Chapter 8. Best Practices for Tape Drives and Tape Media
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Maximizing Tape Media Life
To maximize the life of your tape media, follow these guidelines.
• Do not touch the surface of the tape inside the cartridge.
• Do not attempt to clean the tape path or the tape guides inside the cartridge.
• Do not expose the tapes to excessively dry or excessively humid conditions.
• Do not leave the cartridges in direct sunlight.
• Do not leave the cartridges in places where magnetic fields are present (such as
under telephones, next to monitors, or near transformers).
• Do not drop the cartridges or handle them roughly.
• Ensure that all surfaces of a cartridge are dry before inserting it into a drive.
• Do not stack more than six cartridges.
• Do not degauss a tape cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the
tape unusable.
Avoiding Condensation
Condensation can cause problems for tape drives and media. To minimize the chance
of condensation, stay within specifications and observe the following guidelines.
• Make sure that the operating environment is stable (away from windows, doors,
and heating or cooling sources).
• Avoid leaving cartridges in severe temperature conditions (such as in a car).
• Avoid transferring data when the temperature is changing by more than 18
o
F (16
o
C)
per hour.
• If you bring a cold cartridge into a warm room, allow time for the cartridge to
adjust to room temperature before use (up to 24 hours).
