Quantum Scalar Tape Libraries Maintenance
side by side.

TechCare TPM vs. Quantum Hardware Support. Cost range, EOSL advantages, migration path and DACH compliance at a glance — for IT leadership and procurement.

10–15 % OEM list-price share per year

40–65 % EOSL savings vs. OEM

5–10 % Multi-year discount (3–5 yrs)

One contract for all lines · Fixed price in 48 h techcaresolutions.de

Cost comparison

OEM list-price share approx. 10–15 % of list price per year (tape-library specific)

Example Quantum Scalar i6 tape library with 4-year Hardware Support: TechCare TPM roughly 34–54% below the OEM price.

EOSL hardware: On EOSL tape libraries (Scalar i500, older i6000 generations, DXi6500/8500) 40–65 % savings vs. Quantum Hardware Support — tape drive replacements via TPM still possible.

Multi-year contract: 3-year TPM contract: additional 5–10 % discount, 5-year contract: 10–15 %. Plus fixed-price lock against OEM list-price increases.

Active EOSL lines

Scalar i500 (legacy Tape-Library) · EOSL 2022-03-31
Scalar i6 (modular bis 9 Module) · EOSL 2022-03-31
Scalar i6000 (Enterprise Tape-Library) · EOSL 2022-03-31
Scalar i7 (aktuelle Plattform LTO-9) · EOSL 2030-12-31

Which Scalar models we service

Scalar i3 · entry: Scalar i3 (3U to 12U, up to 200 slots, 1-12 drives)
Scalar i6 · mid-range: Scalar i6 (modular up to 9 modules, up to 1,350 slots, 24 drives)
Scalar i500 · older (EOSL): Scalar i500 (predecessor to i6, 2007-2018, EOSL reached)
Scalar i6000 · enterprise: Scalar i6000 (up to 12,000 slots, up to 192 drives)
Tape drives: LTO-7 HH/FH · LTO-8 HH/FH · LTO-9 HH/FH (FC and SAS)

EOSL status of Scalar generations

Generation	Released	End of vendor support	TechCare TPM
Scalar i500 (älter)	2007	2018	Recommended
Scalar i3 (Entry)	2015+	aktiv	Supported
Scalar i6 (Mid-Range)	2014+	aktiv	Supported
Scalar i6000 (Enterprise)	2010+	aktiv (frühe Gen EOSL)	Supported

Why TPM maintenance for Quantum Scalar

Tape libraries typically run for many years in production environments — robotics are mechanically robust, tape drives can be swapped modularly. This longevity collides with Quantum's EOSL policy: Scalar i500 has reached EOSL, older i3/i6 generations are increasingly renewed at refresh-driver rates. TPM breaks this coupling.

We service all Scalar generations with OEM robotics (pickers, grippers), drives (LTO-7/8/9 in HH and FH), power supplies and slot magazines. LTO drives themselves are generically available — Quantum-specific is the robotics, where we have deep stock. We also keep i500 components despite EOSL.

OEM vs. TechCare — where the switch pays off

The full OEM-vs-TPM matrix (spare parts, SLA tiers, language, sub-outsourcing, compliance docs, reporting) is the same for every Quantum line — see the Quantum battle card.

Stays with Quantum

Quantum StorNext / DXi software licenses
Quantum cloud-based analytics subscriptions
Quantum TAC software tickets

Moves to TechCare

Hardware defects (memory, disk, PSU, mainboard, modules)
24×7×4 on-site SLA with German-speaking field service
Spare-parts logistics DACH + global hub network
Fixed-price contract in 48 h, one inventory — one contract

DACH compliance by design.

BAIT/MaRisk documentation package, DORA Art. 28 contract template, ISO 27001 and GDPR-compliant media handling apply identically to every Quantum line — details on the Quantum battle card.

Migration path from first contact to hand-over.

Same four steps for every Quantum line: inventory → fixed-price quote in 48 h → contract (BAIT/MaRisk/DORA hooks) → hand-over with spare-parts provisioning. Details on the Quantum battle card.

FAQ on Quantum Scalar maintenance

Which Quantum Scalar models do you service?: Complete Scalar family: Scalar i3 (entry, 3U-12U), Scalar i6 (mid-range, modular), Scalar i500 (older, EOSL reached) and Scalar i6000 (enterprise with up to 12,000 slots). Plus all LTO generations: LTO-7, LTO-8 and LTO-9 in HH and FH, in both FC and SAS configurations.
What does TPM cost for Scalar compared to Quantum Support?: 30 to 60 percent savings. For a Scalar i6 with 4 modules and 12 LTO-8 drives, TechCare is roughly 50–55% below the Quantum support price, fully-configured Scalar i6000 in a similar range. Up to 70 percent savings possible on EOSL i500.
Can you service EOSL Scalar i500?: Yes. Scalar i500 (released 2007, EOSL 2018) is still productive in many DACH backup architectures — typically behind NetBackup or TSM for compliance archives. We stock robotics (pickers, grippers), slot magazines, drive sleds and PSUs. For very old robotics components, we work with certified refurbishing partners.
Can you get LTO-7/LTO-8/LTO-9 drives?: Yes. LTO drives are available from multiple OEM manufacturers (IBM, HPE, Quantum) — we supply Quantum-certified drives in HH and FH, FC and SAS configurations. LTO-9 drives are current and well available, LTO-8 and LTO-7 as well for the installed base.
Which SLA levels do you recommend for tape libraries?: Tape libraries are typically behind backup software for nightly backup windows — 5×9 NBD is usually sufficient, a nightly outage is acceptable if the next backup window remains reachable. For compliance-critical archive libraries or productive restore scenarios, we recommend 24×7×4.
What about Encryption Key Management?: Quantum Scalar Encryption Key Manager (Q-EKM) and external key managers (KMIP-compatible, e.g., SafeNet KeySecure) run without licensing. LTO drive-based AES-256 encryption is a drive function and independent of the maintenance contract.