Lenovo IBM TS2900, 6171 Product Manual

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader for Lenovo

Product Guide

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader for Lenovo (Machine Type 6171) is an entry-level compact 1U tape unit that
offers IBM tape reliability, density, and performance for entry-level and compact tape libraries at a cost­effective price.

With a capacity of nine cartridges, the TS2900 Tape Autoloader is a rack-mountable or deskside unit that
contains a single IBM LTO Ultrium half-high SAS tape drive. The choice of the tape drives includes IBM LTO
Ultrium 8 Half-High SAS Tape Drive (Model S8H), IBM LTO Ultrium 7 Half-High SAS Tape Drive (Model
S7H), IBM LTO Ultrium 6 Half-High SAS Tape Drive (Model S6H), or IBM LTO Ultrium 5 Half-High SAS Tape
Drive (Model S5H).

The TS2900 is an ideal solution if you need an entry-level larger capacity or higher performance tape backup
with or without random access. The TS2900 is an excellent choice for tape automation for Lenovo servers.

The TS2900 Tape Autoloader is shown in the following figure.

Figure 1. TS2900 Tape Autoloader

Did you know?

The TS2900 Tape Autoloader uses patented high-density slot technology that allows you to maximize
available backup storage capacity by offering the nine-cartridge magazine in only 1U of rack space.

Featuring the latest LTO Ultrium 8 technology, the TS2900 Tape Autoloader provides up to 270 TB of 2.5:1
compressed backup storage capacity.

With IBM LTO Tape offerings that are available from Lenovo, Lenovo can be your trusted partner that offers
"one stop shop" and single point of contact for delivery of leading edge technologies and innovations from
Lenovo and other leading IT vendors. These offerings can satisfy the wide range of your end-to-end IT
infrastructure needs, including handheld devices, notebooks, personal computers, servers, storage,
networking, services, management software, and financing.

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader for Lenovo 1

Key features

The TS2900 delivers the following features:

An entry-level and compact tape library for high capacity, high performance, and high reliability.

Adherence to LTO specifications.

Support for one half-high LTO Ultrium 8, Ultrium 7, Ultrium 6, Ultrium 5, or Ultrium 6 SAS tape drive.

Native cartridge capacity of up to 12 TB (Ultrium 8), 6 TB (Ultrium 7), up to 2.5 TB (Ultrium 6), or up to

1.5 TB (Ultrium 5).

Native data transfer rate of up to 300 MB/s (Ultrium 8 or Ultrium 7), up to 160 MB/s (Ultrium 6), or up
to 140 MB/s (Ultrium 5).

One removable magazine that houses nine data cartridges (including one I/O station) to enable quick
population of the tape library and ease the storage needs for media.

A single I/O station to help support continuous library operations, while importing and exporting
media with little or no disruption to library operation.

A standard bar code reader with which you can operate the TS2900 in sequential (autoloader) or
random (library) access mode.

Mixed media support, including IBM LTO Ultrium 8, 7, 6, and 5 Write Once Read Many (WORM)
media.

Remote management capabilities to allow for administration of the TS2900 through a web interface.

Optional Library Managed Encryption on LTO Ultrium 8, 7, 6, and 5 SAS tape drives with a
Transparent LTO Encryption feature.

Optional rack-mount kits, deskside covers, and extra cartridge magazines.

A 6 Gbps SAS attachment for connection to select Lenovo servers that run Microsoft Windows and
Linux server operating systems.

Support from an extensive ecosystem of backup software vendors.

The IBM LTO Ultrium Tape Drives include the following IBM LTO Ultrium features:

Dual-stage head actuator
The 16-channel actuator (LTO Ultrium 5 and 6) or 32-channel actuator (LTO Ultrium 7 and 8) provide
precision head alignment to help support higher track density and improved data integrity.

Independent tape loader and threader motors and positive pin retention
These technologies help improve the reliability of loading and unloading a cartridge and retain the
pin, even if tension is dropped. An independent loader motor, coupled with the positive pin retention,
causes the tape to thread with a higher level of reliability.

Graceful dynamic braking
If there is a power failure, reel motors maintain tension and gradually decelerate instead of stopping
abruptly, which helps reduce tape breakage, stretching, or loose tape wraps during a sudden power
outage.

Servo and track layout technology
There are 6656 data tracks in Ultrium 8, 3584 data tracks in Ultrium 7, 2176 data tracks in Ultrium 6,
and 1280 data tracks in Ultrium 5. The high-bandwidth servo system features a low mass servo to
help more effectively track servo bands and improve data throughput with damaged media in less­than-optimal shock and vibration environments.

Surface Control Guiding Mechanism
IBM patented Surface Control Guiding Mechanism guides the tape along the tape path in the Ultrium
8, 7, 6, and 5 Tape Drives. This method uses the surface of the tape, rather than the edges, to control
tape motion. This configuration helps reduce tape damage (especially to the edges of the tape) and
tape debris, which comes from the damaged edges and can accumulate in the head area.

