On Sep 7, 2005, at 8:06 AM, Goran wrote:
...i'm confused since tsm53 admin guide says : " The LTO Ultrium Generation 1 drive cannot support LTO Ultrium Generation 2 media. For this reason, you cannot mix Ultrium Generation 1 and Ultrium Generation 2 media in a storage pool that shares both Ultrium Generation 1 and Ultrium Generation 2 drives. ...
The statement is less confusing upon review of the technology "rules" defined at www.lto.org, and specifically in this case on page http://www.lto.org/newsite/html/about_faqs.html which says: "1) An Ultrium drive is expected to read data from a cartridge in its own generation and at least the two prior generations. 2) An Ultrium drive is expected to write data to a cartridge in its own generation and to a cartridge from the immediate prior generation in the prior generation format." The key is the format: there has to be a common-denominator format for the mixed drives to be able to fully read and write all the tapes, and that format is the least format used by any of the drives. But if a superior format tape is present, that tape cannot be appended to by a lesser (earlier generation) drive. This is just basic technology stuff: a drive can't do more than it was designed to. Later designs have more advanced capabilities (density, number of tracks, etc.). To successfully implement a mix, there needs to be full compatibility. Richard Sims
