Dell PowerVault 110T LTO3 User Manual

DellTM PowerVaultTM 110T LTO-3 Tape Drive User's Guide

The information below is provided by the supplier of the referenced device without independent verification by Dell and is subject to the restrictions and

disclaimers noted below.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, PowerVault, and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

Restrictions and Disclaimers

The information contained in this document, including all instructions, cautions, and regulatory approvals and certifications, is provided by the supplier and has not been independently verified or tested by Dell. Dell cannot be responsible for damage caused as a result of either following or failing to follow these instructions.

All statements or claims regarding the properties, capabilities, speeds, or qualifications of the part referenced in this document are made by the supplier and not by Dell. Dell specifically disclaims knowledge of the accuracy, completeness, or substantiation for any such statements. All questions or comments relating to such statements or claims should be directed to the supplier.

Model Number LTO3-EX1

Initial release: May 2005

Introduction

Setting Up the Tape Drive

Using the Tape Drive

Using the Tape Backup Software

Troubleshooting

Specifications

Glossary

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your system.

NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

Back to Contents Page

Glossary: DellTM PowerVaultTM 110T LTO-3 Tape Drive User's Guide

- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - W



Numbers

2:1 compression. The relationship between the quantity of data that can be stored with compression as compared to the quantity of data that can be stored

without compression. In 2:1 compression, twice as much data can be stored with compression as can be stored without compression.



A. See ampere.

ampere (A). A unit of measure for electric current that is equivalent to a flow of one coulomb per second, or equivalent to the current produced by one volt

applied across a resistance of one ohm.

adapter. See adapter card.

adapter card. A circuit board that adds function to a computer.



backups. The short-term retention of records used for restoring essential business and server files when vital data has been lost because of program or

server errors or malfunctions.

backward compatible. Capable of being used with a previous product that was designed for a similar purpose. For example, a tape cartridge that is designed to be used with a modern tape drive but can also be used with certain older tape drives. Synonymous with downward compatible.

bezel. The removable frame that fits over the front of the tape drive.

burst data transfer rate. The maximum speed at which data is transferred.

byte. 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.



C. See Celsius.

capacity. The amount of data that can be contained on storage media and expressed in bytes.

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.

cleaning cartridge. A tape cartridge that is used to clean the heads of a tape drive. Contrast with data cartridge.

clockwise. In the direction that the hands of a clock rotate, as viewed from the front.

compression. The process of eliminating gaps, empty fields, redundancies, and unnecessary data to shorten the length of records or blocks.

configure. To describe to a server the devices, optional features, and programs installed on the system.

counterclockwise. In a direction opposite to that in which the hands of a clock rotate, as viewed from the front.

current. The quantity of charge per unit of time. Current is measured in amperes.

cycle power. To apply and remove electrical power to a device within a short time span.



data. Any representations such as characters or analog quantities to which meaning is, or might be, assigned.

data cartridge. A tape cartridge that is dedicated to storing data. Contrast with cleaning cartridge.

data compression. See compression.

data transfer rate. The average number of bits, characters, or blocks per unit of time that pass between corresponding equipment in a data transmission

system. The rate is expressed in bits, characters, or blocks per second, minute, or hour.

DC. See direct current.

degauss. To make a magnetic tape nonmagnetic by exposing the tape to electrical coils which carry currents that neutralize the magnetism of the tape.

device. Any hardware component or peripheral, such as a tape drive or tape library, that can receive and send data.

device driver. A file that contains the firmware that is needed to use an attached device.

diagnostic. A software program that is designed to recognize, locate, and explain faults in equipment or errors in programs.

direct current (DC). An electric current flowing in one direction only and substantially constant in value.

drive. A data-storage device that controls the movement of the magnetic tape in a tape cartridge. The drive houses the mechanism (drive head) that reads

and writes data to the tape.

drive dump. The recording, at a particular instant, of the contents of all or part of one storage device into another storage device, usually as a safeguard against faults or errors, or in connection with debugging.

drive head. The component that records an electrical signal onto magnetic tape, or reads a signal from tape into an electrical signal.

drive sense data. See SCSI drive sense data.

dump. See drive dump.



eject. To remove or force out from within.

enclosure. A device, such as a desktop unit, tape cartridge autoloader, or tape library, into which you can install the tape drive.

error log. Maintained by the tape drive, a list that contains the ten most recent error codes. The codes identify errors that pertain to the drive.



