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C1 | Understanding the Tape Drive’s Interface
C Connecting the Tape Drive
C1
Understanding the Tape
Drive’s Interface
The tabletop model of the SDLT 600 tape drive has an Ultra 160
SCSI interface. The internal model has either a Fibre Channel
interface or an Ultra 160 SCSI interface.
The Ultra 160 SCSI Interface
Ultra 160 provides a low-voltage differential (LVD) mode
running up to 160 MB/second and a single-ended (SE) mode
running up to 40 MB/second.
Note:
The host computer’s SCSI controller card may limit these
speeds. For the best performance, make sure the SCSI
controller card can operate at 160 MB/second.
The tape drive automatically senses the SCSI bus mode and
switches between LVD and SE accordingly. Although the tape
drive defaults to LVD, it switches to SE if the SCSI bus operates
in SE mode. For example, if the SCSI controller card is SE (or
multi-mode set to SE), the tape drive automatically switches to
SE mode. Also, if any device on the SCSI bus is SE, the entire
bus switches to SE, including the tape drive.
In SE mode, the SCSI bus can support up to 7 devices using
cable lengths up to 3 meters. In LVD mode, the SCSI bus can
support up to 15 devices using cable lengths up to 25 meters.
For more information about using the SCSI interface, refer to
the SDLT 600 SCSI Interface Guide.
The Fibre Channel Interface
The Fibre Channel interface runs at speeds up to either
1 Gb/second or 2 Gb/second, depending on the configuration
you choose during installation.
Fibre Channel can support up to 126 devices in a loop
configuration. Longwave transceivers (with fiber optic cable)
support distances up to 10 kilometers; short pulsewave
transceivers (with fiber optic cable) support distances up to 500
meters.
For more information about using the Fibre Channel interface,
refer to the SDLT 600 Fibre Channel Interface Guide.