CSM-20S Sony sAIT 10-20TB 1dr 20 Tape SCSI 5u Rackmount Library

Description

The CSM-20S is the Sony 20 tape 5U rackmount tape library utilising the SAIT SCSI tape drive technology.

The SAIT format was developed by Sony in 2001 and released in 2003. It and uses helical scanning for recording, the same process used by a video cassette recorder (VCR). If errors are present, the write heads rewrite the data.

Between 1990 and 2000, tape recording densities increased up to ten fold, while the time to access that data increased less than two fold, creating a large mismatch between the amount of stored data and the ability to access it.

This large gap between data access latency and area density created a dilemma in application development and limited the potential to implement truly cost-effective tertiary storage solutions. Many applications compensated for this deficiency by incorporating multiple redundant tape drives, at higher cost, to achieve an acceptable level of service for their users. Sony’s S-AIT design has recognized this need and provided an innovative approach to solving the data latency problem while increasing capacity and data transfer rates.

Traditional, older tape technologies relied mostly on conventional mechanical means, such as faster search speeds or an on-tape index to improve access to stored data. While improvements in electronics and magnetics had been the main enablers of increased capacity and transfer rates, rarely had these same technologies been employed to significantly improve access to data.

Sony’s Super Advanced Intelligent Tape (S-AIT) architecture deviated from conventional designs and employed electronic enhancements to significantly improve access to stored data, using a captive, non-volatile memory chip contained within the magnetic data cartridge. Known as Memory-In-Cassette, or MIC, this memory chip provides a direct and immediate connection to the tape drive’s on-board processors to enable quick media load, fast access to user files and provide a wealth of data about the history and current state of the data cartridge.

The Sony S-AIT 1 used 600M tapes to give a native capacity of approx 500GB with an expected compressed capacity of between 1000GB to 1500GB per tape.

The Sony CSM-20S tape library is an 20 tape S-AIT library in a 5U 19" rackmount configuration. Target markets were tertiary storage in the enterprise sector as well as other access speed dependent business markets.

The Sony CSM-20S has capacity for 20 tapes which can be loaded at up to 12 at a time using the removable 12 tape magazine. The library can operate in either sequential or random mode to control the loading of individual tapes. The CSM-20S can contain either one or two S-AIT drives.

Drive data transfer rate depends on the drive type installed – see below for maximum transfer rates.

The S-AIT1 offers 500GB native capacity or 1000 -1500GB compressed capacity on a single tape at transfer speeds of up to 60MBps or 210GB per hour. Native, the drive provides 500GB of storage capacity with a transfer speed of 30MBps.

The S-AIT drives employed new technology to allow helical scan tape tecnology to acheive higher data storage capacities and access speeds than seen before or even since.

The S-AIT1 uses SAIT1-500
media in order to achieve these higher capacities. It is not compatible with any other tape media.

The CSM-20S was available in 68pin Ultra160 LVD, Single-ended or Low Voltage differential, interface version.

 

Media Compatibility

Data Cartridge	Native Capacity	Compatibility
SAIT1-500 data cartridge	500GB	Read and Write

Library Capacity

Format	Tape Capacity	Cartridge Type	CSM-20S Max Capacity
SAIT1-500 Native	500GB	SAIT1-500	10TB Typical
SAIT1-500 Compressed (2.6:1)	500GB	SAIT1-500	26TB Typical

 

This refurbished product comes complete with a full 6 month return to base warranty.

For help and information on Tape Library Repairs
and repairs of other tape drives please visit Tape-Drive-Repair.com

For Tape Media please click HERE