Tape Cartridges; Eternus Lt20 S2 Tape Library Cartridge Type; Using And Maintaining Tape Cartridges - Fujitsu P3AM-5382-03ENZ0 Installing, Starting Up And Maintaining

Chapter 3 Operating the LTO Library

3.2 Tape Cartridges

3.2 Tape Cartridges
Before you begin using the library, an understanding of the media type, use, maintenance, and how to
properly label and write-protect your tape cartridges will help you to prolong the life of your tape cartridges as
well as the tape library.
3.2.1

ETERNUS LT20 S2 Tape Library Cartridge Type

The cartridge types supported depend on the drive types installed. The library will support any type of data
cartridge and cleaning cartridge the drive will support.
Some tape drives include support for both rewritable and WORM data cartridges. Write-Once, Read-Many
(WORM) data cartridges provide an enhanced level of data security against accidental or malicious alteration
of data on the tape cartridge. The WORM data cartridge can be appended to maximize the full capacity of the
tape cartridge, but the user will be unable to erase or overwrite data on the cartridge.
3.2.2

Using and Maintaining Tape Cartridges

Do not degauss Ultrium LTO data cartridges! These data cartridges are pre-recorded with a magnetic servo
signal. This signal is required in order to use the cartridge with Ultrium LTO tape drives. Keep Ultrium LTO
cartridges away from strong magnetic fields.
Before you use the library, to ensure the longest possible life for your data cartridges, follow these guidelines:
• Use only the data cartridges that are designated for your model of library/drive.
• Clean the tape drive when the Clean Drive LED is illuminated. Be sure to use only Ultrium Universal
cleaning cartridges.
• Do not drop a cartridge. Excessive shock can damage the internal contents of the cartridge, or the cartridge
case itself, making that cartridge unusable.
• Do not expose your data cartridges to direct sunlight or sources of heat, including portable heaters and
heating ducts.
The operating temperature range for your data cartridges is 10 to 35 °C. The storage temperature range is
•
-40 to +60 °C in a dust-free environment in which relative humidity is always between 20 percent and 80
percent (noncondensing).
• If the data cartridge has been exposed to temperatures outside the ranges specified above, stabilize the
cartridge to operating temperature for the same amount of time it was exposed to extreme temperatures
or 24 hours, whichever is less.
Do not place data cartridges near sources of electromagnetic energy or strong magnetic fields such as
•
computer monitors, electric motors, speakers, or X-ray equipment. Exposure to electromagnetic energy or
magnetic fields can destroy data and the embedded servo code written on the media by the cartridge
manufacturer, which can render the cartridge unusable.
Place identification labels only in the designated area on the cartridge.
•
FUJITSU Storage ETERNUS LT20 S2 LTO Library Installing, Starting Up and Maintaining
36
Copyright 2014 FUJITSU LIMITED P3AM-5382-03ENZ0