IBM VXA-2 - Tape Drive - VXAtape, User Manual

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Placing the cartridge labels
Use care when placing the cartridge labels on the VXA tape cartridge. Use the
following guidelines for tape cartridge labels.
v
Use only labels provided with the cartridge and place them only in the
designated locations.
v
IBM VXA tape cartridges are shipped with labels adhered to them. Do not
adhere a label on top of an existing label. Poorly placed or multiple labels can
clog the drive mechanism.
v Place the larger label on the end of the cartridge in the designated area
1
.
v
Place the smaller label on the top of the cartridge in the designated area
2
.
Ordering tape cartridges
All tape cartridges are not alike. The tape composition and length, and the
construction of the cartridge itself can all affect the quality and capacity of the
recording and the performance of your tape drive. A poor quality tape cartridge
may appear to work adequately in your system, yet it can leave contamination in
the tape path or impede the speed of the recording.
The length and composition of the tape, and the size, shape, and construction of
the cartridge shell must all be considered when selecting the tape cartridge to be
used with your system. IBM supports using only data and cleaning cartridges
recommended by IBM. Data grade tape media is the only type of tape media that
should be used for backup and data processing. Saving money by using generic
media for data purposes will do little to save your business if your data is
destroyed and your backup tapes fail because of inferior media.
REC
SA
VE
RBBU3514-0
1
2
Figure A-1. Placing the tape cartridge labels
Appendix A. Maintaining the tape drive
A-5