F. See Fahrenheit.

Fahrenheit (F). Of or relating to a temperature scale that registers the freezing point of water as 32 degrees and the boiling point as 212 degrees at one

atmosphere of pressure.

file. A named set of records that are stored or processed as a unit.

firmware. The proprietary code that is usually delivered as part of an operating system. Firmware is more efficient than software that is loaded from an

alterable medium, and is more adaptable to change than pure hardware circuitry. An example of firmware is the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in read-only memory (ROM) on a PC motherboard.



GB. See gigabyte.

Generation 1. 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.

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. The informal name for the Ultrium 3 Tape Drive, which is the third-generation version of the Ultrium tape drive (Generation 1, 2). The Generation 3 drive has a native storage capacity of up to 400 GB per cartridge and a native sustained data transfer rate of 80 MB per second.

gigabyte. 1,000,000,000 bytes.

ground. An object that makes an electrical connection with the earth.



hardware. The physical equipment or devices that form a computer.

head. See drive head.

Head Resistance Measurements test. Part of the Test Head diagnostic, a procedure that determines whether the tape drive's head works correctly. The test

measures the head's ability to withstand cracks and other defects.

host. The controlling or highest-level system in a data communication configuration. Synonymous with server.



ID. Identifier.

in. See inch.

inch. A unit of length equal to 1/36 yard or 25.4 mm.

input/output (I/O). Data that is provided to a computer or data that results from computer processing.

insertion guide. On the surface of the tape cartridge, a large, notched area that prevents you from inserting the cartridge incorrectly.

install. (1) To set up for use or service. (2) The act of adding a product, feature, or function to a server or device either by a singular change or by the addition

of multiple components or devices.

interposer. An adapter-like device that allows a connector of one size and style to connect to a mating connector of a different size and style. Data provided to the computer or data resulting from computer processing.

I/O. See input/output.



jumper. (1) A tiny connector that fits over a pair of protruding pins in a connector. A jumper can be moved to change electrical connectors. When in place, the

jumper connects the pins electrically. (2) To place a jumper on a connector pin.



label. A slip of paper with an adhesive backing that can be written on and affixed to a tape cartridge as a means of identification or description.

label area. On the LTO Ultrium Tape Cartridge, a recessed area next to the write-protect switch where a bar code label must be affixed.

leader block. Located within the tape drive, the part that engages the steel pin which is attached to the tape in an LTO Ultrium Tape Cartridge. Once

engaged, the leader-pin block pulls the tape from the cartridge into the drive.

leader pin. On the tape cartridge, a small metal column that is attached to the end of the magnetic tape. During tape processing the leader pin is grasped by a threading mechanism, which pulls the pin and the tape out of the cartridge, across the drive head, and onto a takeup reel. The head can then read or write data from or to the tape.

LED. See light-emitting diode.

light-emitting diode. A semiconductor diode that emits light when subjected to an applied voltage and that is used in an electronic display.

Linear Tape-Open (LTO). A type of tape storage technology developed by the IBM Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, and 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.

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. (1) A series of instructions that is repeated until a terminating condition is reached.

(2) To connect so as to complete a loop.

Low Voltage Differential (LVD). A low-noise, low-power, and low-amplitude electrical signaling system that enables data communication between a supported server and the tape drive. LVD signaling uses two wires to drive one signal over copper wire. The use of wire pairs reduces electrical noise and crosstalk.

LTO. See Linear Tape-Open.

LVD. See Low Voltage Differential.



magnetic tape. A tape with a magnetizable surface layer on which data can be stored by magnetic recording.

maintenance mode. The state of operation in which the tape drive must be before it can run diagnostics, verify write and read operations, verify a suspect

tape cartridge, update its own firmware, and perform other diagnostic and maintenance functions.

