HP C7973W Fascicule
Ultrium compatibility – separating fact from fiction
Unfortunately, rumours are spreading that one
manufacturer’s LTO Ultrium is not the same as another’s.
True or false? Well – it’s both if you’re talking about
HP LTO storage media. Here are the facts:
manufacturer’s LTO Ultrium is not the same as another’s.
True or false? Well – it’s both if you’re talking about
HP LTO storage media. Here are the facts:
•
All Ultrium-branded media, such as HP, is legally
certified for use in any Ultrium drive, such as IBM
or Quantum. Compliance is verified by MAC, the
independent company that regulates the Linear Tape
Open (LTO) format. No product is permitted to bear
the Ultrium logo unless it passes all the tests required
by the specification – and all products that do are
independently tested to ensure they are compatible
with other logo’d products, regardless of who makes
them. This is your guarantee that HP LTO storage
media is 100% read/write compatible with any LTO
Ultrium drive. In other words, HP branded media
is guaranteed to work in any ADIC library or IBM
drive. If anyone tells you otherwise, they couldn’t
be more wrong.
or Quantum. Compliance is verified by MAC, the
independent company that regulates the Linear Tape
Open (LTO) format. No product is permitted to bear
the Ultrium logo unless it passes all the tests required
by the specification – and all products that do are
independently tested to ensure they are compatible
with other logo’d products, regardless of who makes
them. This is your guarantee that HP LTO storage
media is 100% read/write compatible with any LTO
Ultrium drive. In other words, HP branded media
is guaranteed to work in any ADIC library or IBM
drive. If anyone tells you otherwise, they couldn’t
be more wrong.
•
LTO Ultrium is very tightly specified. As well as the
cartridge shell and other physical features, the stand
ard covers the format of how information and data is
written to the media. Like Coca Cola, the ‘recipe’ is
very tightly controlled. And like Coca Cola, wherever
you buy an Ultrium cartridge, whoever makes it,
and whatever drive you run it on, it’s100% Ultrium.
Unlike Coca Cola, the format’s inventors have
no right to set or alter the rules to gain
competitive advantage.
ard covers the format of how information and data is
written to the media. Like Coca Cola, the ‘recipe’ is
very tightly controlled. And like Coca Cola, wherever
you buy an Ultrium cartridge, whoever makes it,
and whatever drive you run it on, it’s100% Ultrium.
Unlike Coca Cola, the format’s inventors have
no right to set or alter the rules to gain
competitive advantage.
•
HP, along with its LTO partners IBM and Quantum
(formerly Certance/Seagate), assured the integrity
of LTO by developing a robust LTO Ultrium
specification and verification procedure passing
all responsibility for policing it to an independent
Compliance and Verification Entity (CVE) – MAC -
of LTO by developing a robust LTO Ultrium
specification and verification procedure passing
all responsibility for policing it to an independent
Compliance and Verification Entity (CVE) – MAC -
administered by the LA law firm, Ladas and Parry.
We couldn’t change the format, even if we wanted to.
We couldn’t change the format, even if we wanted to.
•
MAC is highly qualified for the role and as
co-developers we have taken great care to
administer and execute a compliance test process
that is equitable to all licensees. The LTO Ultrium
Generation Logo Certification requires that each
manufacturer must demonstrate read/write format
compliance with 17 different tapes on all three drives
(HP, IBM and Quantum) to qualify for the logo.
For more information on CV testing and LTO Open
Standards, go to http://www.lto.org/about/wp cve.html
administer and execute a compliance test process
that is equitable to all licensees. The LTO Ultrium
Generation Logo Certification requires that each
manufacturer must demonstrate read/write format
compliance with 17 different tapes on all three drives
(HP, IBM and Quantum) to qualify for the logo.
For more information on CV testing and LTO Open
Standards, go to http://www.lto.org/about/wp cve.html
Mere compliance may be enough to guarantee
interchange, but is that enough to guarantee
business continuity?
interchange, but is that enough to guarantee
business continuity?
All LTO-formatted media may be compatible with all LTO
drives. But they are not the same. Compliance testing
only relates to what is required for interchange. HP’s
qualification process for its own branded LTO Ultrium
media goes deeper and wider than this. And in that
respect. Yes. There’s a world of difference and one
manufacturer’s Ultrium is clearly different from another’s.
drives. But they are not the same. Compliance testing
only relates to what is required for interchange. HP’s
qualification process for its own branded LTO Ultrium
media goes deeper and wider than this. And in that
respect. Yes. There’s a world of difference and one
manufacturer’s Ultrium is clearly different from another’s.
That’s why more customers choose HP Ultrium
than any other brand.
than any other brand.
HP LTO Ultrium Storage Media
”HP Ultrium has been
a lifesaver. We use lots
of HP products, but HP
Ultrium hands down is
our most important.”
a lifesaver. We use lots
of HP products, but HP
Ultrium hands down is
our most important.”
Tonya Roser,
Martin Yale Industries Inc.
Martin Yale Industries Inc.