Users Guide
Ensuring proper packaging
• When a cartridge is shipped, use the original or better packaging.
• Always ship or store a cartridge in a jewel case.
• 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.
• If you ship the cartridge in a cardboard box or a box of a sturdy material, ensure that you
– Place the cartridge in polyethylene plastic wrap or bags to protect it from dust, moisture, and other
contaminants.
– Pack the cartridge snugly; do not allow it to move around.
– Double-box the cartridge (place it inside a box, then place that box inside the shipping box) and add
padding between the two boxes (see Figure 89 on page 164).
Figure 89. Double-boxing tape cartridges for shipping
Proper acclimation and environmental conditions
To ensure the longest possible life for your data cartridges, follow these guidelines.
• Before you use a tape cartridge, acclimate it to the operating environment for 24 hours or the time
necessary to prevent condensation in the drive. The time varies, depending on the environmental
extremes to which the cartridge was exposed. If the data cartridge was exposed to temperatures
outside the specied ranges, stabilize the cartridge at room temperature for the same length of time it
was exposed to extreme temperatures or 24 hours, whichever is less.
• Ensure that all surfaces of a cartridge are dry before it is inserted.
• Do not expose data cartridges to direct sunlight or sources of heat, including portable heaters and
heating ducts.
• Do not place data cartridges near sources of electromagnetic energy or strong magnetic elds such as
computer monitors, electric motors, speakers, or X-ray equipment. Exposure to electromagnetic energy
or magnetic elds can destroy data and the embedded servo code that is written on the media by the
cartridge manufacturer, which can render the cartridge unusable.
• Use only the data cartridges that are designated for your device.
• Clean the tape drive when the Clean drive LED is illuminated.
• Do not drop a cartridge. Excessive shock can damage the internal contents of the cartridge or the
cartridge case itself, making the cartridge unusable.
• Place identication labels only in the designated area on the cartridge.
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Dell EMC ML3 Tape Library: User's Guide