Cobalt Iron introduces software-defined virtual tape library for IBM i workloads

Cobalt Iron has announced the launch of Compass Tape Gateway (CTG), an enhancement to its Compass enterprise backup platform. The new software-defined solution integrates IBM i workloads into a unified, policy-driven data protection framework.

Michael Miller, IBM Champion and Enterprise Architect at Pellera Technologies, said, “IBM i customers continue to face high costs and operational burdens from current tape products on the market. Compass Tape Gateway eliminates these challenges, delivering the benefits of a VTL with modern automation, cyber protection, and secure multitenancy.”

CTG is provisioned in minutes and managed entirely through the Compass SaaS platform, removing the need for manual configuration, hardware installation, firmware updates, BIOS patches, or operating system maintenance. Delivered as software-as-a-service, CTG aims to simplify operations and reduce costs while enhancing cyber resilience.

The solution treats IBM i as a first-class citizen in enterprise data protection, enabling integration alongside AIX, Linux, Windows, and other platforms within a single environment. This approach supports policy-based data sovereignty, allowing organizations to restrict replication to specific geographic regions to comply with regulations such as GDPR.

Built on Cobalt Iron’s patented Zero Access® architecture, CTG replaces common enterprise access points with an automated security infrastructure that eliminates logins and access to the operating system, backup software, storage repositories, and related tools. Additional security features include multilayer encryption, immutability, ransomware detection, logical air-gap zones, and audit-ready reporting.

CTG supports flexible deployment models, allowing backups on-premises with replication to the IBM Cloud for disaster recovery, cloud-only deployment via IBM Power Virtual Server, or hybrid replication across multiple data centers. The IBM Cloud Catalog enables deployment and production readiness in about 15 minutes without hardware setup or software installation.

CTG is included with the Compass platform at no additional charge. Customers pay for stored data volume after deduplication and compression, with predictable per-gigabyte pricing. The platform supports multitenant environments, enabling segmentation by team, department, or customer without requiring separate infrastructure or complex licensing.

Greg Tevis, vice president of product at Cobalt Iron, said, “Compass Tape Gateway represents a strategic expansion of Cobalt Iron’s support for IBM workloads and reflects our commitment to simplifying enterprise backup. By eliminating operational burdens and integrating IBM i into a modern, scalable, and secure platform, CTG empowers organizations to future-proof their data protection strategies across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud-first environments.”