User`s guide

Chapter 4 Configuring Your Library
Working With Partitions
Scalar i6000 User’s Guide 115
Media Type 4
The media type is a particular generation of tape technology. Several
media types can exist within one media domain. Using LTO again as an
example, within the LTO media domain is the LTO-1 media type, the LTO-
2 media type, and so forth. A media type has an identifier, chosen by the
tape manufacturer or consortium, that enables users and libraries to
distinguish between them. The LTO consortium uses L1, L2, L3, L4,and L5
to identify the LTO-1, LTO-2, LTO-3,LTO-4, and LTO-5 media types in a
volume serial number.
Although the physical library can contain more than one media domain or
drive domain, you cannot have a mix of domain types within a partition
(for example, LTO and DLT). A single partition can have a mixture of
drive types and interface types within the same domain (for example,
LTO-1 and LTO-2 with SCSI or Fibre Channel interfaces).
To create or modify a partition with mixed media, you must select Expert
mode on the Partitions Wizard dialog box. You cannot create or modify
partitions with mixed media while in Automatic mode or Simple mode.
Media ID Checking 4
Media ID checking policy restricts the movement of tape cartridges based
on the media ID on the barcode label. This policy also helps you monitor
the management of tapes and drives by the host applications. When you
create or modify a partition, you can enable or disable the Media Type
Checking option. If you choose to enable media type checking, you also
can use the Media Checking Policy option to select from two modes of
operation: Required or Not Required. With either mode, the library
checks whether a cartridge has a valid media ID on the barcode label.
In Required mode, if the library does not find a valid media ID on a
cartridge, the library does not allow it to be moved into or within the
library. If the library finds a valid media ID, the library allows it to be
moved from an I/E station into a partition that contains magazines
matching the media domain of the cartridge (for example, LTO), but the
library does not allow the cartridge to be moved from storage to a drive
that does not have a matching type (for example, an LTO-2 cartridge will
not be allowed to move to an LTO-1 drive).