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Dell PowerVault LTO User Manual
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Dell PowerVault LTO User Manual

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Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive
User's Guide

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  • Page 1 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive User's Guide...

  • Page 2: Note

    © Copyright 2017-2021 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks might be trademarks of their respective owners. Printed December 2021. ii Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Note........................ii Figures........................v Tables........................vi Chapter 1. Introduction..................1 Overview...............................1 Specifications and features......................... 2 Drive features............................... 4 Media optimization..........................4 Recommended access order (RAO) open function ................5 Archive mode unthread.......................... 5 Speed matching............................5 Channel calibration..........................7 Data cartridge capacity scaling......................7 Encryption...............................7 Tape backup software..........................
  • Page 4 Removing an internal SAS tape drive......................46 TapeAlert..............................46 Recovering a tape cartridge........................50 Chapter 5. Specifications..................51 General specifications..........................51 Internal drive............................51 External drive............................53 Rack mount drive..........................55 Chapter 6. Contacting Dell................... 58 Appendix A. Regulatory Information..............59 Glossary......................60 Index........................69...

  • Page 5: Figures

    Figures 1. Tape drive internal model..........................1 2. Tape drive external model..........................2 3. Tape drive rack mount model........................2 4. Front panel..............................7 5. Rear panel of internal SAS tape drive......................10 6. Rear panel of external SAS tape drive......................10 7. Rear panel of the rack mount tape drive....................11 8.
  • Page 6 Tables 1. Drive information and performance specification..................2 2. Performance parameters for full height drives.....................6 3. Performance parameters for half height drives....................6 4. SCD, Ready/Activity LED, and Fault LED descriptions.................. 8 5. Supported Functions of Compatible Media Types..................21 6. LTO7 and LTO8 Cartridge Types........................22 7.

  • Page 7: Chapter 1. Introduction

    Open Systems environment. The drive can be integrated into a system (internal model) or can be provided as a separately packaged desktop unit (external model). There are eight generations of the Dell PowerVault tape drives in the LTO series of products.

  • Page 8: Specifications And Features

    Interface FC (8 Gb) FC (8 Gb) FC (8 Gb) FC (8 Gb) FC (8 Gb) (speed) SAS (12 Gb) SAS (6 Gb) SAS (6 Gb) SAS (6 Gb) SAS (6 Gb) 2 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 9 Table 1. Drive information and performance specification (continued) Generation LTO 9 LTO 8 LTO 7 LTO 6 LTO 5 Native data 300 Mb/s (L9) 300 Mb/s (L8) 300 Mb/s (L7) 160 Mb/s (L6) 140 Mb/s (L5) rate 300 Mb/s (L8) 300 Mb/s (M8) 160 Mb/s (L6) 140 Mb/s (L5)

  • Page 10: Drive Features

    LTO-9 media optimization enhances LTO tape long-term media durability. It is important to consider when media optimization will be performed: 4 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 11: Recommended Access Order (Rao) Open Function

    • Media optimization will be performed on first load of L9/LZ media during initialization. • Recommendation is to perform first load in the location of deployment, which should be in a stable environment that meets the recommended environmental specification. • Media optimization is a one-time operation that can be completed on any drive in the environment, enabling the media to be used across all tape drives without further optimization.

  • Page 12: Performance Parameters For Full Height Drives

    Speed matching dramatically reduces backhitch, the condition that occurs when a tape stops, reverses, and restarts motion. A backhitch is usually the result of a mismatch between the data rates of the server and the drive. 6 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 13: Channel Calibration

    The T10 Application can validate each drive instance by checking the drive's digital certificate. Tape backup software You need backup software that supports the Dell PowerVault tape drive. As a general rule, native backup applications (such as NTBackup and tar) do not provide the required data streaming rate to get the full performance of your tape drive.
  • Page 14 See Table 4 on page 8 for more descriptions. 3. Fault LED The front panel of your Dell PowerVault LTO tape drive has an amber fault LED indicating the drive has encountered an error, is not in a normal operational status, or needs cleaning. See Table 4 on page 8 for more detailed description.
  • Page 15 Table 4. SCD, Ready/Activity LED, and Fault LED descriptions (continued) Condition of Condition green Condition of white Condition of Ready/ of amber encryptio the SCD Condition of Meaning of LEDs and SCD Panel and Activity LED Fault LED n LED Panel the SCD Dot SCD Dot...