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader for Lenovo 2

Giant Magneto Resistive (GMR) head design (LTO Ultrium 7, 6, and 5 tape drives)
IBM LTO Ultrium Tape Drives use GMR head technology with beveled contouring for reducing
striction and friction. This head design was demonstrated in enterprise tape products to help
minimize contact, edge damage, debris accumulation, and wear on the tape as it moves over the
read/write heads.

Tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) head technology (LTO Ultrium 8 tape drives)
IBM LTO Ultrium 8 Tape Drives use TMR head technology, which helps achieve increased storage
capacity and high data integrity.

Digital speed matching
The LTO Ultrium Tape Drives perform dynamic speed matching to adjust the drive's native data rate
as closely as possible to the net host data rate (after data compressibility is factored out). This
matching helps reduce the number of backhitch repositions and improve throughput performance.

Robust drive components optimized for automation environments
To help enhance reliability and prolong the life of the drives, some of the most robust components
available are used, such as an all metal clutch, steel ball bearings in the loader, robust leader block
design, and a single circuit card.

Power management
The power management function of the Ultrium 8, 7, and 6 Tape Drives controls the drive electronics
to be completely turned off or in a low-power mode when the circuit functions are not needed for
drive operation.

Adaptive read equalization
This equalization automatically compensates for dynamic changes in readback signal response.

Dynamic amplitude asymmetry compensation
This compensation dynamically optimizes readback signals for linear readback response from MR
read head transducers.

Separate writing of multiple filemarks
Separate writing of multiple filemarks evokes any write command of two or more filemarks to cause a
separate data set to be written that contains all filemarks after the first filemark. It helps improve
performance if a subsequent append overwrites somewhere after the first filemark. This change helps
prevent the need to rewrite data sets that contain customer data and the first filemark if such an
append occurs.

LTO Data Compression (LTO-DC)
The Ultrium LTO uses LTO-DC, which is an implementation of a Lempel-Ziv class 1 (LZ-1) data
compression algorithm. LTO-DC is an extension of Adaptive Lossless Data Compression (ALDC) and
an improvement over previous IBM lossless compression algorithms. IBM patented "Scheme­Swapping" compression looks ahead at incoming data and determines the most efficient storage
method (ALDC or pass-through mode) to help optimize data compression and increase data
throughput.

LTO Cartridge Memory (LTO-CM)
Contained within the LTO Ultrium data cartridge is the LTO-CM, which is a passive, contactless
silicon storage device that is physically a part of the cartridge. The LTO-CM holds information about
that specific cartridge, the media in the cartridge, and the data on the media. The storage capacity of
the Generation 8, 7, and 6 LTO-CM is 16320 bytes, which is double capacity of Generation 5 LTO­CM 8160 bytes. Communication between the drive and the LTO-CM is via a low-level RF field
transmitted by the drive to the cartridge.

Statistical Analysis and Reporting System (SARS)
The Ultrium Tape Drive uses SARS to help isolate failures between media and hardware. SARS uses
the cartridge performance history that is saved in the CM module and the drive performance history
that is kept in the drive flash EEPROM to help determine the likely cause of failure. SARS causes the
drive to request a cleaner tape, mark the media as degraded, and indicate that the hardware is
degraded.

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Components and connectors

The following figure shows the front of the TS2900 Tape Autoloader.

Figure 2. Front view of the TS2900 Tape Autoloader

The following figure shows the rear of theTS2900 Tape Autoloader.

Figure 3. Rear view of the TS2900 Tape Autoloader

System specifications

The following table lists the TS2900 Tape Autoloader system specifications.

Table 1. System specifications

Attribute Specification

Form factor 1U rack mount or standalone

Drive technology LTO Ultrium 8, LTO Ultrium 7, LTO Ultrium 6, or LTO Ultrium 5 half-high drives

Drive interface 1x 6 Gb SAS x1 port (Mini-SAS SFF-8088)

Number of drives 1

Number of
cartridge slots

9

Cartridge
capacity (native /
compressed)

LTO 8 (L8): 12 TB / 30 TB*
LTO 7 initialized LTO 8 Type M (M8): 9 TB / 22.5 TB*
LTO 7 (L7): 6 TB / 15 TB*
LTO 6 (L6): 2.5 TB / 6.25 TB*
LTO 5 (L5): 1.5 TB / 3.0 TB compressed**

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Total backup
capacity (native /
compressed)

LTO 8 (L8): Up to 108 TB / up to 270 TB*
LTO 8 (M8): Up to 81 TB / up to 202.5 TB*
LTO 7: Up to 54 TB / up to 135 TB*
LTO 6: Up to 22.5 TB / up to 56.25 TB*
LTO 5: Up to 13.5 TB / up to 27.0 TB**

Data transfer rate
(native /
compressed)

LTO 8: Up to 300 MB/s / up to 750 MB/s*
LTO 7: Up to 300 MB/s / up to 750 MB/s*
LTO 6: Up to 160 MB/s / up to 400 MB/s*
LTO 5: Up to 140 MB/s / up to 280 MB/s**

Software features Transparent LTO encryption (optional).

