IBM Linear Tape File System Installation and Configuration

The IBM® Linear Tape File System™ (LTFS) is the first file system that works in conjunction with Linear Tape-Open (LTO) tape technology to set a new standard for ease of use and portability for open systems tape storage. In 2011, LTFS won an Engineering Emmy Award for Innovation from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

This IBM Redbooks® publication helps you install, tailor, and configure the new IBM Linear Tape File System Single Drive Edition (LTFS SDE), Library Edition (LTFS LE), and Storage Manager (LTFS SM). LTFS is a file system that is implemented on dual-partition linear tape (IBM LTO Ultrium 5 tape drives (LTO-5), IBM LTO Ultrium 6 tape drives (LTO-6), and IBM TS1140 tape drives). LTFS makes tape look and work like any removable media, for example, a USB drive. Files and directories appear on the desktop as a directory listing. It is now simple to drag files to and from tape. Any application that is written to use disk files works with the same files on tape. LTFS SDE supports stand-alone drives only. LTFS LE supports tape libraries. LTFS LE presents each cartridge in the library as a subdirectory in the LTFS file system. With LTFS LE, you can list the contents and search all of the volumes in the library without mounting the volumes by using an in-memory index.

The LTFS SM software solution provides storage lifecycle management of archive files. Although both the LTFS SDE and the LTFS LE can write data on tape, LTFS SM provides the interface to manage files of all types in a file system structure. This file system structure makes the control of the tape library transparent to the user.
LTFS SM also provides policy-based management, job scheduling, and automated file management. It provides an integrated solution to tape library users that is designed to easily manage archives at a reduced cost. It provides the tools to manage the archived files on the LTFS tapes, to group tapes into pools, and to use multiple LTFS LE nodes to scale out the LTFS archive. Metadata can be used to arrange, search, and manage the files at convenience of the users according to the policies that they choose.

This publication is intended for anyone who wants to understand more about IBM Linear Tape System products and their implementation. This book is suitable for IBM clients, IBM Business Partners, IBM specialist sales representatives, and technical specialists.