  • Page 16: Rear Panel

    Figure 6. Rear panel of external SAS tape drive Power connector Mini-SAS connectors (HD connectors for LTO9) Fan enclosure Ethernet - not iSCSI - for transferring firmware and dumps only 10 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 17 Figure 7. Rear panel of the rack mount tape drive Power connector Mini-SAS connectors (HD connectors for LTO9) Fan enclosure Ethernet - not iSCSI - for transferring firmware and dumps only Chapter 1. Introduction 11...

  • Page 18: Chapter 2. Setting Up The Tape Drive

    • “Ethernet Service Port procedures” on page 18 Preinstalled internal drives Dell completes the installation and setup of internal tape drives that are shipped as part of a system. If tape backup software is included in your system, refer to the installation instructions included with the software.

  • Page 19: Air Intake Area

    Figure 8 on page 13. The recommended time is 4 hours after the drive is unpacked or 1 hour after any condensation that you can see evaporates, whichever is greater. To allow the drive to adjust to its new environment, apply the following measures: •...
  • Page 20 Do not secure the drive with screws because you might need to move the drive to get the cables in place. 6. Attaching SAS cable Attach the system SAS cable to the drive SAS connector, as shown in Figure 11 on page 15. 14 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 21: Attaching Sas Cable

    Figure 11. Attaching SAS cable SAS cable Power cable 7. Securing the tape drive The tape drive can now be secured to the system as shown in Figure 12 on page 15. There are several ways to secure the drive. If the drive is on rails or in a sled, then push it in place. Some systems require the drive to be inserted into a media bay and attached directly to the system with screws.

  • Page 22: Installing External And Rack Mount Drives

    Notice: The external tape drive must not be stacked. Do not place anything on top of the unit. 2. Connecting power An external Dell PowerVault tape drive operates by using any voltage in the range 100 - 240 volts (50 - 60 Hz). No adjustment is needed. To connect your drive to the power supply: a.

  • Page 23: Verifying Drive Operation

    Notice: Some backup software applications do not require device drivers to be loaded and, in some cases, installing device drivers could interfere with proper functioning of the application. See the documentation for the respective application before loading these drivers. The current drivers are available at http:// www.Dell.com/support. Chapter 2. Setting up the tape drive 17...

  • Page 24: Ethernet Service Port Procedures

    Important: The Ethernet port is for Service only. Do not connect the customer network to Service ports. 1. Obtain the current drive firmware from the web. Go to http://www.Dell.com/support. 2. Connect an Ethernet patch cable to the drive's Ethernet interface and to a computer. To meet electromagnetic immunity requirements, a shielded Ethernet cable is required.
  • Page 25 8. Remove the Ethernet patch cable from the drive's Ethernet interface. Chapter 2. Setting up the tape drive 19...

  • Page 26: Chapter 3. Using The Tape Drive

    Press and hold Eject on the front panel of the tape drive for 10 seconds (Figure 17 on page 21). The drive forces a memory dump of vital technical data to drive memory and overwrites the existing dump. The drive then restarts to allow communication. 20 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 27: Data Cartridges

    Figure 17. Resetting the drive Eject Data cartridges The Dell PowerVault tape drive is compatible with the cartridges of its predecessors. The following table describes the functions that are supported on the different compatible media types. Table 5. Supported Functions of Compatible Media Types Data ®...

  • Page 28: Lto Type M Cartridge (M8)

    M8, it cannot be changed back to L7. Initialized M8 cartridges can be written and read only in an LTO8 tape drive. LTO7 tape drives cannot read initialized M8 cartridges. 22 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 29: Loading, Unloading, And Write-Protecting Cartridges

    M8 cartridges can be purchased as either pre-initialized (also referred to as “labeled and initialized”) M8 data cartridges or uninitialized M8 data cartridges (M8 WORM cartridges are not supported). For either option, the bar code label is included. However, the uninitialized M8 data cartridge must first be initialized in tape libraries that support the automatic initialization of uninitialized M8 cartridges while under the control of ISV applications that recognize the “M8”...
  • Page 30 • If the switch is set to locked (locked padlock), data cannot be written to the tape. • If the switch is set to unlocked (unlocked padlock or black void), data can be written to the tape. 24 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 31: Caring For Tape Cartridges

    Figure 20. Setting the write-protect switch Write-protect switch To set the switch, slide it left or right to the wanted position. Notice: Always set the write protection tab before the cartridge is loaded into the drive. Sliding the tab after loading causes unpredictable results and might result in drive errors or backup failure. Caring for tape cartridges Notice: Do not insert a damaged tape cartridge into your tape drive.
  • Page 32 If there are gaps in the seam, the leader pin may be dislodged. • Check that the leader pin is properly seated. 26 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 33: Cleaning The Tape Mechanism

    • Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tape unusable. Cleaning the tape mechanism Dell PowerVault tape drives are developed to have a minimal cleaning requirement. The tape drive displays a on the Single-character display (SCD) and the fault LED flashes amber when the drive needs cleaning.

