The DLT VS 40/80 GB tape drive is positioned as an upgrade drive for current DLT 20/40 customers, offering a 100% increase in capacity and performance at virtually the same price point. Utilizing industry standard DLT Type IV Media, the DLT VS 40/80 GB tape drive also offers customers a high degree of Investment Protection by providing backward-read compatibility with media previously written in DLT 20/40 format. The DLT VS 40/80 drive is also read and write compatible with data protection solutions utilizing the DLT1 tape drive, such as the DLT1 1280 SuperLoader, and can be read by HP StorageWorks SDLT 110/220 and 160/320 GB tape drives, providing for an easy upgrade path to higher capacity and performance drives in the future.