Types Of Cartridges; Data Cartridge - IBM System Storage TS2250 Setup, Operator, And Service Manual

Types of Cartridges

IBM Ultrium media is available in the following types:
v "Data Cartridge"
v "WORM (Write Once, Read Many) Cartridge" on page 4-3
v "Cleaning Cartridge" on page 4-4

Data Cartridge

All generations of IBM Ultrium data cartridges contain 1/2-inch, dual-coat,
metal-particle tape. When processing tape in the cartridges, Ultrium Tape Drives
use a linear, serpentine recording format.
Each generation of data cartridge is identified by case color, native data capacity,
recording format and nominal cartridge life.
Data Cartridge Case Color
Ultrium 5 Burgundy
Ultrium 4 Green
Ultrium 3 Slate Blue
Ultrium 2 Purple
Ultrium 1 Black
* The first set of tracks (sixteen for Ultrium 5, 4, and 3; eight for Ultrium 2 and 1) is written from near the beginning
of the tape to near the end of the tape. The head then repositions to the next set of tracks for the return pass. This
process continues until all tracks are written and the cartridge is full, or until all data is written.
Cartridge Memory Chip (LTO-CM)
All generations of the IBM LTO Ultrium Data Cartridges include a Linear
Tape-Open Cartridge Memory (LTO-CM) chip ( 1 in Figure 4-1 on page 4-1), that
contains information about the cartridge and the tape (such as the name of the
manufacturer that created the tape), as well as statistical information about the
cartridge's use. The LTO-CM enhances the efficiency of the cartridge. For example,
the LTO-CM stores the end-of-data location which, when the next time this
cartridge is inserted and the WRITE command is issued, enables the drive to
quickly locate the recording area and begin recording. The LTO-CM also aids in
determining the reliability of the cartridge by storing data about its age, how many
times it has been loaded, and how many errors it has accumulated. Whenever a
tape cartridge is unloaded, the tape drive writes any pertinent information to the
cartridge memory.
The storage capacity of the LTO Generation 4 and 5 is 8160 bytes. LTO Generations
1, 2, and 3 have an LTO-CM capacity of 4096 bytes.
4-2
TS2250 Tape Drive Setup, Operator and Service manual
Native Data
Capacity
1500 GB (3000 GB Reads and writes data on 1280
at 2:1 compression) tracks, sixteen tracks at a time.
800 GB (1600 GB at Reads and writes data on 896
2:1 compression) tracks, sixteen tracks at a time.
400 GB (800 GB at Reads and writes data on 704
2:1 compression) tracks, sixteen tracks at a time
200 GB (400 GB at Reads and writes data on 512
2:1 compression) tracks, eight tracks at a time
100 GB (200 GB at Reads and writes data on 384
2:1 compression) tracks, eight tracks at a time
Recording Format*
Nominal Cartridge Life
(load/unload cycles)
20,000
20,000
20,000
10,000
5,000