Re: Can LTO ULTRIUM5 tapes be initialized to *ULTRIUM4 on an 8202-E4C POWER7?

[Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not aware of a way to do it from the tape itself.  As Larry 
indicated, the device reads that data but I don't think IBM i stores it 
anywhere.

-- IF -- you do not initialize tapes every time you use them (BRMS/Robot 
Save/LXI all initialize a tape precisely one time) you only initialize a 
tape when you first start using it, then you can go into SST,  Option 1, 
start a service tool, Option 1, Product Activity Log, Option 4, Work 
with Removable Media Lifetime Statistics.

Pick the type of media, ( I use 2 - Self Configured Tape Device and 1/4 
inch Cartridge Tape) and it will show the statistics that IBM i has kept 
on the tape.

One of the things you can see in there is the error rates for 
read/write.  The moment a tape starts posting write errors, dispose of 
it.....

I think, although I have not looked for them, there are APIs that you 
can use to get after that information as well.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 12/15/2012 10:25 AM, Sam_L wrote:
> You said "It contains the things like the cartridge type as well as the
> number of uses etc."
>
> How can I access the number of uses?  (LT03&  LT04)
>
> (I was under the impression that I could find usage info in SST, but
> that it was reset when the tape was initialized.)
>
> Sam
>
> On 12/15/2012 11:08 AM, DrFranken wrote:
>
> > >  Commonly ignored is that there is a memory chip in each cartridge that
> > >  contains 4K (LTO1,2,3) or 8K (LTO4+) of memory which contains
> > >  information about the cartridge (cleaning cartridges included!) This
> > >  chip is read by RF which is why you don't see it or any connections to
> > >  it.  It contains the things like the cartridge type as well as the
> > >  number of uses etc.  The drive reads this chip as soon as it is
> > >  installed also preventing the LTO5 tape from being used as an LTO4.
> > >
> > >  - Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis
> --