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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VTL Replacement Guide

The VTL appliance era is over. BRMS doesn't need to know.

Whether you're running physical tape, FalconStor StorSafe, LaserVault ViTL, or another aging VTL, the replacement path is the same: Compass Tape Gateway™ — the most flexible IBM-approved VTL, delivered as SaaS, with zero changes to your BRMS environment.

Schedule a Chat Traditional VTL Comparison

How do I replace a VTL or physical tape for IBM i? Replace it with Compass Tape Gateway™ — a SaaS-delivered virtual tape library that presents virtual tape to IBM i, so BRMS and native SAV/RST commands continue unchanged.

  • Deploy Compass Tape GatewayOn-premises or on IBM Power VS from the IBM Cloud Catalog in under 15 minutes.
  • Add devices to BRMSCompass Tape Gateway presents virtual tape devices — no command or media-policy changes.
  • Run in parallelBack up to both old and new during transition to prove the cutover safely.
  • Retire tape and contractsDecommission the tape hardware or VTL appliance and its maintenance costs.
  • Consolidate IBM iThe same move brings IBM i into your enterprise backup policy — Compass Tape Gateway is included.
The Migration Path

Four steps. No leap of faith.

1. Deploy

Compass Tape Gateway on-premises or on Power VS from the IBM Cloud Catalog — under 15 minutes.

2. Connect

Add virtual tape devices to BRMS. No command or media policy changes.

3. Run parallel

Back up to both targets during transition. Validate restores from Compass before cutover. Existing tapes can be moved into Compass with Compass Tape Migrator.

4. Retire

Decommission tape hardware or the VTL appliance — and the contracts behind them.

Deploy It Your Way

On-Premises or in the IBM Cloud

Compass Tape Gateway isn't tied to a box in your data center. Deploy it where your IBM i workloads live today — and let it follow them if they move to the cloud tomorrow. Either way, BRMS and native SAV/RST commands run unchanged, and it's the same IBM-approved VTL under one Compass license.

On-Premises

Run Compass Tape Gateway on a Compass Vault in your own data center to replace physical tape or a legacy VTL appliance in place. Your IBM i keeps backing up through BRMS exactly as it does today, but the data lands on disk at network speed.

IBM Cloud on Power VS

Deploy Compass Tape Gateway from the IBM Cloud Catalog directly onto IBM Power Virtual Server in under 15 minutes. It's the first SaaS-based VTL for IBM i, so BRMS moves to the cloud with zero changes and Power VS is no longer a separate backup silo.

Because the license follows your data, not your deployment model, you can start on-premises and move to Power VS later with no relicensing.

What replacement actually saves

Hardware & contracts

VTL appliance purchases, maintenance renewals, refresh cycles, and tape media, couriers, and offsite storage fees — gone.

The second software bill

Standalone VTLs still require backup software. Compass is the backup software — one license covers both.

Pricing structure

Legacy VTL vendors typically charge on front-end data before reduction. Compass charges on post-dedup, post-compressed data, with a second-site DR copy available.

Frequently asked questions

Will my BRMS strategy change when I replace my VTL?
No. Compass Tape Gateway presents virtual tape devices to IBM i, so BRMS media policies, SAV/RST commands, and operator procedures continue unchanged.
Can I migrate from FalconStor StorSafe to Compass?
Yes. The parallel-run migration path applies directly: deploy Compass Tape Gateway, mirror backup activity, validate restores, then retire StorSafe and its separate backup software.
How long does a typical VTL replacement take?
Deployment takes under 15 minutes on Power VS; the parallel-run window is typically set by your retention validation policy rather than by technology constraints.
What happens to my existing tape archives?
Existing tapes remain restorable through your legacy environment during transition, and long-term archives can be ingested into Compass on a planned schedule.
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.

Get a replacement plan for your environment

Tell us your VTL model, data volumes, and retention policy. We'll map the migration and the savings.

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