth in tape use, tape automation has been seen as way of addressing an increasing number of challenges.

Now, with the increased use of different operating system platforms, tape automation solutions must also provide the ability to connect multiple platforms, enabling the sharing of both tape technology and automation.

The IBM 3590 tape drives provide a reliable, cost-effective solution to these challenging issues. Click on a format below for in-depth information on each:

• Provides multiple platform connectivity to IBM iSeries and AS/400 servers, IBM pSeries and RS/6000 servers, and IBM Enterprise Class zSeries and S/390 servers, as well as Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and Intel-based systems running Windows NT/2000.
  
  
• High-speed connectivity is available through support of native ESCON and FICON™ attachments with the Magstar 3590 Model A60 Controller. The Model A60 can attach to native FIbre CONnections (FICON) channels on IBM Enterprise Class systems such as the IBM 9672 Enterprise G5, G6, or the IBM zSeries 900 Server to help provide more performance per channel and enhanced distance capabilities.
  
  
• Provides enhanced Storage Area Network (SAN) support through Fibre Channel connectivity to a broad range of servers and switches including IBM iSeries, pSeries, xSeries (NUMA-Q), AS/400, and RS/6000, IBM 2042 InRange FC/9000 Fibre Channel Director for Windows NT/2000 and Sun Servers, HP Fibre Channel, and IBM 2031 McData ES-1000 Loop Switch. AIX High Availability Failover support is available for SAN connections to iSeries and RS/6000 servers.
  
  
• Offers configuration flexibility with models ranging from low cost stand-alone rack mini-libraries (Model B11 and Model E11), automated library solutions (Model B1A and E1A for inclusion in the IBM 3494 Tape Library), and models designed for use in StorageTek Silos (Model C12 to hold 3590 E1A or B1A’s and Model C10 to hold up to two 3590 A60 Controllers).
  
  
• Reduces backup times and relieves batch window constraints with an uncompressed data rate performance from 9MB/sec (Model B's) up to 14MB/sec (Model E's).
  
  
• Offers tape capacity ranges up to 120GB per cartridge (compressed, Extended Length Cartridge, 3590 Model E).
  
  
• Provides investment protection through the ability to upgrade from Model B to Model E drives. The Model E provides several enhancements as compared to the Model B including up to a 50% increase in performance, up to twice the capacity on existing cartridges, and Fibre channel attachment at no additional cost to the upgrade price.
  
  
• Standalone Models B11 and E11 use a removable magazine containing up to 10 cartridges, providing a capacity of up to 200GB uncompressed/600GB compressed (B11) and 400GB uncompressed /1200GB compressed (E11). Up to 4 Magstar 3590's can be installed in a rack for a total capacity of up to 4.8TB