【Fujitsu】 FACOM 6475 Cartridge Tape Unit

Completed in June 1985, the FACOM 6475 was a cartridge tape unit for the Fujitsu FACOM M Series. FACOM 6475 used VHS media. At the time, backing up data from magnetic disk units to magnetic tapes involved problems like the need to secure a storage location, increasing complexity of management, and an increase in the backup work load due to the increase in processing time and the number of tapes. This unit was developed to resolve these problems, and it had the following features:

(1) High-speed backup processing

Twice the performance of the FACOM 613A magnetic tape unit—Fujitsu's fastest at the time.

(2) Improved tape storage space efficiency

A maximum memory capacity of 280 Mbyte per tape was achieved using VHS media and high-density recording (32,000BPI), thereby reducing storage space to approximately 1/8 compared to full-size open reel tape.

(3) Easier operation

The burden on the operator was greatly reduced by using easy-to-handle cartridge tapes, and a cartridge magazine capable of holding a maximum of 10 tapes (Note 1), thereby enabling backup processing for a maximum of 2.8Gbyte (Note 2) in a single operation.

(Note 1) In case of the FACOM 6475A2

(Note 2) The size of one FACOM 6425 magnetic disk unit (4 volumes) at that time

*1: When recorded with 32Kbyte block size