IBM 3590

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The IBM 3590 is a series of tape drives and corresponding magnetic tape data storage media formats developed by IBM. The first drive, having the IBM product number 3590, was introduced in 1995 under the nickname Magstar. The 3590 series of tape drives and media are not compatible with the IBM 3592 line of drives that replaced it. They can store up to 60 GB of data (uncompressed). This family superseded the IBM 3480 Family of tape drives popular in 1980s and 1990s.

Like the 3480 and 3592 formats, this tape format has half inch tape spooled onto 4-by-5-by-1 inch data cartridges containing a single reel. A takeup reel is embedded inside the tape drive. Because of their speed, reliability, durability and low media cost, the 3590 tape drives are still in high demand. A hallmark of the genre is transferability. Tapes recorded with one tape drive are generally readable on another drive, even if the tape drives were built by different manufacturers. Magstar tapes and drives are available in 128, 256 and 384-track versions.

Contents 1 Drives 1.1 Notes 2 Media 2.1 Notes 3 External links

[edit] Drives

• 3590 B Model (3590 B11/B1A), 128 tracks
• 3590 E Model (3590 E11/E1A), 256 tracks
• 3590 H Model (3590 H11/H1A), 384 tracks

[edit] Notes

• IBM's 3590 product page
• IBM Redbook for original 3590 model

[edit] Media

	Tape length (m)	3590 B Model	3590 E Model	3590 H Model
"High-Performance" cartridge	320 m	10 GB	20 GB	30 GB
"Extended High-Performance" cartridge	634 m	20 GB	40 GB	60 GB

[edit] Notes

• The 320 m long "High Performance" (normal) 3590 cartridges use Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the base material.
• The 634 m long "Extended" 3590 cartridges use Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) as the base material.
• 3590 media datasheet

[edit] External links

• Fifty years of storage innovation
• Read/Write Compatibility Matrix
• PC Magazine's Magstar Reference

v • d • e Magnetic tape data storage formats Three Quarter Inch (19 mm) Linear LINCtape (1962) • DECtape (1963) Helical Sony DIR (19xx) • Ampex DST (1992) Half Inch (12.65 mm) Linear UNISERVO (1951) • IBM 7 track (1952) • 9 track (1964) • IBM 3480 (1984) • DLT (1984) • IBM 3590 (1995) • T9840 (1998) • IBM 3592 (?) • T9940 (2000) • LTO Ultrium (2000) • T10000 (2006) Helical Redwood SD-3 (1995) • DTF (19xx) • SAIT (2003) Eight Millimeter (8 mm) Linear Travan (1995) • IBM 3570 MP (1997) • ADR (1999) Helical Data8 (1987) • Mammoth (1994) • AIT (1996) • VXA (1999) Quarter Inch (6.35 mm) Linear QIC (1972) • SLR (1986) • Ditto (1992) Eighth Inch (3.81 mm) Linear KC Standard, Compact Cassette (1975) • HP DC100 (1976) • Commodore Datassette (1977) • DECtapeII (1979) Helical DDS/DAT (1989) Stringy (1.58 - 1.9 mm) Linear Exatron Stringy Floppy (1979) • ZX Microdrive (1983) • Rotronics Wafadrive (1984)