This week, SpectraLogic announced DS3 and “BlackPearl”, an innovative product for tape storage using a cloud API. Although BlackPearl sounds like an Amazon Glacier clone, it’s really nothing of the sort. BlackPearl extends the S3 API for tape storage but this “DS3” API requires well-behaved clients and disciplined access. BlackPearl is exciting, it’s novel, and it’s useful. But it’s not S3 or Glacier, despite what some initial coverage may say.