Lto Type M Cartridge (M8) - Dell PowerVault LTO User Manual

Table 5. Supported Functions of Compatible Media Types (continued)
Tape
LTO
length capacity
cartridge
nominal
Gen
(m)
3 WORM 680 400
2 609 200 GB
1 609 100 GB
1 319 50 GB
1 203 30 GB
1 97 10 GB
* In any tape product with M8 cartridges, the minimum LTO8 tape drive firmware version is HB82.
1
1 GB = 1 000 000 000 bytes.
2
Compression Ratio
• 2.5:1 = LTO9, LTO8, LTO7, LTO6
• 2:1 = LTO5, LTO4, and LTO3
3
RO = Read Only

LTO Type M Cartridge (M8)

The LTO Program introduced a new capability with LTO8 tape drives: the ability to write 9 TB (native) on
a brand new LTO Ultrium 7 cartridge instead of 6 TB (native) as specified by the LTO7 format. Such a
cartridge is called an LTO7 initialized LTO Type M cartridge. These LTO Type M cartridges are identifiable
by using an automation bar code label that ends with the last 2 characters "M8".
Table 6. LTO7 and LTO8 Cartridge Types
Cartridge/Density
type
L9
L8
M8
L7
From now on, these cartridges are referred to as L9, L8, M8, and L7.
Only new, unused LTO Ultrium 7 cartridges can be initialized as M8 cartridges. When a cartridge is
initialized as M8, it cannot be changed back to L7. Initialized M8 cartridges can be written and read only in
an LTO8 tape drive. LTO7 tape drives cannot read initialized M8 cartridges.
22 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide
Data
Data
capacity
compressed
1
native
2
(TB)
(TB)
800 GB
400 GB
200 GB
100 GB
60 GB
20 GB
Bar code label
xxxxxxL9
xxxxxxL8
xxxxxxM8
xxxxxxL7
®
Power Power Power
Vault Vault Vault
Gen Gen Gen
LTO9 LTO8 LTO7
No No
No
No No
No
No No
No
No No
No
No No
No
No No
No
Cartridge Native capacity
Packaging/
Silkscreen
labeling
LTO Ultrium 9 18 TB
LTO Ultrium 8 12 TB
LTO Ultrium 7 9 TB
LTO Ultrium 7 6 TB
Power Power Power
Vault Vault Vault
Gen Gen Gen
LTO6 LTO5 LTO4
No RO Yes
No No RO
No No No
No No No
No No No
No No No
Tape Drive
compatibility
LTO9
LTO9, LTO8
LTO8
LTO7, LTO8
Power
Vault
Gen
LTO3
Yes
Yes
RO
RO
RO
RO