MODE SELSECT
6.Command Specification
SONY AIT-2 Turbo drive SDX-550V series Ver.1.0
6-49
Medium Format Recognition
: This field is only valid in response to the MODE SENSE command and is set to 03h
in order to indicate that the drive is capable of format and partition recognition. This is non-changeable field. It
accepts any values, and always returns 1.
Partition Sizes:
This field allows the initiator to allocate the capacity for each partition. It will also allow the initiator to
reallocate the capacity of previously partitioned tapes.
The Partition Size specifies the capacity of all partitions in Megabytes (in the case of SDX-550V-see PSUM field
definition). The drive rounds the Partition Size to the next whole group value and then applies an algorithm which
allows for the writing of ECC-3 frames and for RAW error recovery so as to reserve sufficient physical space on the
media for the specified capacity. The minimum space allocated shall be 3050 frames.
If the Additional Partitions Defined and Partition Size fields are set to ZERO the drive will initialize the tape as
Partition 0, spanning the whole length of the tape.
Note 1:
SDX-550V accepts any number including 0FFh for the Parameter List Length in CDB, although the drive
returns valid information only. For example, in case of a single partition, SDX-550V returns 16h bytes of
parameter list (sufficient for one partition size descriptor), even if the host sets 0FFh for the Parameter List
Length in CDB.
Note 2:
The Partition Size represents a changeable value, because tapes can be re-initialized. The drive would
return N-1 pieces of partition size descriptors that contents is all 0FFh when N partitions on tape.
Note 3:
Last partitions are open-ended partitions, because they are extendible up to the EOT. Consequently, the
size of the last partition can be calculated from the number of remaining frames, excluding the Option
Device Area.
Note 4:
The Volume Information Data is stored both into MIC and on tape, after completing a Mode Select Page
11h command. This is so, because the SysLogAlive bits must be valid on the tape, in order to indicate
where the System Log information is.
Note 5:
SDX-550V create ODA (Optional Device Area) at all partitions except for the last partition.
Note 6:
If ODA is active we can format this tape.
6.7.6. Informational Exceptions Control Page (1Ch)
The Informational Exceptions control page defines the methods used by the target to control the reporting and the
operations of specific informational exception conditions.
Table 6-41 : Informational Exceptions Control Page
Bit
Byte
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
0
PS (0)
Reserved
Page Code (1Ch)
1
Page Length (0Ah)
2
Perf (0)
Reserved (0)
Dexcpt
Test
Reserved
LogErr
3
Reserved MRIE
4
(MSB)
7
Interval Timer
(00 00 00 00h)
(LSB)
8
(MSB)
11
Report Count/Test Flag Number
(LSB)
LogErr :
Log Error bit ( LogErr) of ZERO indicates that the logging of informational exception conditions by a drive is
vendor – specific. This bit of one indicates the drive shall log informational exception conditions.
DE xcpt :
The Disable Exception Control (DE xcpt ) bit of ZERO indicates information operations shall be enabled.
The reporting of information exception conditions when the Dexcpt bit is set to ZERO is determined from the method
of reporting informational exception field. The Dexcpt bit of ONE indicates the drive shall be disable all information
exception operations. The method of reporting informational exceptions field is ignored when Dexcpt is set to ONE.
Test:
The Test bit of ONE ZERO indicates the drive shall not generate any test/false informational exception
condition. This bit of ONE indicates the drive shall generate test/false informational exception conditions. The default
value of Test is ZERO.