Sony SDX-700C Product Specifications Manual page 211

The SDX-700C operating in the AIT Format Mode allows tapes to be split into separate and independent partitions,
each with its own Reference, System and Vendor Group areas. The maximum size of a partition may be the entire
tape. A tape partitioned into several partitions may be considered a collection of several separate logical tapes. This
is illustrated below:
BOM BOT
Device
Area
BOM BOT
Device
Area
BOM BOT
Device
Area
A tape does not require partitioning prior to use. On the first WRITE to a blank tape, the device creates the System,
Reference and Vendor areas before proceeding with the write. In order to reformat media from a two to a single, or
from a single to a two partition tape, the Host is required to use the Medium Partitions Parameter page.
PSUM:
Partition Size Unit of Measured field defines the units in which the Partition Size value selects the partition size,
which in the case of this drive is Megabytes. Therefore, the drive returns 10b for a MODE SENSE and will only
accept this value for a MODE SELECT, otherwise a CHECK CONDITION status is returned with an ILLEGAL
REQUEST Sense Key set.
SONY AIT-3 drive SDX-700 series Ver.2.1
Single Partitioned Tape
Partition 0
User
System EOD
Data
Area
Area
Two Partitioned Tape
Partition 0
User
System EOD DEV System
Data
Area Area
Area
Three Partitioned Tape
Partition 0
User
System EOD DEV System
Data
Area Area
Area
BOM = Beginning-of-Media (Physical)
BOT = Beginning-of-Tape (Logical)
EOM = End-of-Media (Physical)
EOP = End-of-Partition (Logical)
EOT = End-of-Tape (Logical)
Figure 14-1: Tape Partition Layout
Partition 1
User
EOD
Data
Area
Partition 1 Partition 2
User User
EOD DEV System
Data Data
Area
Area Area
14. Appendix G
EOP/
EOM
EOT
EOP/
EOM
EOT
EOP/
EOM
EOD
EOT
14-15