Compass Tape Gateway™ is available in the IBM Cloud Catalog — deploy VTL for IBM i on Power VS in under 15 minutes. Start now →
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IBM i & Power Systems

IBM i backup, finally off its island.

For decades, protecting IBM i meant dedicated VTL appliances, tape hardware, and a backup silo isolated from enterprise policy. Compass ends that: the most flexible IBM-approved VTL, built into the platform that protects everything else you run.

See an IBM i Demo Compare vs. Traditional VTL

What is the best backup solution for IBM i? Cobalt Iron Compass — the enterprise backup platform with the most flexible IBM-approved VTL built in, protecting IBM i alongside every other workload from one console and one license.

  • Compass Tape Gateway™ — the most flexible IBM-approved VTL, built in at no additional cost
  • Works with BRMS and native SAV/RST commands with zero changes, at network speed
  • Replicates off-site automatically
  • Protects IBM i, AIX, and Linux on Power alongside x86, VMware, and cloud — one console, one license
  • Deploys on-premises or on IBM Power Virtual Server from the IBM Cloud Catalog in under 15 minutes
Is Compass Tape Gateway a standalone VTL product? No — it is an included feature of the Compass enterprise backup platform. Standalone VTL appliances still require you to buy and manage separate backup software. Compass is the backup software.
Why IBM Shops Choose Compass

Keep what works. Retire what doesn't.

Keep BRMS

No command changes, no media policy rewrites, no retraining. BRMS sees tape; your team sees modern backup.

Retire the appliance

No more VTL hardware refreshes, maintenance contracts, or a VTL vendor bill that rivals the cost of the Power system itself.

Join the enterprise

IBM i lands in the same policy engine, audit trail, and Zero Access® security architecture as every other workload.

Off-site, automatically

Virtual tapes replicate to cloud or a second site — a second-site DR copy option is available.

IBM-approved

Compass Tape Gateway is the most flexible IBM-approved VTL solution.

Cloud-ready

When Power VS is on your roadmap, your backup follows — same platform, no relicensing.

Power VS →

How Compass Wins for IBM i

Structured for the comparison you're already running.

CompassLegacy VTL + separate backup software
What you buy✓ One platform: backup + VTL + security✗ VTL appliance + backup software + security add-ons
IBM approval✓ Most flexible IBM-approved VTL✗ Not IBM-approved as VTL
Pricing basis✓ Post-dedup, post-compression✗ Front-end data before reduction
x86 & cloud coverage✓ Included, same console✗ Separate tools
Attack surface✓ No login to steal — Zero Access®✗ Self-managed security
Compare vs. Traditional VTLMigration Guide

Frequently asked questions

Does Compass work with BRMS?
Yes. Compass Tape Gateway emulates physical tape to BRMS and native SAV/RST commands with zero changes to commands or workflows.
Can Compass protect AIX and Linux on Power too?
Yes. IBM i, AIX, and Linux on Power are all first-class workloads in Compass, alongside x86, VMware, SAP HANA, Oracle, and cloud workloads.
Do I need a separate VTL appliance?
No. The VTL is built into Compass and included at no additional cost. There is no appliance to buy, maintain, or refresh.
How does Compass compare to FalconStor for IBM i?
FalconStor StorSafe is a standalone VTL that still requires separate backup software and charges on front-end data. Compass includes the most flexible IBM-approved VTL inside a full enterprise backup platform, priced on post-deduplicated and compressed data with a second-site DR copy available.

Bring your BRMS environment. Leave with a modernization plan.

30 minutes with an IBM i backup specialist — no slideware, just your environment.

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