Tape back-up standard improved

A consortium of companies supporting a tape back-up standard called Linear Tape Open (LTO) Ultrium has introduced the second generation of its technology. The consortium, made up of IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Seagate, said it will begin licensing the new version of the technology in the first quarter to companies that make tape and tape drives.

The new version, the second of four planned generations, supports 200GB capacity with higher transfer rates than before, the companies said. LTO Ultrium, used for midrange back-up demands, competes with standards such as Quantum's DLT, which is currently at the heart of a legal dispute.