The IBM Magstar MP is designed to provide fast access to data. The drive and cartridge allow fast cartridge insertion, almost instantaneous head/tape contact at load time, and mid-point load, where the tape is already positioned to achieve fast data access by quickly fast forwarding to data in either direction. The drive time to read/write data is about 8 seconds from the time of cartridge insertion. The drive can read/write data at a sustained data rate of 2.2 MB/sec (uncompacted) with a 20 MB/sec burst data rate. Automatic caching of data enables balancing system read/write speed.The drive provides high performance in both streaming and start/stop operations. The head is a highly-tuned 4-track MR head that is designed for high read reliability, long life, and future growth. In addition, the 4-track head provides data redundancy and servo tracking to ensure superior data integrity in the mid-range tape marketplace.