A tape cartridge is initialized when it is ﬁrst loaded into a compatible tape drive and data is written by the ISV application at the beginning of tape (sometimes referred to

as "labeling a tape" or "writing from BOT"). The tape drive then establishes the density of the media.

If an uninitialized M8 cartridge is not initialized in a tape library that supports uninitialized M8 cartridges, then the cartridge might inadvertently and silently be initialized

at the L7 density (that is, at a 6 TB native capacity) even if the bar code label states "M8". This action might occur with the usage of non-TS2900 Tape Autoloaders, stand-

alone LTO-7 tape drives, stand-alone LTO-8 tape drives, earlier LTO-8 tape drive ﬁrmware, earlier TS2900 Tape Autoloader ﬁrmware, or earlier ISV software that does not

recognize that M8 cartridges must be mounted only in LTO8 tape drives. M8 cartridges that are inadvertently initialized at the L7 density can continue to be read and

written in LTO-7 and LTO-8 tape drives. However, they remain limited to the 6 TB native capacity.

TS2900 Tape Autoloader ﬁrmware version 0080 added support for uninitialized M8 cartridges, in addition to support for pre-initialized M8 cartridges. In any tape product

with M8 cartridges, the minimum LTO8 tape drive ﬁrmware version is HB82.

WORM (Write once, read many) cartridges

Certain records retention and data security applications require a write once, read many (WORM) method for storing data on tape.

The LTO Ultrium 4 and later drives enable WORM support when a WORM tape cartridge is loaded into the drive.

WORM media

Data security on WORM media

WORM media errors

Requirements for WORM capability

WORM media

The standard read/write media are incompatible with the WORM feature so a specially formatted WORM tape cartridge is required, see

a unique, worldwide cartridge identiﬁer (WWCID), which consists of the unique CM chip serial number and the unique tape media serial number. For more information

about how to choose and purchase the appropriate WORM tape cartridges for your tape drive, see

Figure 1. Ultrium data and WORM tape cartridges

Data security on WORM media

Certain built-in security measures help ensure that the data that is written on a WORM cartridge does not become compromised, for example:

The format of an Ultrium WORM tape cartridge is unlike standard read/write media. This unique format prevents a drive that lacks WORM-capable ﬁrmware from

writing on a WORM tape cartridge. For LTO 9, native data capacity is 18 TB and compressed data capacity is 45 TB.

When the drive senses a WORM cartridge, the ﬁrmware prohibits user data from being changed or altered. The ﬁrmware tracks the last point on the tape that can be

appended.

WORM media errors

The following conditions cause WORM media errors to occur:

Information in the servo manufacturer's word (SMW) on the tape must match information from the cartridge memory (CM) module in the cartridge. If it does not

match, a media error code 7 posts on the drive's single-character display (SCD).

Inserting a WORM tape cartridge into a drive that is not compatible with WORM causes the cartridge to be treated as an unsupported medium. The drive reports a

media error code 7. Upgrading the drive ﬁrmware to the correct code level resolves the problem.

Requirements for WORM capability

To use the WORM capability of your LTO Ultrium drive, you must use a compatible WORM tape cartridge. See

media supplies

for media supplies.