Create Multi-Partitioned Tapes - Sony SDX-700C Product Specifications Manual

14. Appendix G

14.12. CREATE MULTI-PARTITIONED TAPES

Here is the procedure to create multiple partitioned tape.
Start
⇓
Mode Sense (Page 31h)
⇓
Mode Select (Page 31h)
⇓
Mode Select (Page 11h)
⇓
Stop
Note 1: Multiple Partitioning in the AIT Mode is supported by SDX1-2C, SDX1-10C, SDX1-25C, SDX1-35C media.
The AIT Mode must be explicitly with MODE SELECT.
Note 2: Mode Sense Page 11h always reflects the status of the drive. After processing Mode Select Page 31h with
the AIT bit set to ONE, the drive will return Maximum Additional Partitions with a value beyond 01h. The
value of Maximum Additional Partitions depends on the free memory in the MIC.
Note 3: Mode Page 31h always reflects the current status of the cassette. If the cassette is not formatted in a AIT
mode, the AIT bit is returned as ZERO even if you've already issued Mode Select with the AIT bit set to
ONE has already been processed by the drive.
Note 4: Mode Select Page 11h:
Set IDP bit to 1. Additional Partition =N, number of additional partitions to be created. This value must be
less than the number of Maximum Additional Partitions.
Partition 00 size = nonzero value00.
Partition 01 size = nonzero value01.
.....
Partition N size = nonzero valueN.
This creates N+1 Partitions. The N+1 Partition will be 25GB - (sum of Partition00 through PartitionN ); this
assume SDX1-25C. The N+1 Partition is the default partition. The CDB Parameter List length = 12 + 8 +
2*N. If the Mode Select Page 11h is not issued, the drive will not be placed in the AIT Mode. If Mode
Sense Page 31h is issued after Mode Select Page 31h, then it will return the AIT BIT cleared, indicating
that the drive is not in the AIT Mode, but in whatever mode it was before processing Mode Select Page 31h.
If Mode Select Page 11h returns Good status, the Partition layout will conform now with the AIT Mode as
illustrated below:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| P0 | P1 | P3 |..........................| PN | PN+1 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
^
BOT
Also, it is possible to clear the AIT BIT, if it is set, and put the tape in DDS Mode.
14-18
If MIC bit is 1 then you can create multiple partitions beyond 2.
AIT=1, DEVICE=1, ABS=1, SysLogAlive=11, Span=0Ah.
^
EOT
AIT MODE
SONY AIT-3 drive SDX-700 series Ver.2.1