Unknown media Storagetek L20

[Jarle]

Anyone know why Backup Exec 8.6 reports unknown media running Maxell LTO media on Storagetek L20 (IBM LTO drive)?

Jarle

 

[Schotte]

Probably because you are either running without labels (really dangerous) or the labels do not follow the LTO guidelines or the labels are badly printed or they are maybe affixed the wrong way round. Try enabling media check (if you have an L-xx with one of the latest codes), it does give some indications of problems, but is not perfect and is not documented as far as I can tell anywhere.....

 

[Mario2]

Could you please explain why it is dangerous to run L20 with Data tapes without labels.
Thanks!

 

[Schotte]

I would expect that anyone working in this business to know why it is dangerous, simply because its part of their job as user. Furthermore, without loading and reading each label, how will your library/application be able to quickly identify each cassette? The label is the first step in identifying quickly any cassette, once loaded, some, but not all applications then compate the magnetic label again....a full audit of unlabelled tapes can take some hours, depending upon the druive type and the number of cartridges. The same using labels takes seconds......!
I am involved almost weekly with customer problems concerning wrong or missing labels, the hours of extra work are quickly offset with a good set of labels. If you are concerned with somebody stealing your data, they can still do it with or without labels! Your security should be better than that.......

 

[Schotte]

Furthermore, how do you expect your library to identy a media correctly with no label. All labels carry indicators so that a library can decide which media goes in which drive. This can be of serious consequence in the DLT / SDLT world or in the LTO world, especially with regard to ANY cleaning cassette!!