  • Page 34: Chapter 4. Troubleshooting

    Notice: When firmware is updated, do not power off the tape drive until the update is complete, or the firmware might be lost. For information on the current versions of firmware, see the Dell support website at http://www.Dell.com/ support. Selecting a Diagnostic or Maintenance function The tape drive can run diagnostics, test write and read functions, test a suspect tape cartridge, and complete other diagnostic and maintenance functions.

  • Page 35: Diagnostic And Maintenance Function Codes And Descriptions

    Table 8. Diagnostic and Maintenance Function Codes and Descriptions Function Code 1 - Run Tape Drive Diagnostics Causes the tape drive to run self-tests. Attention: Insert only a scratch data cartridge for this test. Data on the cartridge is overwritten. Note: If you inserted an invalid tape cartridge (see “Data cartridges”...
  • Page 36 A maximum of 10 error codes are stored. To redisplay the error codes, repeat steps 1 - 7. 30 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 37 Table 8. Diagnostic and Maintenance Function Codes and Descriptions (continued) Function Code A - Clear Error Code Log Causes the tape drive to erase the contents of the error code log. 1. Ensure that there is no cartridge in the drive. 2.
  • Page 38 , and exits maintenance mode. • If an error is detected, the tape drive displays . Once the cartridge is manually ejected and removed, the tape drive exits maintenance mode. 32 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 39 Table 8. Diagnostic and Maintenance Function Codes and Descriptions (continued) Function Code F - Write Performance Test Causes the tape drive to complete tests to ensure that the drive can read from and write to tape. This diagnostic completes fewer tests than the Run Tape Drive Diagnostics test (Function Code 1). The tape drive takes approximately 3 minutes to run the test.
  • Page 40 The tape drive then rewinds, unloads the cartridge, and exits maintenance mode. • To halt the diagnostic immediately and stop the test that is running, press Eject twice. The tape drive then rewinds, unloads the cartridge, and exits maintenance mode. 34 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 41 Table 8. Diagnostic and Maintenance Function Codes and Descriptions (continued) Function Code J - Fast Read/Write Test Approximate Run Time = 5 minutes Total Number of Loops = 10 Function Code completes tests to ensure that the drive can read from and write to tape. The diagnostic loops 10 times.

  • Page 42: General Guidelines

    Function Code P or U - RESERVED (Service Function) General guidelines If you encounter problems when running the Dell PowerVault tape drive, refer to Table 9 on page 37 for common problems. If the problem is not identified, refer to “Methods of receiving errors and messages ”...

  • Page 43: Methods Of Receiving Errors And Messages

    23. • The tape cartridge might be defective. Load another tape cartridge. If the problem exists for multiple cartridges, the tape drive is defective. Contact Dell technical support. • The tape drive has no power. Connect power to the tape drive.

  • Page 44: Descriptions And Corrective Actions

    • When power is cycled (turned off, then on) to the tape drive. • When diagnostics have finished running and no error occurred. Note: The single-character display is blank during normal operation of the tape drive. 38 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 45 3. Ensure that the operating temperature and airflow is within the specified range (seeChapter 2, “Setting up the tape drive,” on page 12 ). 4. If the proper voltages are being applied but the problem persists, contact Dell technical support.
  • Page 46 “Selecting a Diagnostic or Maintenance function” on page 28). - If the diagnostics fail, contact Dell technical support. - If the diagnostics succeed, the error was temporary. • If the operation fails and another drive is not available, insert a scratch cartridge into the drive and run the tape drive diagnostics (see Function Code in “Selecting a...
  • Page 47 • If the diagnostics succeed, run the Test Head diagnostic (see Function Code H in “Selecting a Diagnostic or Maintenance function” on page 28). – If the Test Head diagnostic fails, contact Dell technical support. – If the Test Head diagnostic succeeds, replace the cartridges that caused the problem.
  • Page 48 If the problem persists, contact Dell technical support. The drive is usable, though the single- character display continues to indicate an error and the fault LED flashes amber.

