--- title: VTL date: 2026-05-19T10:54:00+02:00 author: Hannes Heckel canonical_url: "https://www.fast-lta.de//en/solutions/replacing-tape" section: Topic Pages --- Silent Bricks • VTL • Secondary Storage • Made in Europe # Replace your tape library Without changing a single workflow. Tape archives will eventually need to migrate to S3. HSMs are becoming obsolete, archiving software increasingly requires S3, and AI needs direct access to data. The Silent Brick System offers a way to achieve this without a complete overhaul: the archive continues to run as normal. New workloads and AI access are added gradually to S3 volumes, on the same hardware. [Technical advice ](https://www.fast-lta.de//en/fast/contact "Technical advice") ![A bright isometric scene with 202605261028 1 | FAST LTA](https://fast-lta.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/A_bright_isometric_scene_with_202605261028-1.jpeg?w=960&q=80&auto=format%2Cavif&fit=crop&dm=1779784654&s=8ad4e5f89426f2160d64268a8cc3e6f5) Made in EuropeZero Loss by DesignVTL-compatible with backup and HSM solutionsUp to 7+ PB per controller / libraryCARE SLA for up to 10 years **Note:** Are you primarily looking for protection for your backups using an air gap and immutability? That is a different matter. [Data protection with Silent Bricks ](https://www.fast-lta.de//en/solutions/data-protection "Data protection with Silent Bricks") faster restore performance compared to sequential tape rewinding Drop-InNo HSM conversion: the archiving software sees the VTL endpoint as unchanged 0 daysData migration on day one: existing data remains on the current system --- The problem ## Why large tape archives are reaching their limits **No random access:** Tape is sequential. Restoring a single file from a 50-TB archive requires rewinding entire tapes. As archive sizes grow, access times become unacceptably long. **Not AI-ready:** Archive data is required for ML pipelines and RAG systems. Tape cannot provide random, parallel access, a structural problem that hardware cannot solve. **High operational costs:** Tapes must be inventoried, labelled, transported and checked for readability. With 100 or more tapes, this is a labour-intensive process that offers no strategic added value. **Technology risk:** LTO drives are produced by only a handful of manufacturers. The roadmap, driver compatibility and supply of spare parts are controlled externally — the archive is subject to an uncontrolled dependency. **HSM compatibility issue:** Many HSMs no longer run reliably on current OS versions. Attempts to replace the HSM are thwarted by the fact that a tape library is connected to it — both must be migrated at the same time. The solution ## Silent Bricks as VTL The Silent Brick System emulates a tape library at the protocol level. Your archiving or backup software sees a VTL endpoint and behaves exactly as it would with a physical library. Behind the scenes, there are no tapes, but rather high-performance Silent Bricks. #### No big bang HSM stays, the software stays, retention policies stay. Only the medium changes: from tape to Silent Brick. #### Random access instead of cueing Restore directly to the target data block — no cueing. Restores in minutes rather than hours, even from deep archive layers. #### Comparable energy consumption Silent Brick Max Air has energy consumption comparable to that of a tape library in standby mode — designed for long-term archiving. #### A step-by-step guide to S3 In parallel: S3/NFS volumes for new archive sections or AI workloads on the same hardware — without migrating existing data. #### CARE SLA up to 10 years Maintenance contracts covering spare parts and support at fixed rates — no dependence on the LTO roadmap or component availability. ## Replacing tape archive with Silent Bricks as VTL Four steps, no big bang, no downtime. ### Integration as a VTL Register the Silent Brick Controller as an iSCSI or FC VTL target in the archive or HSM software. The software recognises it as a tape library interface. ### Archiving as before Archive jobs will run exactly as before. Existing media structures, naming conventions and retention periods will remain unchanged. ### Random access Queries access the specific data block directly. No need to search through entire tapes. Restores take minutes rather than hours. ### Step by step to S3 Set up parallel S3 volumes for new sections and AI workloads. Existing data remains on the VTL, whilst new data is stored on S3, all on the same hardware. Migration path ## The path to S3. Without the Big Bang. ###### Phase 1 ### VTL Integration Silent Bricks as a drop-in replacement for tape libraries. HSM and archiving software remain unchanged. Immediate benefits: random access, no media changes, no operational overhead. ###### Phase 2 ### Concurrent access Write new archive segments directly to S3 volumes. AI workloads, ML pipelines and RAG systems utilise the same hardware via S3/NFS. Existing VTL data remains untouched. ###### Phase 3 ### Step-by-step migration Migrate older tape archives once retention periods have expired or during system migrations. No time pressure, no risk — the legacy data continues to run. ###### Silent Bricks VTL x physische Tape Library 0">CriteriaSilent Bricks (VTL)Tape Library (LTO)Workflow changeNoneNoneRestore performanceRandom AccessSequentialAI/Analytics access✓ via a separate S3 volume⛌ structurally impossibleOperating expensesGring (no media changes)High (tapes, rotation, robotics)Power consumption (idle state)Low (comparable)LowSupply reliability✓ Made in EuropeA few manufacturers (US/Asia)Cost-effective SLA in the long term✓ Up to 10 years with CAREQuestionableAir Gap✓ Electrolytic, automatedManual / semi-automatic ## Frequently asked questions #### Do I need to reconfigure the HSM software? Not usually. The controller emulates a standard tape library. The software recognises a familiar VTL endpoint; there is no need to reconfigure media labels, retention policies or library slots. #### Can I run Silent Bricks VTL and physical tape in parallel? Yes. Silent Bricks can be operated as an additional VTL target alongside existing tape infrastructure, enabling a phased migration without any downtime. #### What happens to my data when I migrate from tape? We recommend a phased migration: Silent Bricks takes over new backup and archiving jobs, whilst older tape archives are migrated as required or remain on tape until the end of their retention period. FAST LTA provides support with migration planning. #### How long does a Silent Brick last in archive mode? Silent Bricks are designed for long-term operation. CARE maintenance contracts guarantee support and spare parts for up to 10 years on fixed terms. No price risk, no technology migration during the contract period. #### Why is random access important for archive data? Tape restores from large archives require tapes to be rewound, which can take several hours depending on the depth of the archive. Silent Bricks in VTL mode provide random access for restore purposes: the controller accesses the required data block directly, without the need for sequential scanning. S3/NFS volumes are required for direct AI access to archive data (ML frameworks, RAG systems); VTL volumes are tape emulations without a corresponding interface and without random access. Next step ## A risk-free migration path The tape archive continues to run, with S3 workloads being added gradually — on the same hardware, without the need for parallel infrastructure, and without data migration on day one. For existing tape and HSM environments, we recommend a 45-minute technical consultation. [Beratung anfragen ](https://www.fast-lta.de//en/fast/contact/general "Beratung anfragen") ![An isometric vault 202604241659 | FAST LTA](https://fast-lta.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/An_isometric_vault_202604241659.jpeg?w=960&q=80&auto=format%2Cavif&fit=crop&dm=1777280329&s=f039c1fefd641e0ac05223cea277fdab)