IBM i Series

Removable Storage Media Devices
358 iSeries Handbook
Solutions with Linear Tape Open (LTO) Technology” on page 371 for a complete description
of the Ultrium Family of devices.
IBM 7210 Model 025 External DVD-RAM
DVD-RAM is a new optical technology that advances the capabilities that
CD-ROM brings to the iSeries. You can use DVD-RAM on iSeries servers to
help lower costs associated with:
• Software distribution
• Data and software backup
• System backup
• Data interchange (ISO 9660 and UDF formats)
Positioning
The capacity of the DVD media is over seven times larger than CD-ROM. Software that may
have been distributed on multiple CDs may now need only one DVD-RAM cartridge, reducing
the cost of media. The media capacity for a DVD-RAM cartridge is 4.7 GB per side versus
650 MB on CD-ROM. Its highest capacity can be as much as 9.4 GB per side. The drive
reads CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, and DVD-RAM media. It can write only DVD-RAM
media.
The speed at which it transfers data from the media is roughly equivalent to a 24X speed
CD-ROM, or about 3.6 MB/sec sustained on the average. When the data is compressed in a
3:1 compression ratio (which is average for iSeries servers), a single DVD-RAM cartridge can
save about 13 GB of data in an unattended save mode. This can be ideal for backing up the
smaller iSeries servers such as a Model 270. For saving software of sizes 13 GB or less in
size, a tape drive may no longer be needed on the iSeries.
The 7210 Model 025 attaches to the AS/400e and iSeries servers in these ways:
• #2718 PCI Magnetic Media Controller
• #2768 PCI Magnetic Media Controller
For a description of the #2718 and #2768, see “I/O Adapters and Controllers” on page 291.
Prerequisites
The minimum OS/400 release required is V5R1.
Features
A SCSI cable must be specified with any order to attach the 7210-025 to the controller card.
Options are the #9751 (.7m/2.2ft) and the # 9212 (2.5m/8.1ft). Additional #5301 (.7m/2.2ft),
#5302 (2.5m/8.1ft), or #5303 (.5m/1.6ft) cables may be purchased.