  • Page 49: Drive Status

    Table 11. Descriptions and corrective actions (continued) Mid-Tape Recovery. The SCD flashes one segment at a time to complete one figure-eight motion, then flashes the number , then flashes one segment at a time to complete one figure-eight motion, then flashes the number .

  • Page 50: Drive Maintenance

    1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the drive or bridge box. Important: The Ethernet port is for Service only. Do not connect the customer network to Service ports. 2. Using a web browser, connect to http://169.254.0.3/service.html. The drive maintenance page is displayed. 44 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 51: Fixing Sas Connectivity Problems

    1. Ensure that the power is on to the tape drive. 2. Replace the SAS cable and interposers, if any, and retry the failing operation. 3. If these measures do not correct the problem, contact Dell technical support. Resolving media-related problems To resolve problems that are related to media, the tape drive's firmware include Chapter 4.

  • Page 52: Removing An Internal Sas Tape Drive

    TapeAlert flags from a tape drive through the SCSI interface. The system reads the flags from Log Sense Page 0x2E. TapeAlert Flags Table 12 on page 46 lists the TapeAlert flags that are supported by the Dell PowerVault Tape Drive. Table 12. TapeAlert Flags and Descriptions TapeAlert Flags Supported by the Tape Drive...
  • Page 53 (This flag is set in this table. conjunction with flags 4, 5, or 6.) Media Set for any unrecoverable Contact Dell technical read, write, or positioning support. error that is due to a faulty tape cartridge. Read failure Set for any unrecoverable...
  • Page 54 SCSI drive sense data. See “Descriptions and corrective actions” on page 38. 48 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 55: General Specifications

    Table 12. TapeAlert Flags and Descriptions (continued) TapeAlert Flags Supported by the Tape Drive Hardware B Set when the tape drive fails Use the error code on its internal self tests. the single-character display, library user interface, or SCSI drive sense data. See “Descriptions and corrective actions”...

  • Page 56: Recovering A Tape Cartridge

    2. To eject the cartridge, push Eject one more time. If the tape cartridge still does not eject, contact trained service personnel for assistance. Notice: If you are not a trained service person, do not attempt to open the drive for repairs as this action voids your warranty. 50 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 57: Chapter 5. Specifications

    • “Rack mount drive” on page 55 General specifications Table 13. General specifications General Manufacturer Dell Model Number (Internal, External, RackMount) Dell PowerVault tape drive LTO Ultrium 9-H LTO Ultrium 8-H LTO Ultrium 7-H LTO Ultrium 6-H LTO Ultrium 5-H LTO Ultrium 4-H...
  • Page 58 LTO3-400 Gb (Native) 800 Gb (compressed, assuming 2:1 compression) Data transfer rate (maximum) LTO9-300 Mb/sec Native LTO8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO M8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO7-300 Mb/sec Native LTO6-160 Mb/sec Native LTO5-140 Mb/sec Native LTO4-120 Mb/sec Native LTO3-80 Mb/sec Native 52 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 59: External Drive

    Table 15. Equipment environment specification Equipment environment specification Product power off Dry-bulb temperature Relative humidity Maximum wet-bulb temperature 5 to 45°C (40 to 113°F) 8% to 80% RH 26°C (79°F) Product operation (equipment is powered on) Dry-bulb temperature Humidity range, non- Maximum Maximu Maximu...
  • Page 60 LTO3-400 Gb (Native) 800 Gb (compressed, assuming 2:1 compression) Data transfer rate (maximum) LTO9-300 Mb/sec Native LTO8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO M8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO7-300 Mb/sec Native LTO6-160 Mb/sec Native LTO5-140 Mb/sec Native LTO4-120 Mb/sec Native LTO3-80 Mb/sec Native 54 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 61: Rack Mount Drive

