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LTFS for Archiving with LTO-5:

The introduction of Linear Tape File System (LTFS) is possibly the single greatest development in tape in the last 10 years. In today’s data center, tape is typically used for archiving, compliance and the reduction of storage costs. LTFS allows LTO-5 tape drives to connect directly to an operating system and allows users to drag and drop files directly on to tape, just as if it was a hard disk, removing the need for expensive software.

The key to any backup or archiving solution is its simplicity—how easy it is to restore the data at a later date. LTFS allows users to easily restore data at a later date by simply inserting the tape, browsing the contents and dragging the required file or folder to the required designation.

Recent research has shown that 95% of data is never accessed after 6 months of creation, but most of this data needs to be maintained for compliance. By upgrading to Tandberg Data LTO-5 tape drives, users are able to cut storage space, reduce energy and lower operational costs. Now with the addition of the LTFS feature, they can also benefit from faster access to files in archive, and from greater data mobility by simplifying the sharing of larger files such as:

• Media industry video archive
• CAD/CAM files used in design and drawing content for manufacturing, architecture, etc.
• Hi-resolution images such as Medical X-rays or other health industry images
• Surveillance video
• Information archival for e-discovery purposes

Linear Tape File System (LTFS) benefits include:

• Faster access to data: When a tape is mounted, the files and directories stored on it can appear on the desktop in the same way as a disk directory listing.
• Simple drag and drop: LTFS increases ease of use—simply drag and drop files to and from the tape.
• Compatibility across your environment: Tape media written using the LTFS is self-describing so that data recovery from tape is independent of any hardware or software platforms.
• Increased data mobility: Easily share content to increase data mobility; tapes written with LTFS can be exchanged more easily between users working in different operating systems, using different software and in different locations.
• A single storage media standard: Unify organization-wide file sharing with LTO-5. Tapes can move across libraries and vendors with the ease of video cassettes, while files on tape can be accessed using straight-forward drag-and-drop.

How to Implement and Use LTFS with Tandberg Data LTO-5 Tape Drives:

Implementation is easy. Simply download the required preconfigured LTFS software and install. You may need to upgrade the firmware for your tape drive or SAS/FC controller. Simply load a tape into the drive, mount it into the file system, and it becomes visible as a disk. For more information, please download the LTFS user guide.