Published under Category : Tape Storage

Your backup Doesn't have to wait for LTO-8. Use LTO-7 Type M

As in February, the LTO-8 media still continues to be in shortage.  So what do you do, you have invested in LTO-8 tape drive already, hoping to make use of the high-density 12TB Native LTO-8 media ( o

As in February, the LTO-8 media still continues to be in shortage.  So what do you do, you have invested in LTO-8 tape drive already, hoping to make use of the high-density 12TB Native LTO-8 media ( or compressed 30 TB which you might achieve if your data is compressible ).  Do you go back to LTO-7?

Well, for now, you have a cheaper media to help you.  Use LTO-7 Type M media with your LTO-8 drive.  (formerly referred to as LTO-8 type M). 

What is an LTO-7 Type M Media

LTO-7 Type M is a brand new LTO-7 media that needs to be formatted in LTO-8 drive.  This is an LTO-7 media, so you pay for LTO-7. But when you format it in LTO-8 drive, as type M, you get 9TB Native Capacity. 

Advantage?

You Pay for LTO-7 6TB native media and get 9Tb native in LTO-8 drive. That's a great value.  At the current price, this works out to be cheaper than LTO-8 media cost per TB.  

Media Native Capacity Cost/TB
LTO-7 6 TB AED 45/TB
LTO-7 Type M  9 TB AED 30/TB
LTO-8 12 TB AED 58/TB


What you need to use LTO-7 as LTO-7 type M  

  • LTO-8 Tape Drive
  • Previously unused LTO-7 Media
  • Format this Media as LTO-7 Type M, and you have 9TB Native Capacity. 
  • LTO-7 Type M Labels ( so your drive knows these are LTO-7 M tapes). These labels have M8 identifier

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About the Author: Akash Jain

Akash Jain has worked with data storage since 1998. He writes about NAS, hard drives, tape, backup and other storage technologies at The Storage Guy. He is also the creator of TSG EasyDocker, an open-source project for making Docker applications easier to deploy on NAS systems.

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