*** TECHNICAL SPEC SHEET IS IN PDF FORMAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ****
The 3490 Model F01 is a desk-side, low-priced 3490E tape library designed for the RS/6000* and AS/400* systems. The 3490E family remains a fast and reliable tape system. Included are a 10-cartridge enclosed autoloader, a 3490E tape transport capable of reading and writing 36-track and 18-track magnetic tape cartridges in uncompressed or compressed mode, a 16-bit, fast/wide, SCSI-2 Differential Interface, and an integrated control unit. The maximum effective throughput is up to 6.8MB per second. The 10-cartridge autoloader provides an automated, unattended backup capacity of up to 24GB in compressed mode, 8GB in uncompressed mode. Media capacity is 2.4GB in compressed mode, 800MB in uncompressed mode. IDRC data compression is standard.
Highlights
Significant Tape Subsystem Performance Improvement
Significant Cartridge Capacity Improvement
Model Highlights 3490-F01
Economical, high performance Tape Subsystem
Up to 2.4GB compressed data per cartridge
Small size permits desk-side placement
36-and 18-track reading and writing when attached to RS/6000, AS/400, or other open systems
10-cartridge autoloader for 24GB of unattended storage backup
Effective data transfer rates of 6.8MB/second
Description
3490E Model F01 Offers High Performance at a Low Price
The 3490E Model F01 offers full function 3490E tape performance and compatibility at an economical price.
The 3490E Model F01 is intended for RS/6000 and AS/400 systems where limited time for system backup or large amounts of data require high performance tape.
The standard 10-cartridge autoloader on the Model F01 automatically loads and unloads cartridges as they are filled, improving efficiency by reducing the need for operator handling.
The Model F01 can be used to create tapes for archive files, for backup and restore in the event of system or disk storage problems, for off-site data storage for disaster recovery, and for data interchange with other systems. Mainframe data interchange is particularly likely to use 36-track, 1/2 inch cartridge tape. In addition to reading and writing 36-track tape, the Model F01 can read and write 18-track, 1/2 inch cartridge tape when attached to RS/6000 or other open systems, and read 18-track cartridge tape when attached to AS/400 systems.
Improved Efficiency
The affordable price of the 3490E Model F01 allows users to more readily cost justify a high performance tape system. The 3490E Model F01 offers an effective data rate up to 6.8MB/second. Sustained data rates of 3MB/second and burst data rates up to 20MB/second can be attained on the SCSI-2 fast/wide, 16-bit interface. System backups can be performed more rapidly, reducing the time data files are not available to users. The fast data rate also reduces the time needed to restore files in the event of a system problem or a disk storage problem.
High Performance
The 3490 Model F01 provides the fastest tape performance available from IBM for AS/400 and RS/6000 systems. The fast/wide SCSI-2 interface can support a higher effective data rate than is possible with the attachment options for other 3490E tape subsystems on AS/400 and RS/6000 host systems. Using IDRC data compression, the 3490 Model F01 can have an effective throughput as high as 6.8MB/second for compressed data. Actual throughput is a function of the system processor, data block size, and the software application used.
The fast/wide, 16-bit, SCSI-2 Differential interface supports peak burst data rates of up to 20MB per second. Both 8-bit and 16-bit data transfers are supported. Using an interposer for 8-bit mode, peak burst data rates of up to 10MB per second can be supported.
The integrated SCSI-2 adapter provides a higher effective throughput than the SCSI-2 adapter available on the 3490E C models. This SCSI-2 attachment potentially offers AS/400 customers faster performance than the current parallel channel attachment can provide for 3490E tape subsystems.
Improved Systems Availability
Read-after-write checks the data as it is written. Many errors can be corrected by the integrated control unit as the tape is written. If a problem cannot be corrected as it occurs, the tape unit retries and attempts to write (or read) the data correctly. If the problem remains uncorrectable, the operator is notified. The drive does not continue if data cannot be accurately recorded.
Customers with limited time for systems backup or with large amounts of disk storage need high performance tape solutions to backup their systems within the time available. The 3490E Model F01, with its higher performance, may reduce the time needed for backups, allowing them to be completed within allotted times.
