The IBM Linear Tape File System provides direct, intuitive and graphical access to data stored in IBM tape drives and libraries using Linear Tape- Open (LTO) generation 5 tape cartridges, as well as 3592 cartridges when read by an IBM TS3500 Tape Library. It eliminates the need for additional tape management and software to access data...

1. IBM Systems and Technology Data Sheet
System Storage
IBM Linear Tape File
System
Helping improve digital content storage and
management
The IBM Linear Tape File System provides direct, intuitive and graphical
Highlights access to data stored in IBM tape drives and libraries using Linear Tape-
Open (LTO) generation 5 tape cartridges, as well as 3592 cartridges
Simplifies direct access and management
●● ● ●
when read by an IBM TS3500 Tape Library. It eliminates the need for
of selected tape drives and tape libraries
and their data additional tape management and software to access data.1
Incorporates the IBM Linear Tape File
The Linear Tape File System is the first file system that works in con-
●● ● ●
System™ format standard for reading,
writing and exchanging descriptive junction with LTO generation 5 tape technology to set a new standard
metadata on certified tape cartridges for ease of use and portability for open systems tape storage. With this
system, accessing data stored on an IBM tape cartridge is as easy and
Enables tagging of files with any text,
●● ● ●
allowing for more intuitive searches of intuitive as using a USB flash drive. And with the operating system’s
cartridge, drive and library content graphical file manager, reading data on a tape cartridge is as easy as drag-
ging and dropping. Users can run any application designed for disk files
against tape data without concern for the fact that the data is physically
stored on tape.
The Linear Tape File System offers two different editions. The Single
Drive Edition adds support for IBM tape automation in addition to the
single drive-use. The Library Edition allows access to all of the data in a
tape library as if it were on disk. Both editions use the file system’s format
and resources of the operating system (OS) on which it is running to
graphically display the contents of a tape library in the OS’s graphical
user interface (GUI) format, typically a folder/tree structure.

2. IBM Systems and Technology Data Sheet
System Storage
Device directory Tape contents
LTFS
Tape browsing on Linux
A graphical user interface is supported by the ability to write metadata on tape.
The metadata of each cartridge, once mounted, is cached in on the tape, the Linear Tape File System Storage Manager pro-
server memory. Metadata operations, such as browse directory vides the tools that utilize metadata to arrange, search and man-
and filename search, do not require tape movement. The age the files at users’ convenience according to the policies they
Library Edition supports LTO generation 5 as well as an decide.
IBM TS1140 System Storage® Tape Drive in an IBM System
Storage TS3500 Tape Library. Linear Tape File System is a significant step in moving tape
storage away from its reputation as complex and difficult to use.
The Linear Tape File System provides a software solution— Unlike disk storage, tape has required device-specific software
IBM Linear Tape File System Storage Manager—to manage to read, write and manage data stored on its cartridges in librar-
and monitor archive and restore files. This software solution ies. Even with tape management software, file access was not
provides storage life-cycle management of multimedia files to intuitive, as it required users to know which cartridge volume
reduce the cost of digital content archive software licensing contained the files they needed. Further, because operating
while also reducing video tape cartridge costs. systems were not typically shipped with built-in tape library
support, standard OS disk interfaces did not enable direct
This new software offers a more integrated solution to tape reading and writing to tape cartridges stored in tape libraries.
library users. While both the Single Drive Edition and the
Library Edition of the Linear Tape File System can write data
2

3. IBM Systems and Technology Data Sheet
System Storage
Why IBM?
As a continuous innovator, IBM invented the Linear Tape
“LTFS provides physical transportability, File System format standard, and was first to market the open
readability, and easy access through the standard file system for single LTO generation 5 tape drives.
network.” The Linear Tape File System is an outgrowth of a decade of
leadership as a founding member of the LTO Consortium and
market-leading supplier of LTO tape drives, libraries and
Source: From Boston Consulting Group interviews at NAB, September 2010
cartridges.
IBM continually upgrades the file system in order to offer
IBM recognizes that in order to be an attractive, more widely more benefits to suit today’s business needs. Now, for
usable storage medium, tape must be as easy to use as any other Linear Tape File System, IBM has productized a version of
medium, such as disk or removable flash. Such ease of use IBM System Storage Archive Manager2 for Linear Tape File
requires a file system interface that behaves like disk, as well System Solution, a multi-format file management application
as the f lash-drive-like ability to share data without regard to focused on processing and archiving media files in the broad-
platform. casting area.
Designed to meet these needs, the Linear Tape File System With Linear Tape File System Storage Manager, users can
Library Edition, along with Linear Tape File System Storage increase infrastructure flexibility with enterprise-wide manage-
Manager, enables users to: ment of archived files with special support for media files.
●● ●
Manage scheduling and access of tape cartridges in IBM invented the concept of using tape recording media for
multiple drives data storage in 1952 and has been leading the IT industry ever
●● ●
Recognize the cartridges in a library at library mount time since. Innovative IBM data storage products help customers
and create a file system directory under the library for each back up and restore data for business continuity, recover their
cartridge; optionally, the cartridges’ file system directories data in times of disaster and archive data for long-term recall.
can be pre-populated with information from the cached index
at library mount time, allowing users to list and search the
contents of all known tape cartridges without having to
physically load each cartridge into a tape drive “LTFS enables you to graphically browse files
●● ●
Support on-disk metadata, an option which enables storing not supported by a more expensive file
data on disk space instead of memory space, allowing the system.”
Linear Tape File System to handle a larger number of
cartridges
Source: From Boston Consulting Group interviews at NAB, September 2010
●● ●
Support data path failover, in addition to control path
failover, by using an IBM tape drive
3

