Spectra Logic Spectra T950V User Manual page 251

Chapter 9 — Configuring and Using Media Lifecycle Management
Cleaning Cartridge Tracking
Functional Overview The library tracks expired cleaning cartridges in the
cartridge inventory and does not attempt to use an expired cleaning
cartridge. Expired cleaning cartridges are identified by an "x" next to the
slot number on the Inventory screen.
When you enable MLM and use Spectra Certified MLM‐enabled cleaning
cartridges, MLM tracks and reports usage information for the cleaning
cartridges. This information, which includes the number of cleans
remaining and the cartridge health (good, near expiration, or expired), is
stored in the MLM database.
When a cartridge is nearing the end of its useful life, MLM notifies you so
that you can have another on hand to replace it. This early notification
helps prevent failed cleanings resulting from using an expired cleaning
cartridge. See Enabling MLM and Configuring Global Settings on page 255
for information about setting the threshold for generating the notification.
Expired MLM-Enabled Cleaning Cartridges Each time an MLM‐enabled
cleaning cartridge is used in a drive, the drive decrements the number of
cleans remaining on the cartridge. When the cartridge is unloaded from
the drive, MLM reads the number of cleans remaining from the cartridge
MAM. When the number of cleans remaining reaches zero, the library
flags the cartridge as expired and does not attempt to use the cartridge
again. Because the library does not need to load a cleaning cartridge into a
drive to determine that it is expired, cleaning failures due to an expired
cartridge are eliminated (assuming the cleaning partition contains a good
cleaning cartridge). Information about an expired cleaning cartridge
remains in the MLM database even after the cartridge is exported from the
library.
Expired Non-MLM Cleaning Cartridges When MLM is not enabled or if the
cleaning cartridges are not MLM‐enabled, the library must load the
cleaning cartridge into a drive to determine whether it is expired. When an
expired cleaning cartridge is loaded into a drive, it is immediately ejected;
the cleaning fails. The library flags the cleaning tape as expired in the
cartridge inventory and generates system messages to notify you of the
expired cleaning tape and the failed drive cleaning. The library does not
attempt to use the expired cartridge for subsequent cleanings.
The library does not store any information about non‐MLM cleaning
cartridges in the MLM database. The library retains the information about
an expired cleaning cartridge for as long as it remains in the library or until
the library is power‐cycled. If an expired non‐MLM cartridge is exported
and then reimported into the library, the cartridge must be loaded into a
drive in order to identify it as expired.
August 2019
Note: TS11xx technology cleaning tapes are always treated as MLM‐
enabled by the BlueScale software.
BlueScale Media Lifecycle Management
User Guide—Spectra T950 Library
251