Did you know that there is a Large Tape Users Group (LTUG) that meets twice a year to add its recommendations to Sun’s open systems and mainframe tape products, roadmaps, and directions. Sun's Jay Wallace discusses the LTUG and shares highlights from the group\'s April 2009 meeting.

Since acquiring StorageTek in the Fall of 2005, Sun has sponsored eight meetings of LTUG, which also have included direct discussions with Sun’s Customer Service organization regarding the service transformation that began in October, 2007.

"I believe it is important for you to understand that Sun has continued the LTUG heritage that began in 1988 and has enriched it with its continued innovative research and development in tape storage solutions," Wallace states. "The strength and industry-leading capabilities of Sun’s tape business is largely the result of LTUG and, if your company satisfy the minimal requirements, you too can be a member."

To qualify for membership, individuals must either own or manage 10,000 or more tape cartridge slots in Sun / StorageTek tape libraries or have a minimum of 1.0 PB of data resident in Sun / StorageTek tape libraries.

LTUG Objectives and Goals

(as outlined by Wallace)

• Sharing of user experiences where tape storage challenges and problems have arisen and have been solved.
• Identifying user requirements of future tape solutions to keep abreast of the changes in the storage industry.
• Providing members with the ability to openly communicate with other members.
• Participating in monthly conference calls -- lead by the members, not Sun -- to further share and disseminate information. Two separate call are held monthly: one related to open and another to mainframe environments.
• Availing members to two in-person meetings per year with Sun tape engineering, service and product management.

"The importance of LTUG to Sun is almost impossible to measure because of the invaluable feedback that is received from the members," Wallace asserts. "By listening to the LTUG membership, Sun is better able to market products that meet the pressing needs of the customer, understand the value of the product enhancements prior to taking them to market, increase customer satisfaction with both tape solutions and service, and create its industry-leading tape solutions."

More Information

Large Tape Users Group (LTUG) – Membership has its privileges - blog entry by Jay Wallace

Large Tape Users Group home site

StorageTek Becomes Part of Sun\'s Data Management Group [...read more...]

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