Re: Ultrium 4 Tape Initialization

[Michael Ryan <michaelrtr@xxxxxxxxx>]

I made money working on a XENIX system...also liked Concurrent CP/M.

On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 10:07 AM, jmmckee <jmmckee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The SA calls the shots.  He spouts off about how important a backup is, but
> then decides he knows enough.  He played with the idea of using BRMS.  Not
> used here.  Probably won't be.  The concept of unique media identification
> may have been too "involved".
>
> Aggressive antisocial personality >might< be appropriate >IF< accompanied
> by wisdom..................
>
> Lucky for us that the i is a very rugged system.
>
> I still have a cringing sensation from an experience I had 23 years ago
> with a Xenix system.  Disk controller got off frequency.  Arrived at work to
> find a REALLY messed up computer.  But, I had a full backup from the
> previous day.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: rob@xxxxxxxxx
> Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 08:36:32 -0500
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Ultrium 4 Tape Initialization
>
> > They didn't even care when you showed them the PRTERRLOG?  Wow!
> > Try ordering a tape library system where the tapes HAVE to be barcoded
> AND
> > have different volume id's.  Push for BRMS or some similar product.
> >
> >
> > Rob Berendt
> > --
> > Group Dekko Services, LLC
> > Dept 01.073
> > Dock 108
> > 6928N 400E
> > Kendallville, IN 46755
> > http://www.dekko.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From:   jmmckee <jmmckee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To:     "Midrange Systems Technical Discussion" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > Date:   05/15/2010 01:32 AM
> > Subject:        Re: Ultrium 4 Tape Initialization
> > Sent by:        midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >
> >
> > Really annoys me that procedure where I work is to initialize the tape
> > every night.  Old habits die painfully hard.  I have suggested that the
> > expiration date be changed from *PERM to a value more in line with the
> > tape rotation.  That date could be generated from a CL program.
> >
> > My biggest issue with continual tape initialization, beyond excessive
> wear
> > and tear (which is a big issue), is that the wrong tape could be pulled
> > and the data destroyed.
> >
> > I have also complained that tapes should have unique volume numbers, not
> > stupid things like DAILY.  But, nobody seems to care.  I even showed them
> > PRTERRLOG output.  And people wonder why things fail sometimes.
> >
> > I worked in a bank thirty years ago that used 9 track tape.  Only time
> > tapes were initialized was when the BOT marker was replaced.
> >
> > John McKee
> >
> >
> > -----Original message-----
> > From: Simon Coulter shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 19:03:14 -0500
> > To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: Ultrium 4 Tape Initialization
> >
> > > On 15/05/2010, at 5:35 AM, rob@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > >
> > > >  But on a nightly
> > > > basis you do not need to run CLEAR(*YES).  You will still have all
> the
> > > > tape space available if you run CLEAR(*NO).  Basically it wiped out
> > > > the
> > > > header and goes from there.  Trust me, it just works.  We've been
> > > > doing
> > > > this for decades.
> > >
> > > But why, on a nightly basis, do so many of you run INZTAP anyway? Just
> > > start the save at sequence 1 and let the save overwrite the previous
> > > data. By constantly running INZTAP you:
> > >                a) wear out the start of the tape :)
> > > and
> > >                b) mess up the read/write error statistics for the tape.
> > >
> > > Sure, initialise and clear a tape prior to disposing of it but
> > > otherwise a tape should be initialised once and just reused.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Simon Coulter.
> > > --------------------------------------------------------------------
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> > >
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