Dell EMC Tape Systems LTO Media Handbook Dell Engineering April 2018 A Dell EMC document category
Revisions Date Description October 2015 Initial release April 2018 New Dell EMC format. The information in this publication is provided “as is.” Dell Inc. makes no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to the information in this publication, and specifically disclaims implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Use, copying, and distribution of any software described in this publication requires an applicable software license.
Table of contents Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................................2 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................4 2 Drives ......................................................................................................................
1 Introduction This document describes media compatibility, handling and usage for all Dell EMC and Dell PowerVault Linear Tape Open (LTO) drives.
2 Drives Dell EMC LTO tape drives are available in several form factors that can be attached internally and externally to PowerEdge servers or as part of a Dell EMC tape library solution.
3 Media Media comes in both standard Data and WORM (Write Once Read Many) formats for each generation of LTO and is differentiated by color to be easily recognizable. Cleaning cartridges are universal to all LTO generations. Table 3 shows recording information about each media type.
4 Media colors and markings Media types are color coded to be easily identified in the data center. Color coding is not an industry standard and varies by distributers. Standard data cartridges are a single solid color. WORM cartridges are differentiated with a grey back cover and the generational color on the front cover. All genuine LTO media will have the Ultrium LTO logo and generation markings on the cartridge.
WORM cartridges use the same generation color coding for the front or top of the cartridge but have a grey back or bottom cover to visually differentiate.
5 Media Compatibility Each new LTO generation aims to achieve the highest bit density possible utilizing the latest technology. Higher bit densities allow more data to be stored on the magnetic medium within the same form factor. These constant improvements to the technology results in a backwards Read/Write compatibility limitation as new generations are brought to the market. Table 4 demonstrates each generation’s capabilities.
6 Cleaning cartridges Universal Cleaning Cartridges (UCC) are designed to be used with all LTO generations. The color of the Dell EMC UCC is Black. Certified cleaning media will contain the LTO Ultrium logo in the lower left corner and will have a Universal Cleaning Cartridge designation printed on the front. Other artwork may vary.
If an expired UCC is inserted into an LTO drive the drive will alert the user by posting a “7” and flash the activity light amber. A tape alert message is generated. The clean routine will not be run and a new UCC will be required.
7 WORM cartridges WORM stands for Write Once, Read Many. This means once data is written to a piece of WORM media, the data on the tape cannot be changed or overwritten. WORM media can be appended to if data is already present on the tape. The media also stores unique identifiers which allow the drive to determine whether or not the media has been tampered with. WORM media offers a method of data retention for compliance laws such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
8 Write Protection To preserve data on the cartridge from being overwritten or erased use the Write Protect tab. The tab must be engaged prior to inserting the media into the drive. Do not slide the tab while media is already inserted in a drive. When properly write protected a lock symbol will be visible on the red tab of the cartridge and the SCD on the drive will display the character “P” when cartridge is inserted.
9 Cartridge Memory Tape drives require information about the tape cartridge being used. For LTO tape cartridges, this information is stored in a small chip within the tape and is referred to as the Cartridge Memory (CM). CM is a nonvolatile memory that responds through a passive radio frequency interface.
10 Barcodes A bar code label contains: A volume serial number (VOLSER) that is human-readable A bar code that the library can read When read by a library's bar code reader, the bar code identifies the cartridge's VOLSER to the library. The bar code also tells the library whether the cartridge is a data cartridge or cleaning cartridge. In addition, the bar code includes the two-character media-type identifier Lx, where x equals 1-8.
11 Media Handling 11.1 Media Description LTO Ultrium Data Cartridge 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 11.2 LTO CM label area write-protect switch insertion guide cartridge door leader pin Inspection Inspect the cartridge packaging to check for any rough handling. • When inspecting a cartridge, open only the cartridge door. Do not open any other part of the cartridge case. The upper and lower parts of the case are held together with screws; separating them destroys the usefulness of the cartridge.
Correct Leader pin location • Inspect the cartridge for damage before using or storing it. • Inspect the back of the cartridge (the part that you load first into the tape load compartment) and ensure that there are no gaps in the seam of the cartridge case. If there are gaps in the seam, the leader pin may be dislodged. See Figure 6. • If you suspect that the cartridge has been mishandled but it appears usable, copy any data onto a good cartridge immediately for possible data recovery.
Dropped leader pin Figure 8 shows an LTO cartridge that was dropped and caused damage to the casing. Split seam on case.
11.4 Ensure Proper Packaging While Shipping 11.5 When you ship a cartridge, ship it in its original or better packaging. Always ship or store a cartridge in the vertical orientation and inside the jewel case to prevent damage to the tape edge. Use only a recommended shipping container that securely holds the cartridge in its jewel case during transportation. Never ship a cartridge in a commercial shipping envelope. Always place it in a box or package.
11.6 Cartridge Life 20 Durability – 1,000,000 passes on any area of tape, equates to over 20,000 end-to-end passes/260 full tape backups. Archival life – 30 years.
12 LTO7 Type M media The LTO consortium approved a new media format to be used with LTO8 tape drive technologies. The new LTO7 Type M media format will allow an LTO8 drive within a supported Dell EMC library to format a new, unused, LTO7 tape cartridge for 9TB of native data capacity. The media designator for the LTO7 Type M format is M8. 12.
13 Troubleshooting & Best Practices This section contains helpful information to maintain the highest level of service from you LTO drive. 13.1 Stuck tape A stuck tape can result from a dropped or damaged media. Different drives react differently when damaged media is inserted. Some may eject the tape, while others may be stuck permanently with the drive and require the drive to be returned.
23 Ship the LTO drive with media loaded.