Security features Secure Socket Layer (SSL), user level security, LTO encryption (optional).

Management
interfaces

Operator panel
1x 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port (UTP, RJ-45) for remote management: Web-based GUI;
SNMP and email notifications

Cooling Fixed internal fans

Power supply One 82 W AC fixed power supply with IEC 320-C14 power connector

Hot-swap parts None

Dimensions Height: 44 mm (1.7 in.); width: 483 mm (19.0 in.), depth: 850 mm (33.5 in.)

Weight 13 kg (28.7 lb)

Warranty One-year customer-replaceable unit and onsite warranty with 9x5 next business day terms.

Service and
support

Optional warranty service upgrades are available through Lenovo Services: 24x7 coverage, 2­hour or 4-hour response time, committed repair (select countries), up to 5 years of warranty
extension, installation services.

Host operating
systems***

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, and 2016; Red Hat Enterprise Linux
(RHEL) 6 and 7; SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11 and 12.

ISV backup
software
compatibility

Arcserve Backup, ASG Time Navigator, Barracuda Yosemite Backup, CommVault Simpana,
Dell NetVault Backup, EMC NetWorker, IBM Spectrum Protect, Microsoft System Center Data
Protection Manager, Symantec Backup Exec, Symantec NetBackup

Attribute Specification

* With 2.5:1 compression ratio.
* With 2:1 compression ratio.
*** The operating systems shown are for Lenovo servers. The TS2900 might support other operating systems. For a full list of
supported operating systems, refer to the System Storage Interoperation Center: http://ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic.

Models

The following table lists the ordering information for the TS2900 Tape Autoloader models.

Table 2. TS2900 models

Description

Part
number

Machine
Type­Model

Feature
code

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader w/LTO8 HH SAS 6171S8R 6171-S8H B1EU

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader w/LTO7 HH SAS 6171S7R 6171-S7H ATNY

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader w/LTO6 HH SAS 6171S6R 6171-S6H AS5V

IBM TS2900 Tape Autoloader w/LTO5 HH SAS 6171S5R 6171-S5H AS5U

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The part numbers for the TS2900 Tape Autoloader models include the following items:

One TS2900 Tape Autoloader with the half-high LTO SAS tape drive (LTO 8, LTO 7, LTO 6, or LTO 5)
and with the Bar Code Reader

One removable nine-cartridge magazine

Documentation package

Configuration notes:

Rack mount kit or standalone installation kit are not included; one of the kits must be ordered with
the TS2900 unit (for ordering information, see the following table).

Rack mount kit includes one 10A/100-250V, C13 to IEC 320-C14 Rack Power Cable, and a country­specific line cord also can be ordered, if needed (for ordering information, see Power cables).

Standalone kit does not include a power cable; it must be ordered with the TS2900 unit (for ordering
information, see Power cables).

The following table lists the rack mount and stand-alone (deskside) kits for the TS2900 unit (one of the kits
must be ordered with the autoloader).

Table 3. Rack mount and standalone kits

Description

Part
number

Feature
code

Maximum
quantity

6171 Rack Mount Kit 00NA013 7006 1

6171 Deskside Covers 00NA015 AS1D 1

A SAS cable is required to attach a TS2900 Tape Library with an LTO Ultrium SAS Tape Drive to a host SAS
adapter. The following table lists the supported cable options.

Table 4. SAS cables

Description

Part
number

Feature
code

Maximum
quantity

SAS connectivity cables: SAS (SFF-8470 host) to Mini-SAS (SFF-8088 tape)

2 m SAS/Mini-SAS 1x Cable (host SFF-8470 to target SFF-8088) 00NA007 5402 1

SAS connectivity cables: Mini-SAS (SFF-8088 host) to Mini-SAS (SFF-8088 tape)

2 m Mini-SAS/Mini-SAS 1x Cable (host SFF-8088 to target SFF-8088) 00NA009 AS0Z 1

Mini-SAS to Mini-SAS Cable (5.5 m) 00NV418 AS11 1*

SAS connectivity cables: Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644 host) to Mini-SAS (SFF-8088 tape)

HD-SAS Cable to Mini-SAS (4 m) 00NV419 AS10 1

* Not supported with the TS2900 with the LTO 8 tape drive.

Tape media

The TS2900 ships with one removable tape magazine with nine cartridge slots that include a single I/O
station (if enabled). Extra removable tape magazines can be ordered with the TS2900, if needed.

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