Media Tracking And Reporting - Spectra Logic Spectra T950V User Manual

Chapter 9 — Configuring and Using Media Lifecycle Management

Media Tracking and Reporting

Overview MLM uses the information from the cartridge's MAM to
maintain a database of vital information about each MLM‐enabled
cartridge in the library, including the drives into which it was loaded and
any errors it encountered. The statistical and diagnostic information in the
MLM database helps you proactively manage your tape media throughout
its life. Using the information in the database, MLM can generate a variety
of reports that let you monitor important health information about every
MLM‐enabled data cartridge and cleaning cartridge in your library. If
desired, you can save the reports to a USB device or email them to a
previously configured mail user. You can also download the MLM
database as a comma‐separated‐value (CSV) file.
Discovery Requirement Until an MLM‐enabled cartridge is discovered,
either through the automatic media discovery process or when it is loaded
into and then unloaded from a drive for the first time, it is not included in
the MLM database; nor is the capacity of a non‐discovered data cartridge
included on the Filled Capacity bar graph shown on the General Status
screen.
Media Health Score The initial load/unload during discovery establishes
an initial media health score for each cartridge and adds this information
to the MLM database. This initial health score may not accurately reflect
the actual health of the media. The health score stabilizes and becomes
more accurate after the first four loads/unloads as current usage statistics
are updated and used in the tape's health scoring.
MLM Health Reports MLM reports let you review important health
information about every MLM‐enabled data tape and cleaning tape in your
library. You can generate comprehensive health reports for the MLM‐
enabled media in the whole library or in an individual partition. You can
also generate more detailed reports with information about compression
ratios, load counts, write errors, remaining capacity, encryption status, and
more.
The MLM reports help you identify tapes with high error rates or other
problems (for example, a dropped leader pin) that pose a risk to protecting
your data. These tapes can then be removed before they cause data
corruption or other problems. See Generate MLM Reports on page 275 for
detailed information about the types of reports you can generate.
August 2019
 The MLM database also includes limited information about
Notes:
cartridges that are not MLM‐enabled.
 The cartridge inventory is separate from the MLM database
and only shows cartridges currently stored in the library. The
cartridge inventory does not differentiate between 
MLM‐enabled and non‐MLM‐enabled cartridges.
BlueScale Media Lifecycle Management
User Guide—Spectra T950 Library
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