MB. See megabyte.

media. The plural of medium.

medium. A physical material in or on which data may be represented, such as magnetic tape.

megabyte (MB). 1,000,000 bytes.



network. A configuration of data processing devices and software that is connected for information interchange.



oersted. The unit of magnetic field strength in the unrationalized centimeter-gram-second (cgs) electromagnetic system. The oersted is the magnetic field

strength in the interior of an elongated, uniformly wound solenoid that is excited with a linear current density in its winding of one abamper per 4 pi centimeters of axial length.

offline. The operating condition that the tape drive is in when the server's applications cannot interact with it.

online. The operating condition that the tape drive is in when the server's applications can interact with it.

Open Systems. Computer systems whose standards are not proprietary.

operating environment. The temperature, relative humidity rate, and wet bulb temperature of the room in which the tape drive routinely conducts processing.



parity. The state of being even-numbered or odd-numbered. A parity bit is a binary number that is added to a group of binary numbers to make the sum of

that group always odd (odd parity) or even (even parity).

parity error. A transmission error that occurs when the received data does not have the parity that is expected by the receiving system. This usually occurs when the sending and receiving systems have different parity settings.

port. (1) A system or network access point for data entry or exit. (2) A connector on a device to which cables for other devices such as display stations and printers are attached. (3) The representation of a physical connection to hardware. A port is sometimes referred to as an adapter; however, there can be more than one port on an adapter.

power connector. Located at the rear of the tape drive, the connector to which the internal power cable of an enclosure connects.

power cord. A cable that connects a device to a source of electrical power.

power-off. To remove electrical power from a device.

power-on, powered-on. (1) To apply electrical power to a device.

(2) The state of a device when power has been applied to it.



read. To acquire or interpret data from a storage device, from a data medium, or from another source.

reboot. To reinitialize the execution of a program by repeating the initial program load (IPL) operation.

record. The smallest distinct set of data bytes that is supplied from a server for processing and recording by a tape drive, and the smallest distinct set of data

to be read from tape, reprocessed, and made available to a server by a tape drive.

relative humidity. The ratio of the amount of water vapor actually present in the air to the greatest amount possible at the same temperature.

reset. To return a device or circuit to a clear state.



scratch cartridge. A data cartridge that contains no useful data, but can be written to with new data.

SCSI. See Small Computer Systems Interface.

SCSI bus. (1) A collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another.

(2) A generic term that refers to the complete set of signals that define the activity of the Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI).

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.

SCSI device. Anything that can connect into the SCSI bus and actively participate in bus activity.

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 ID. The unique address (from 1 to 15) that you assign to a tape drive that uses a SCSI interface.

SCSI ID connector. Located at the rear of the tape drive, the connector that enables the drive's SCSI address to be set. Addresses are determined by the

placement of jumpers on the pins.

SCSI interface. See Small Computer Systems Interface.

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. Log sense data is used to diagnose problems, especially if the problems are intermittent.

second. One sixtieth of a minute.

sense data. Data that describes an I/O error. Sense data is presented to a server in response to a Sense I/O command.

server. A functional unit that provides services to one or more clients over a network. Examples include a file server, a print server, or a mail server. The IBM

pSeries, IBM iSeries, HP, and Sun are servers. Synonymous with host.

single-character display. Located at the front of the tape drive, an LED that presents an alphabetical or numeric code which represents a diagnostic or maintenance function, error condition, or informational message.

sleep mode. A power-management function that causes the tape drive's electronics to automatically enter a low-power mode by which to conserve energy.

Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI). A standard used by computer manufacturers for attaching peripheral devices (such as tape drives, hard disks,

CD-ROM players, printers, and scanners) to computers (servers). Pronounced "scuzzy." Variations of the SCSI interface provide for faster data transmission rates than standard serial and parallel ports (up to 160 megabytes per second). The variations include:

l Fast/Wide SCSI: Uses a 16-bit bus, and supports data rates of up to 20 MBps. l SCSI-1: Uses an 8-bit bus, and supports data rates of 4 MBps. l SCSI-2: Same as SCSI-1, but uses a 50-pin connector instead of a 25-pin connector, and supports multiple devices. l Ultra SCSI: Uses an 8- or 16-bit bus, and supports data rates of 20 or 40 MBps. l Ultra2 SCSI: Uses an 8- or 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 40 or 80 MBps. l Ultra3 SCSI: Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 80 or 160 MBps. l Ultra160 SCSI: Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data rates of 160 MBps.

software. Programs, procedures, rules, and any associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system.

speed matching. A technique used by the tape drive to dynamically adjust its native (uncompressed) data rate to the slower data rate of a server. Speed

matching improves system performance and reduces backhitch.

status light. Located at the front of the tape drive, an LED that can be green or amber, and (when lit) solid or flashing. The condition of the light represents the state of the drive.



