Datasheet

Cartridges which are used regularly (e.g. daily/weekly backup tapes) should be discarded after about a hundred uses.

Cartridges which are in use when media-related errors are reported by your backup application, or are physically dropped, or

are exposed to extremely harsh environments should be discarded.

Media Storage

Proper media handling and storage is important to reduce the chance of damage to the media.

z Protect your cartridges from particulate contamination when they're not in use. Put each cartridge in its protective case

or place the cartridge in a dust-tight container designed for tape cartridge storage.

z Keep your cartridges in an area where the temperature and humidity are comfortable for you and are relatively

constant.

z Orient cartridges in storage so that their cases are on an edge (vs flat). If cartridges are moved between areas whose

temperature or humidity differ greatly, let the cartridge adapt for several hours prior to use.

Cleaning Cartridge Selection/Usage

Proper cleaning is important to reduce errors and rereads/rewrites.

z Use only the cleaning cartridges supported by your tape drive. These must be high quality cartridges, such as the IBM

cleaning cartridge originally supplied with your drive.

z Refer to the "Media Selection" for proper cleaning cartridge part numbers and their minimum recommended usage.

z Cleaning Cartridges often are specifically designed for specific drive usage, use only the cleaning cartridge specified

for the drive being used.

z The need to clean a tape drive is often indicated by an message on the tape drives display or by a cleaning indicator,

such as an Amber LED on the drive being on solid(not flashing).

z Clean the tape drive after any media related error is encountered.

z Mark the cleaning cartridge usage counter every time the cartridge is used.

z If a cleaning cartridge is used to clean the drive and the cleaning LED is on after the cleaning cartridge is use,it is very

likely that the cleaning cartridge has been completely used up(expired) and that it did not clean the tape drive. Use a

brand new IBM cleaning cartridge to clean the drive again. If this cleaning cartridge turns off the cleaning required

indication, discard the previously used cartridge as it is expired(used up).

Environment

Locate your tape drive at table top level or higher and away from sources of particulate contamination such as outside

doorways, high foot traffic areas, printers, and copiers. Maintain comfortable temperature and humidity (ideally 30-40%

Relative Humidity) when the tape drive is in use. Note that this may require a timing adjustment of nighttime setbacks.

Minimize the amount of time cartridges spend in the drive when not in actual use.

Troubleshooting

If a backup failure occurs, try cleaning the drive and retrying the operation with a new cartridge. Verify that this checklist's

recommendations are being followed by the system's operators. Look for trends, process changes, and/or environmental

changes. Avoid mechanical loading problems by placing labels only in the designated cartridge spine and top locations and

assuring that they are not peeling off or more than two layers thick. Contact your IBM CE if problems persist.

Note: The TAPE DRIVE PERFORMANCE/RELIABILITY CHECKLIST is based on the copyrighted "8MM

PERFORMANCE/RELIABILITY CHECKLIST" by the Exabyte Corporation and is distributed free of charge with Exabyte

Corporation permission.

Tape Drive Error Information

With the introduction of Serial Attached SCSI(SAS) adapters there are new labels for TAPE_ERR's. The equivalent of

TAPE_ERR1 will be SC_TAPE_ERR1 when the device is a SAS Tape Drive.

Details AIX Error Log entries(errpt -a) for tape entries:

Page 40 of 93Tape Help Package

5/20/2008file://C:\tem

\TAPEWHDR.html