4. IBM Systems and Technology Data Sheet
System Storage
Feature Benefits
IBM Linear Tape File System Single Drive Edition and Library Edition
Graphical user interface ●● ●
Helps reduce complexity by enabling an icon-based view of the tape library, including tape cartridges and files,
using the operating system’s file manager
Standalone ●● ●
Helps reduce costs as it does not require any additional tape management software or utilities
OS file system ●● ●
Provides a basic read/write interface to the tape library for applications without any additional OS enhancements like
API utilization “plug-ins” or service packs
“Mountless” cartridge ●● ●
Once the tape library is inventoried, eliminates the need to remount2 tape cartridges to retrieve content index data or
inquiry for fast access basic cartridge information such as volume name or serial number
IBM Linear Tape File System Library Edition
OS browser interface ●● ●
Helps reduce complexity by enabling an icon-based directory tree view of IBM System Storage TS3500, TS3310,
TS3100/3200 and TS2900 libraries displaying tape cartridges and files by using the OS GUI
OS file system ●● ●
Simplifies storing data on tape cartridges by providing a basic read/write interface to the tape library for applications
API utilization without any additional OS enhancements, “plug-ins,” service packs or similar requirements
Portability for ●● ●
Provides cartridge compatibility with tape management solutions based on the Linear Tape File System format
LTO Ultrium 5 specification and existing standalone versions of Linear Tape File System (on IBM, HP, Quantum, FOR_A, 1 Beyond
and other platforms)
Performance for ●● ●
Mainframe attach
TS1140 Tape Drive on a ●● ●
Large capacity (4 TB vs. 1.5 TB [LTO5])
TS3500 Tape Library ●● ●
Usable capacity (after partitioning by Linear Tape File System and without compression) of 3400 GB (JC cartridge) vs.
1425 GB (LTO5)
●● ●
High data range (240 MB/s vs. 140 MB/s [LTO5])
IBM Linear Tape File System Storage Manager
Lower costs ●● ●
Optimizes storage and reduces costs by using a shared, highly-scalable, open-standards-based storage pool
Improved file control ●● ●
Improves transparency and control over processes and transactions by using workflow and business rules at
the file level
Better integration ●● ●
Eliminates islands of content and provides flexible and open interfaces to enterprises applications
IBM Linear Tape File System specifications at a glance
IBM Linear Tape File System Single Drive Edition
Hardware requirements
Tape systems IBM System Storage TS2250 Tape Drive (3580S5E)
IBM System Storage TS2350 Tape Drive (3580S5X)
Tape media LTO-5
IBM System x® For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC).
or Intel® servers
Apple Macintosh server For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Host bus adapter For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Supported Linux:
operating systems RHEL 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, and 6.1
SLES 11 Service Pack 1
Apple Mac OS X: 10.5 Leopard (32-bit)
Mac OS X: 10.6 Snow Leopard (32-bit)
Mac OS X: 10.7 Lion (32-bit or 64-bit)
Microsoft Windows: 7.0 SP1(32-bit or 64-bit)
Microsoft Windows Server 2008: R2 SP1
Warranty AS IS software
Open source for Linux and Mac OS X versions
Object code only for Windows version
4

5. IBM Systems and Technology Data Sheet
System Storage
IBM Linear Tape File System Library Edition
Hardware requirements
Tape systems IBM System Storage TS2900 Tape Autoloader Express
IBM System Storage TS3100 Tape Library Express
IBM System Storage TS3200 Tape Library Express
IBM System Storage TS3310 Tape Library
IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library*
IBM System Storage TS1140 Tape Drive support on IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library
Tape media LTO-5, IBM 3592 JB, JC and JK
IBM System x or Intel server For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Host bus adapter For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Supported operating systems Linux:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 6.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11 Service Pack 1
Warranty Multi-year warranty agreement
Object code only license under International Program License Agreement (IPLA)
IBM Linear Tape File System Storage Manager
Hardware requirements
Tape systems IBM System Storage TS2900 Tape Autoloader Express
IBM System Storage TS3100 Tape Library Express
IBM System Storage TS3200 Tape Library Express
IBM System Storage TS3310 Tape Library
IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library
IBM System Storage TS1140 Tape Drive support on IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library
Tape media LTO-5, IBM 3592 JB, JC and JK
IBM System x or Intel server For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Host bus adapter For details on supported hardware configurations please refer to the SSIC.
Supported operating systems Linux:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 6.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11 Service Pack 1
Software requirements IBM Linear Tape File System Library Edition is a pre-requisite in order to install IBM Linear Tape File System
Storage Manager.
5

6. For more information
To learn more about the IBM Linear Tape File System,
please contact your IBM representative or IBM Business
Partner, or visit the following website:
ibm.com/systems/storage/tape/ltfs/index.html
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