TapeAlert. A patented technology and ANSI standard that defines conditions and problems that are experienced by tape drives.

TapeAlert flags. Status and error messages that are generated by the TapeAlert utility and display on the server's console.

tape cartridge. A removable storage case that houses belt-driven magnetic tape that is wound on a supply reel and a takeup reel.

tape drive. A data-storage device that controls the movement of the magnetic tape in a tape cartridge. The Dell PowerVault 110T LTO-3 tape drive houses the

mechanism (drive head) that reads and writes data to the tape. Its native data capacity is 400 GB per cartridge; with 2:1 compression, its capacity is up to 800 GB.

tape path. Within a tape drive, the channel in which the media moves.

terminate. To prevent unwanted electrical signal reflections by applying a device (known as a terminator) that absorbs the energy from the transmission line.

terminator. (1) A part that is used to end a SCSI bus.

(2) A single-port, 75-ohm device that is used to absorb energy from a transmission line. Terminators prevent energy from reflecting back into a cable plant by absorbing the radio frequency signals. A terminator is usually shielded, which prevents unwanted signals from entering or valid signals from leaving the cable system.

Test Head diagnostic. A test that determines whether the heads of the tape drive are operating properly and whether the drive can correctly read from and write to tape.

transfer rate. See data transfer rate.



Ultra160 LVD SCSI interface. See Small Computer Systems Interface.

unload. The act (performed by the drive) of unthreading tape from the drive's internal tape path and returning it (with the leader block) to the tape cartridge.

utility. See utility program.

utility program. A computer program that supports computer processes. For example, a diagnostic program, a trace program, or a sort program.



VDC. Volts DC (direct current).

volt. The SI (international) unit of potential difference and electromotive force. Formally defined as the difference of electric potential between two points of a

conductor that carries a constant current of one ampere when the power dissipated between these points is equal to one watt.



wet bulb temperature. The temperature at which pure water must be evaporated adiabatically at constant pressure into a given sample of air in order to

saturate the air under steady-state conditions. Wet bulb temperature is read from a wet bulb thermometer.

write. To make a permanent or transient recording of data in a storage device or on a data medium.

write protected. Applicable to a tape cartridge, the condition that exists when some logical or physical mechanism prevents a device from writing on the tape

in that cartridge.

write-protect switch. Located on the tape cartridge, a switch that prevents accidental erasure of data. Pictures of a locked and unlocked padlock appear on the switch. When you slide the switch to the locked padlock, data cannot be written to the tape. When you slide the switch to the unlocked padlock, data can be written to the tape.

Write/Read test. Part of the Test Head diagnostic, a procedure that determines whether the tape drive can correctly read from and write to tape.

Back to Contents Page

Introduction: DellTM PowerVaultTM 110T LTO-3 Tape Drive User's Guide

Overview SCSI Bus Interface Features Tape Backup Software Front Panel Rear Panel

Overview

The Dell PowerVault 110T LTO-3 tape drive is a high-performance, high-capacity data-storage device that is designed to perform unattended backups, restore Open Systems applications, and retrieve and archive files. The drive can be integrated into a system (internal model) or can be provided as a separately packaged desktop unit (external model). The Dell PowerVault 110T LTO-3 tape drive (called Generation 3) is the third-generation tape drive in the LTO series of products.

The Dell PowerVault 110 LTO-3 tape drive offers a formatted cartridge capacity of up to 400 GB (800 GB assuming 2:1 compression ratio) and a data transfer rate of 80 MB per second (135 MB per second at maximum compression).

Figure 1 shows a front view of the internal model of the tape drive. Figure 2 shows a front view of the separately purchased external model of the tape drive.

Figure 1. Front View (Internal Model)

Figure 2. Front View (External Model)

SCSI Bus Interface

These tape drives are designed to operate on an Ultra160 low voltage differential (LVD) SCSI bus with a burst transfer rate of 160 MB per second. The interface is backward compatible with older SCSI technology.

