Users Guide

at the L7 density can continue to be read and written in LTO7 and LTO8 tape drives. However, they remain
limited to the 6 TB native capacity.
TL1000 Tape Autoloader rmware version 0080 added support for uninitialized M8 cartridges, in addition
to support for pre-initialized M8 cartridges. In any tape product with M8 cartridges, the minimum LTO8
tape drive rmware version is HB82.
Write once, read many (WORM) cartridges
Certain Records retention and data security applications require a write once, read many (WORM) method
for storing data on tape. The LTO Ultrium 4 and later drives enable WORM support when a WORM tape
cartridge is loaded into the drive.
WORM media
Because standard read/write media are incompatible with the WORM feature, a specially formatted
WORM tape cartridge (see Figure 108 on page 94) is required. Each WORM cartridge has a unique,
worldwide cartridge identier (WWCID), which consists of the unique CM chip serial number and the
unique tape media serial number.
Figure 108. Ultrium data and WORM tape cartridges
Data security on WORM media
Certain built-in security measures help ensure that the data that is written on a WORM cartridge does not
become compromised, for example:
• The format of an Ultrium 4 and later WORM tape cartridge is unlike standard read/write media. This
unique format prevents a drive that lacks WORM-capable rmware from writing on a WORM tape
cartridge. For LTO 8, native data capacity is 12 TB and compressed data capacity is 30 TB.
• When the drive senses a WORM cartridge, the rmware prohibits user data from being changed or
altered. The rmware tracks the last point on the tape that can be appended.
WORM media errors
The following conditions cause WORM media errors to occur:
• Information in the servo manufacturer's word (SMW) on the tape must match information from the
cartridge memory (CM) module in the cartridge. If it does not match, a media error code 7 posts on the
drive's single-character display (SCD).
• Inserting a WORM tape cartridge into a drive that is not compatible with WORM causes the cartridge to
be treated as an unsupported medium. The drive reports a media error code 7. Upgrading the drive
rmware to the correct code level resolves the problem.
Requirements for WORM capability
To use the WORM capability of your LTO Ultrium drive, you must use a compatible WORM tape cartridge.
See “Cartridge compatibility” on page 93
for cartridge and VOLSER compatibility.
94
Dell PowerVault TL1000 Tape Autoloader: User's Guide