AS400 Tape Drives & DVD

All our IBM System i, iSeries and AS400 parts are IBM Certified and eligible for new or existing IBM Maintenance Contracts.
IBM Banding can also be provided upon request.
All IBM systems and parts include a limited warranty. We provide very competitive new and refurbished pricing. Some items may only be available as new or refurbished.
If your not sure what you need, please contact us for assistance.

Types of AS/400 Tape Drives

IBM has produced several types of tape drives for AS/400 systems, including:

1/4-Inch Cartridge Tape Drives:

IBM 6380 and 6381: 2.5GB native capacity (5GB compressed)
IBM 6382: 4GB native capacity (8GB compressed)
IBM 6383: 16GB native capacity (32GB compressed)
IBM 6384: 30GB native capacity, using SLR60 technology

LTO (Linear Tape-Open) Drives:

IBM 5755: LTO-2 with 200GB native capacity (400GB compressed)
IBM 5746: LTO-4 with 800GB native capacity (1.6TB compressed)

Features and Compatibility

AS/400 tape drives offer various features to enhance their functionality:

Read/Write Compatibility: Many drives can read and write multiple tape formats. For example, the IBM 5746 LTO-4 drive can write and read LTO-4 and LTO-3 formats, and read LTO-2 format.
Data Transfer Rates: Transfer speeds vary by model. The IBM 5746 LTO-4 drive, for instance, offers a data rate of 120Mbps.
Compression: Most drives support data compression, effectively doubling their capacity.

Configuration and Installation

When installing a new tape drive on an AS/400 system:

Ensure proper cabling and termination settings on both the bus and device.
Check that the drive is compatible with your specific AS/400 model.
Install the drive in a removable media device slot in the system unit or expansion tower.
The system should automatically detect the new drive upon restart.

If the system doesn't recognize the new drive, you may need to:

Verify physical connections
Check for any required firmware updates
Use system commands to configure the device

AS/400 Tape Drive Maintenance

To keep your AS/400 tape drives in optimal condition:

Regular Cleaning: Clean tape drives more frequently than optical media devices to ensure reliable operation.
Initialization: Properly initialize tapes before use to maintain data integrity.

AS/400 tape drives remain an important part of many businesses' data management strategies, offering reliable backup and storage solutions for IBM i, System i, and iSeries environments.