The tape drive contains a high-density, 68-pin, D-Shell (HD-68) connector for attachment to the system. The drive supports LVD SCSI cables with HD-68 connectors.

Features

The tape drive has the following features:

l Capacity of 400 GB (native), 800 GB (compressed*) on a single LTO tape l Built-in read-after-write verification for a high level of data integrity l Data transfer rate of 80 MB per second (native), 135 MB per second (compressed*) l 128 MB of read/write cache memory l Intelligent LTO-DC dual-mode compression algorithm l Failsafe leader capture mechanism with pin pick error recovery l LTO-Cartridge memory l TapeAlert support for worry-free backup l Ultra160 LVD SCSI interface l Speed matching (The tape drive can slow down to match the system data rate.)

l Sleep mode for energy conservation l Backward read and write compatibility with Generation 2 cartridges l Backward read compatibility with Generation 1 cartridges l Compatible with all cartridges that bear the official Ultrium LTO logo l Will interchange tapes with other LTO tape drives that bear the official Ultrium LTO logo

* Assumes maximum compression. The capacity and transfer rate you realize in practice depends on the data set, which affects the actual compression ratio.

Tape Backup Software

You need backup software that supports the DELL PowerVault 110T LTO-3 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. We recommend using a backup application, which provides better memory management as well as other useful features, such as TapeAlert. For the latest supported software versions, go to support.dell.com or visit the support site of your backup software vendor.

Front Panel

Figure 3. Front Panel

1. Single-character display

2. Single red dot

3. Status light

4. Eject button

1. Single-character display. This LED presents a single-character code for diagnostic/maintenance functions, error conditions, and informational messages.

2. Single red dot. This single-character display is blank during normal operation. When a single red dot illuminates on the display, the drive has created a

dump of vital technical data to drive memory.

3. Status Light. The front panel of your Dell PowerVault 110T LTO-3 tape drive has a status light that provides information about the state of the tape drive. The light can be green or amber, and (when lit) solid or flashing. See Table 2 for descriptions.

Table 2. Status Light Descriptions

4. Eject button. The eject button enables you to perform several functions. These functions are described in detail in "Using the Tape Drive."

Color or Condition of Status Light

Meaning

Off

The tape drive has no power or is powered off.

Green/Solid

The tape drive is powered on and in an idle state.

Green/Flashing

One of the following applies:

l If the light flashes less than once per second, the tape drive is in sleep mode. l If the light flashes less than once per second, the tape drive contains a cartridge during the power-on cycle. In this case, the

tape drive completes its Power-On Self-Test (POST) and slowly rewinds the tape (the process may take up to 10 minutes). The light stops flashing and becomes solid when the tape drive completes the recovery and is ready for a read or write operation. To eject the cartridge, press the eject button.

l If the light flashes once per second, the tape drive is reading from the tape, writing to the tape, rewinding the tape, or locating

data on the tape.

Amber/Solid

One of the following applies:

l The tape drive is performing a selected operation. l The tape drive is displaying the drive error code log. l The tape drive is in maintenance mode or is exiting maintenance mode.

Amber/Flashing

One of the following applies:

l If the light flashes less than once per second, the tape drive is updating firmware through the field microcode replacement

(FMR) tape, or the SCSI, Fibre Channel, or RS-422 interface, or the drive has exceeded the recommended temperature.

l If the light flashes less than once per second, the tape drive has detected an error and is performing a firmware recovery. It

resets automatically.

l If the light flashes less than once per second, the tape drive is requesting a cartridge be loaded, or there is a drive dump in

flash memory.

l If the light flashes once per second, an error occurred and the tape drive or media may require service. Note the code on the

single-character display, then go to "Descriptions and Corrective Actions" to determine the action that is required.

l If the light flashes once per second and a displays in the character display, the tape drive needs to be cleaned.

Rear Panel

Figure 4. Rear Panel of Internal Tape Drive

1. SCSI connector

2. SCSI ID connector

3. Power connector

Figure 5. Rear Panel of External Tape Drive

1. SCSI address switch

2. Power receptacle

3. External SCSI connectors

Please read all restrictions and disclaimers.

Back to Contents Page

+ 21 hidden pages