    Table 17. Equipment environment specification Equipment environment specification Product power off Dry-bulb temperature Relative humidity Maximum wet-bulb temperature 5 to 45°C (40 to 113°F) 8% to 80% RH 26°C (79°F) Product operation (equipment is powered on) Dry-bulb temperature Humidity range, non- Maximum Maximu Maximu...
  • Page 62 LTO3-400 Gb (Native) 800 Gb (compressed, assuming 2:1 compression) Data transfer rate (maximum) LTO9-300 Mb/sec Native LTO8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO M8-300 Mb/sec Native LTO7-300 Mb/sec Native LTO6-160 Mb/sec Native LTO5-140 Mb/sec Native LTO4-120 Mb/sec Native LTO3-80 Mb/sec Native 56 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 63: Equipment Environment Specification

    Table 19. Equipment environment specification Equipment environment specification Product power off Dry-bulb temperature Relative humidity Maximum wet-bulb temperature 5 to 45°C (40 to 113°F) 8% to 80% RH 26°C (79°F) Product operation (equipment is powered on) Dry-bulb temperature Humidity range, non- Maximum Maximu Maximu...

  • Page 64: Chapter 6. Contacting Dell

    5. For contact details of Dell Global Technical Support: a. Click Global Technical Support. b. The Contact Technical Support page is displayed with details to call, chat, or email the Dell Global Technical Support team. 58 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

  • Page 65: Appendix A. Regulatory Information

    Appendix A. Regulatory Information Regulatory Information for Taiwan Figure 17. Taiwan Contact Information Statement...

  • Page 66: Glossary

    A string that consists of a certain number of bits (usually 8) which are treated as a unit and represent a character. A byte is a fundamental unit of data. See Celsius. capacity. The amount of data that can be contained on storage media and expressed in bytes. 60 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 67 cartridge. See tape cartridge. cartridge door. On a tape cartridge, the hinged barrier that can be opened to access, or closed to protect, the magnetic tape within the cartridge. cartridge memory. See LTO cartridge memory. Celsius (C). Having a thermostatic scale on which the interval between the freezing point and the boiling point of water is divided into 100 degrees, with 0 degrees representing the freezing point and 100 degrees representing the boiling point.
  • Page 68 The informal name for the Ultrium tape drive, which is the predecessor of the tape drive (Generation 2). The Generation 1 drive has a native storage capacity of up to 100 GB per cartridge and a native sustained data transfer rate of 15 MB per second. 62 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 69 Generation 2. The informal name for the Ultrium 2 Tape Drive, which is the second-generation version of the Ultrium tape drive (Generation 1). The Generation 2 drive has a native storage capacity of up to 200 GB per cartridge and a native sustained data transfer rate of 35 MB per second. Generation 3.
  • Page 70 Seagate. LTO technology is an "open format" technology, which means that its users have multiple sources of product and media. The "open" nature of LTO technology enables compatibility between different vendors' offerings by ensuring that vendors comply with verification standards. 64 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 71 load. Following the insertion of a tape cartridge into the tape load compartment, the act of positioning the tape (performed by the tape drive) for reading or writing by the drive's head. log sense data. See SCSI log sense data. loop.
  • Page 72 See Small Computer Systems Interface. SCSI connector. Located at the rear of the tape drive, the connector that facilitates commands to and from the server, and to which the internal SCSI cable of an enclosure connects. 66 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...
  • Page 73 SCSI drive sense data. In response to inquiry from the server about an error condition, a packet of SCSI sense bytes that contains information about the error and that is sent back to the server by the drive. SCSI log sense data. In response to inquiry from the server about the tape drive's error logs and counters, a packet of SCSI sense bytes which contains that information and which is sent back to the server by the drive.
  • Page 74 A data-storage device that controls the movement of the magnetic tape in a tape cartridge. The Dell PowerVault tape drive houses the mechanism (drive head) that reads and writes data to the tape. Its native data capacity is 1500 GB per cartridge; with 2:1 compression, its capacity is up to 3000 GB.

  • Page 75: Index

    Index acclimation 25 firmware upgrade 28 adjust data rate 5 Function codes 28 back up software 7 general guidelines 36 General troubleshooting 36 glossary 60 capacity scaling 7 Cartridge capacity scaling 7 Install 12 M8 22 internal drive, install 12 Type M 22 Internal drive, install 12 Cartridge capacity 2...
  • Page 76 TapeAlert flags 45, 46 Test Cartridge & Media 45 Troubleshooting overview 28 turn drive on/off 20 unloading cartridges 23 upgrade 28 Vital Product Data (VPD) 45 Windows Server 17 write-protect switch 23 70 Dell PowerVault LTO Tape Drive: User's Guide...

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