Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide Preface Introduction Installing the LTO Driver Software Linux Configuration Procedures Operation Theory Specifications Troubleshooting Guide Getting Help Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. P/N 0TK131 Rev. A01 Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and PowerVault are trademarks of Dell Inc. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Back to Contents Page Introduction Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter provides an introductory overview of the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive. Overview Features Overview The PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive is a high-performance, 16-channel tape drive that complies with the LTO interchange specifications. The PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive uses Ultrium data cartridges. Their capacity is maximized using intelligent data compression.
Back to Contents Page Installing the LTO Driver Software Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter explains how to install the LTO driver software. If you intend to use the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive with the Microsoft® native backup applet on a Windows Server® 2003 operating system, install the appropriate version of the LTO driver software. The driver software is located on the Dell PowerVault Documentation and Drivers CD.
Back to Contents Page Linux Configuration Procedures Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter describes how to configure various Linux systems to recognize and obtain optimal performance from the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive. Configuring Linux Environments This subsection provides procedures for configuring Linux operating system environments.
Back to Contents Page Operation Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter describes how to operate the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive.
Loading a Tape Cartridge To load an Ultrium tape cartridge into the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive, perform the following steps: 1. Insert the cartridge into the slot. 2. Push the cartridge further into the drive until the drive senses the cartridge and automatically completes the load operation. Alternatively, use a library or host command to complete the host operation.
l l Used with non-approved media Operated in a hot, dusty environment When this happens, the drive can experience excessive errors while reading or writing, and during operations, the LTO-4-120 displays the letter "C" on the seven-segment display and illuminates the amber status LED and the LED dot. This means that the drive needs to be cleaned.
Back to Contents Page Theory Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter describes operational theories used in the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive. Track Layout Recording Method Data Buffer Data Integrity Data Compression Track Layout With the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive, there are 896 data tracks on the LTO tape, numbered 0 through 895. Data track 895 is the track closest to the bottom edge of the tape (the reference edge).
adaptive Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters that modify the equalization of each read channel dynamically to compensate for many of those changes. The error rate of the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive is less than 1 hard error in 101 7 bits. The undetectable error rate is 1 in 102 7 bits read. Error-correction Code (ECC) The use of Cyclic Redundancy Checking (CRC) and two-level orthogonal Error Correction Coding (ECC) provides a very low probability of encountering a hard error.
Data Compression Considerations In an effective data-compression method, several factors are important: l l l l The amount of compression, which is measured by the compression ratio. This ratio compares the amount of uncompressed data to the amount of compressed data. It is obtained by dividing the size of the uncompressed data by the size of the compressed data. The speed with which data is compressed and decompressed relative to the host transfer rate. The types of data to be compressed.
Back to Contents Page Specifications Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter provides technical specifications for the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive.
Power Specifications Maximum voltage and power specifications for the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive are listed in Table 6-2 and Table 6-3. Specifications are the same as those for other SCSI drives unless otherwise noted. Table 6-2. Voltage and Current Specifications Specification +12 VDC +5 VDC DC Voltage Tolerance 12.00 ± 10% 5.00 ± 5% Non-operating max voltage 14 Volts peak 5.50 Volts peak 1.70 amps RMS 1.90 amps RMS (1 sec max) 2.40 amps max RMS* 2.
Table 6-5 lists the environmental specifications of the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive. Table 6-5. Environmental Requirements Specification Operational Nonoperational Airflow requirements Internal: 6 CFM (front to back) N/A Altitude -50 feet to 10,000 feet -50 feet to 35,000 feet Humidity gradient 10% per hour 10% per hour Relative humidity 20% to 80% non-condensing 5% to 95% non-condensing Shock (1/2 sine wave) 31G +/- 5%, 2.6 ms 71G +/- 5%, 2.
Table 6-7 lists the basic environmental tolerances for LTO Ultrium cartridges. Table 6-7.
Back to Contents Page Troubleshooting Guide Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide This chapter provides best-practice installation guidelines for getting the most out of your Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive, and troubleshooting information you can use to identify and resolve tape drive problems.
scans for devices. You should see messages similar to: Bus 0 Target 0 Lun 0 Device Quantum Ultrium 4 If the tape drive is recognized during system startup, the problem has been resolved. Otherwise, proceed to step 3 to determine whether the tape drive is receiving power. 3. If the tape drive is not recognized when the SAS controller scans for devices, check the two-color status LED on the LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive front panel to make sure the drive is receiving power (see Figure 4-1).
Red Hat Linux Operating System Environments The tape driver for Red Hat Linux, called st, is included as part of the Red Hat Linux operating system. When Red Hat Linux starts, the operating system recognizes the tape drive and automatically configures it as a device in the /dev directory. If it is the first tape device in the /dev directory, the tape drive is known as: /dev/st0 or /dev/nst0.
5. Attempt to insert a different tape cartridge. 6. If a tape still cannot be inserted into the tape drive, contact Technical Support to resolve the possible problem with the tape drive. Drive Does Not Eject the Tape Cartridge If you cannot eject a tape cartridge from the PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive: 1. Verify that the two-color status indicator is green and the other indicators are off/blank. IF the two-color status LED is . . . AND the other LEDs are . . . THEN . . .
¡ 3. Monitoring the SAS controller activity during system startup. The method of performing tape backups can be a factor in slow backup operations. Data sent to the tape drive over a network connection and delays in data transfer over a network connection can cause backups to slow down. To determine whether the method of performing tape backups is a factor: ¡ Use the xTalk tape diagnostic software to perform a write/read test. The tape diagnostic software is available at support.dell.com.
IF the diagnostic test . . . THEN . . . completes normally, retry the backup operation using the same new/blank or "scratch" tape that you used for the diagnostic write/read test. If the backup retry: l l fails, 5. Succeeds, discard the original data tape. The problem is resolved. Fails, repeat step 2 and step 3 off this procedure to clean the tape drive a second time and proceed to step 5 . repeat step 2 and step 3 of this procedure to clean the tape drive a second time and proceed to step 5.
3. Check the tape drive front panel LED indicators to determine the operational condition of the drive (see Table 4-1). This LED indication . . . Green green status LED on steady Signifies . . . the normal operational configuration. The problem is resolved. and: All others off Amber status LED flashing a hardware failure condition. Contact Technical Support to resolve the possible problem with the tape drive. Amber status LED flashing and: a failed Power On Self Test function.
Back to Contents Page Getting Help Dell™ PowerVault ™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide Contacting Dell Contacting Dell For customers in the United States, call 800-W W W-DELL (800-999-3355). NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options.
Back to Contents Page Preface Dell™ PowerVault™ LTO-4-120 Tape Drive User's Guide Audience Purpose Document Organization Related Documents Audience This guide is written for users of the Dell PowerVault LTO-4-120 Half-Height tape drive.
¡ ¡ l Serial Attached SCSI - 1.1 (SAS-1.1) INCITS 417-2006 Serial Attached SCSI - 2 (SAS-2) in development INCITS Technical Committee T11 (Device Level Interfaces) Standards ¡ Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL-2) Amendment 1 INCITS 332.