Tape backups are typically done at night and on weekends to limit the impact to end users. Over time, the growth of disk storage may not allow system backups to be completed within the time available. Now, the speed and features of the 3490E Model F01 tape subsystem allow rapid backup and the rapid restoration of stored files. Fast backup of the systems allows files to be put back online sooner for continued end-user productivity and overall system availability. In the event of loss or damage to files on disk storage, the high data transfer rates and performance of the 3490 Model F01 tape subsystem speed up system recovery.
Smaller, More Compact Size
The 3490E Model F01 can be placed in a floor space of less than two cubic feet (.06 cubic meters) and weighs sixty-five pounds (29.5 kg.)
Reduced Environmental Requirements
The 3490E Model F01 is equipped with a universal, auto-ranging power supply and can be attached to any power line supplying from 85 to 259 V AC. Power line frequency can be from 47 to 63 Hz. Nominal power consumption is 150 watts. Hydrodynamic tape paths eliminate the need for pressurized air, reducing power consumption and noise levels.
Reliability and Data Integrity
The IBM 3490E Model F01 is designed for maximum reliability and data integrity.
A simplified tape threading mechanism threads tape with one sweeping motion. Tape contact surfaces are made of low-friction, blended ceramic materials to minimize tape wear. The autoloader is a simplified lead screw design.
Three printed circuit boards in the Model F01 are hinged for improved access and serviceability.
Data integrity is important to all customers. The reliability of tape systems is of increased importance for customers who do unattended backup of their systems. The tape drive needs to reliably complete system backup without problems because no operators are present to deal with hardware problems or restart the backup process. The 3490E Model F01 is designed to provide reliable, unattended operation. Simplified mechanisms, low-friction tape contact surfaces, use of integrated electronics, and a high-quality IBM-designed and manufactured recording head all combine to provide a magnetic tape drive with maximum availability and minimum down time.
Operational Efficiency
The 3490E Tape Subsystems are an efficient solution for customers with growing storage requirements and limited timed for system backup. The 3490E Model F01 design contains a reliable, fast 36/18-track tape drive with a ten-cartridge autoloader. An integrated 16-bit, SCSI-2 interface provides effective data transfer rates up to 6.8MB/second. Altogether, total time required for backup or restore operations is reduced.
The 36-track bidirectional recording format reduces, or in some cases, eliminates rewind time. The bidirectional head writes 18 tracks from the load point to the end of the tape, then writes the other 18 tracks from the end of the tape back to the load point, eliminating the rewind time for full tapes. For customers with a limited time for system backup, reducing or eliminating tape rewind time between tape loads and unloads speeds up tape operations. When the tape is full, the 3490E Model F01 allows the autoloader to go directly to the next cartridge when a cartridge, without delay. The autoloader eliminates operator loading and unloading between tapes. The bidirectional read/write head and the autoloader allow better use of the tape subsystem's speed.
The 3490E Model F01 tape subsystem supports the Enhanced Capacity cartridges and 36-track recording to provide the highest data capacity per cartridge of the 3480/3490 tape format cartridges. Using IDRC compression capability, capacity can be up to 2.4GB, nearly three times higher than the uncompressed capacity of up to 800MB/cartridge. The increased cartridge capacity reduces the investment needed in cartridges and saves on storage costs.
Operations Productivity Increases
By using the 3490E Model F01 tape system with the autoloader, backup and restore operations can proceed without an operator present. The reliable autoloader allows operators, when present, to concentrate on more productive activities.
The long cartridge life of the Enhanced Capacity Cartridge System Tape and the high quality of the 3490E Model F01 make it an excellent choice to support critical data.
The 3490-F01 is a desk-side, single-drive tape subsystem that includes an integrated 16-bit fast/wide SCSI-2 Differential adapter, an integrated control unit, and one 3490E 36-track 1/2-inch cartridge tape drive, and ten-cartridge autoloader. It is supported on RS/6000 models that support:
PCI SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter (#2409)
Enhanced SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter/A (#2412)
SCSI-2 Differential Fast/Wide Adapter/A (#2416)
SCSI-2 Differential High-Performance External I/O Controller (#2420)
PCI SCSI-2 Fast/Wide Adapter (#6209)
The 3490 F01 is also supported on AS/400 9402, 9404, and 9406 systems with Magnetic Media Subsystem Controller feature #6501.
