Using Hp Ultrium Cartridges; Maintaining Ultrium Cartridges - HP Surestore Tape Library Model 2/20 User Manual

Using HP Ultrium Cartridges

Chapter 2
In addition to the information provided in this manual, refer to the
documentation provided with your media for more information.
Caution HP Ultrium tape drives require special cleaning cartridges and
data cartridges formatted specifically for HP Ultrium. To avoid
damage to your tape drive, it is critical to use appropriate
cleaning cartridges and properly formatted data cartridges.
A unique feature of Ultrium tape cartridges is LTO-Cartridge Memory (LTO-
CM). LTO-CM is an intelligent memory chip embedded into the cartridge. It
uses a radio frequency interface that eliminates the need for a physical power
or signal connection between the cartridge and drive. Information normally
stored in the header at the beginning of the tape is contained in the LTO-CM,
including identification and usage information such as the number of times the
cartridge has been loaded, when it was last cleaned, and error logs.
In addition to the information provided in this manual, you may also want to
refer to the documentation provided with your Ultrium media.

Maintaining Ultrium Cartridges

Make it a practice to visually inspect your tape cartridges when loading or
removing them from your tape library. Taking a few minutes to check the
condition of your cartridges will lower the risk of repeated failures and help
ensure uninterrupted backup.
Do not apply more than one label onto Ultrium cartridges, as extra labels can
cause the cartridges to jam in the tape drive.
Do not bulk erase Ultrium formatted cartridges. This will destroy
Caution
pre-recorded servo information and make the cartridges
unusable.
Using Tapes 69