Fresh from a record Q2, storage provider EMC unveiled today its new mainframe virtual tape library (VTL)–the DLm6000.  According to the company, the DLm6000 is the “fastest mainframe VTL with 2x the performance of its nearest competitor.” EMC’s new product, which is designed for IBM z/OS environments, is the first to consolidate various mainframe tape workloads into one all-desk system.

The EMC DLm6000 is the only mainframe virtual tape library that offers concurrent support for both primary and deduplication storage within the same platform, enabling a consolidated systems approach.

“Tape data can be directed to the appropriate storage type based on its intended use. Backup operations can be directed to the deduplication storage where the data footprint will be minimized, which reduces storage and transmission costs. Unique data types, such as DFHSM migration, can be directed to the primary storage and be available for near-instantaneous recalls.

Magnetic tape data storage, or better known as tape storage, stores digital data by recording it to a magnetic tape, which is usually packaged in cartridges and cassettes.

EMC’s DLm6000 is aiming to be an all-in-one solution in solving numerous challenges that mainframe users face in dealing with physical tape systems.

Lately, tape storage is re-gaining traction as IBM announced last May its new line-up of tape storage backup, enhanced archiving and deduplication products. The announcement was made at the same time that EMC was holding its 2011 conference “Cloud Meets Big Data” in Las Vegas.

Hewlett-Packard also ventured deeper into the tape realm with its EOM agreement with tape storage solutions provider Quantum. HP will now base its tape products with Quantum’s Scalar i6000.

EMC may be improving its tape storage capabilities and succeeding in overall finances, but its Virtual Computing Environment (VCE)sector is reportedly bleeding cash, amounting to approximately $132 million.  EMC owns 58 percent of VCE, a company that provides Vblock Infrastructure Platforms. Vblocks are converged infrastructure, which is composed of storage from EMC, servers and networking from Cisco, and server virtualisation software from VMware.

Viewing VCE as a startup it has not been very successful thus far. If it doesn’t make a profit by the end of this year then perhaps EMC, Cisco and VMware might reconsider things. Perhaps they should change from stock-based compensation to stick-based incentivisation?