Since it was established by an Act of Congress in 1946, scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute have studied geophysical processes from the center of the Earth to the surface of the sun and beyond, turning data and observations into information useful for state, Arctic, and national priorities.
The Spectra TFinity was our choice because we needed a long-term, supportable solution. It's incredibly valuable to know we'll have stability going forward. Throughout this process, Spectra has demonstrated that they're a true partner, not just a vendor.
The Challenge
As its IBM TS3500 tape library approached end-of-life, the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) faced the daunting task of migrating petabytes of research data into new storage infrastructure. Newer IBM models no longer supported its existing TS and LTO drives and media in a single tape library, leaving the UAF storage team at risk of retiring functional hardware or operating two separate libraries.
The Solution
Spectra Logic partnered with UAF to protect the institution’s investment in TS1140 and TS1160 drives and existing 3592 media — several thousand tapes. Spectra re-sledded, tested, and migrated a total of ten drives into a four-frame Spectra TFinity® tape library integrated with Versity software. The TFinity enables a flexible, multi-media environment supporting both TS and LTO technology.
The Result
Spectra helped UAF seamlessly migrate its data into an archive purpose-built for long-term preservation and environmental sustainability. With greater capacity in a smaller footprint, UAF is now positioned to confidently meet its storage demands of tomorrow’s research initiatives.
The Environment Snapshot
- TFinity® tape library, 4 frames
- 8x TS1160 tape drives
- 2x LTO-6 tape drives
- BlueScale® library management software*
- Versity HSM software**
* Plans to upgrade to LumOS software
** Plans to upgrade to Versity ScoutAM software
