A tape library, sometimes called a " tape robot "
or "tape jukebox"
is a storage device which contains:
- one or more tape drives,
- slots to hold tape cartridges,
- a barcode reader to identify tape cartridges
and
- an automated robot for loading tapes.
For large data-storage, Tape Libraries
are a low cost data backup solution.
Their estimated cost per gigabyte is as low as 10 cents,
which is at least 60% less than most hard drives.
Due to such huge capacity,
tape libraries are primarily used for data backups
and restores.
Smaller tape libraries with only one drive are known as autoloaders.
The term autoloader is also sometimes used synonymously with stacker,
a device in which the media is loaded necessarily in a sequential manner.
DLT and SDLT
DLT (Digital Linear Tape) s a magnetic tape data storage technology developed by DEC in 1984.
Quantum purchased the DLT tape drive technology in 1994.
A variant of DLT, called Super DLT (SDLT), offering with higher capacity sizes. SDLT tape technology adds a reader system called “optical servo” in order to keep data tracks correctly aligned with read/write heads.
All SDLT tape drives support hardware data compression.
Then in 2005, a new set of names: DLT-S and DLT-V came out.
By 2007, Quantum started focusing on LTO tape drives.
LTO Ultrium
Linear Tape-Open (or LTO) is a magnetic tape data storage technology originally developed in late 1990s.
LTO Ultrium re-designed the ½ inch cartridge form facto to make it easier for
Robotic tape libraries. There are many generation of the LTO technology
With each generation improving speed and capacity.