Product manual

Ultrium tape format 53
Higher recording density: The LTO specification allows higher recording densities
than any existing linear tape products. Further increases in recording density are
possible in the future because the LTO tape specification is optimized for magneto-
resistive (MR) tape heads.
Ultrium technology overview
The Ultrium tape format is optimized to store as much data as possible. Even the
first generation Ultrium tape provides up to 100 Gbytes of uncompressed data
storage--more than any other product in its class.
The Ultrium format achieves this high capacity by using long (600-meter) and wide
(1/2-inch) tape media. Data is recorded in 384 tracks, grouped in four bands, each
bounded by two servo tracks, for extreme reliability.
The Ultrium cartridge
The Ultrium tape cassette uses just one tape reel, instead of two. This maximizes
the amount of tape that can fit in a single cartridge, since space within the cartridge
is taken up by the tape, not by tape reels.
Despite its ultra-high capacity, the Ultrium cartridge is thinner than other existing
single-reel cartridges. It measures about 4 inches square and is a little more than
3/4 of an inch thick.
The cartridge features a write-protect switch and built-in cartridge memory
(described below).
As shown in Figure 25, there is a door near one corner of the cartridge. When the
cartridge is inserted into the drive, the drive opens this door to expose the leader pin
that is attached to the beginning of the tape.
Caution. Do not open the tape door manually, or you may allow dust to enter the
cartridge, which could result in loss of data.
Door (open)
Pin
Front
Figure 25. LTO cartridge with door open to show leader pin