This guide documents the steps we used to implement a Debian-based LTO-9 read/write workstation. This is not the only way, and it may not even be the best way. But it worked for us, so it might work for others.
Windows lacks native LTO tape driver support and the existing drivers have known compatibility issues with using LTO-8 media in LTO-9 drives. Debian, on the other hand, provides reliable SCSI tape support out of the box along with a stable LTFS implementation that handles both LTO-8 and LTO-9 tapes cleanly.
- Implementation Guide — Step-by-step setup instructions covering both standalone Debian and dual boot (Windows + Debian) configurations.
- Workflow Quick Start - Basic workflow guide with commands, tips, and instructions for using the workstation once implemented.
- tape-mount.sh — Convenience script for mounting, unmounting, and ejecting tapes.
- tape-inventory.py — Python script for generating TSV file inventories of tape or external drive contents.
- LTO-9 Workstation Implementation Guide.docx — Word version of the implementation guide.
- ATTO ExpressSAS H1244GT SAS HBA
- Quantum LTO-9 Half-Height SAS tape drive
- MSI B660 motherboard (any compatible board with a PCIe x8 slot should work)
This guide was developed for California Revealed as a community resource. Contributions and corrections are welcome via pull request.