Appendix D - Maintaining Media and Hardware
This appendix contains information regarding the maintenance and use of tape drives and media. For a complete list of the tape drives you can use with your Banyan server, refer to your Banyan Hardware Compatibility Guide.
Instructions for loading and removing tapes vary with the type of tape drive and the size of tape you use. For details, refer to the vendor documentation supplied with the tape drive.
The write-protect switch on a tape cartridge determines whether the tape is write-enabled or write-protected:
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Write-enabled means that data can be written to the tape. If the tape already contains data, its current contents are overwritten. |
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Write-protected means that no information can be written to the tape. The contents of the tape, however, can be read with the Restore function. |
Table D-1 describes the various tape sizes, their switch locations, and how to write-protect and write-enable them.
You must write-enable a tape before a backup. To protect the contents of your tapes, always write-protect a tape before you store it.
Tape Drive Compatibility Rules
Because incompatibilities exist between some tape drives, you cannot always move tapes from one server model to another. Before you attempt to restore a tape made on another server, you should always be aware of the rules for compatibility between tape drives.
If a tape drive on one server can read a tape made on another server, you can restore individual services, files, directories, StreetTalk groups, or complete backups. Note that any incompatibilities between Banyan revisions will be documented in the Banyan release notice for that revision.
Table D-2 provides the rules for tape drive compatibilities.
Changing the Active Tape Drive
If you have a Banyan/CNS486 server, you have the option of having a second tape drive installed. In addition to the 1/4-inch tape drive, you may purchase an 8mm (2.2 GB) drive.
Only one tape drive can be active at a given time. The initial default for the active tape drive is always the 1/4-inch drive.
To make one drive active and the other inactive, you can change the active tape drive at the Change Configuration Menu. Use the following procedure:
1. At the Operator Menu, choose Backup/Restore. The Backup/Restore Menu appears.
2. Choose Change Configuration. The Change Configuration Menu appears.
3. Choose Active Tape Drive. The Select Tape Drive Menu appears. The current active tape drive is identified at the top of the screen.
4. Choose the drive that you want to be active. The drive you choose is identified at the top of the screen. Changes take effect immediately.
5. Press ESC to exit. The Change Configuration Menu appears.
Tape drive maintenance must be performed regularly. Preventive maintenance consists of keeping the read/write head and tape hole sensor of the drive clean. The next two sections describe maintenance procedures for 1/4-inch and 8mm tape drives. For 4mm tape drives and 10/20 GB DLT tape drives, consult your vendor's documentation.
Note: Before performing any tape drive maintenance, you should power off the server.
Clean the tape drive after every eight hours of tape motion, or after the first use of a new tape. If you make two tapes a day, clean the drive at least once a week.
You can use any head-cleaning cartridge kit made for 1/4-inch tape drives, such as the Archive® cleaning kit available from distributors that carry Archive products. If you cannot locate a cleaning kit, you can order one by calling the Archive Corporation at this telephone number: (714) 641-4421. The part number of the Archive cleaning kit is PN14917-001; the part number of the refill kit is PN14916-001.
To Clean the Tape Drive
1. Power off the drive. For servers with internal drives, power down the server.
2. Slide the cartridge loading lever toward the cartridge insertion opening until the heads are extended into the cartridge cavity.
3. Obtain 6-inch long swabs made from lintless cotton (or an equivalent nonabrasive material) and Archive or Freon-TF head-cleaning fluid. Do not use alcohol to clean the head.
4. Moisten the cotton end of the swab with head-cleaning solution until it is saturated but not dripping.
5. Carefully wipe the swab across the head in the direction that the tape moves. Do not use a scrubbing, circular motion. Do not wipe the head in a direction perpendicular to tape movement, because residue can collect inside the small crevices of the head.
6. Discard the first swab.
7. Moisten a second swab and repeat step 5.
8. Use a clean, dry swab to wipe the head with the same motion described in step 5, until the head is clean and dry.
9. Move the cartridge loading lever away from the insertion opening and return the head assembly to its position outside of the cartridge area.
10. Power up the server.
Clean the 8mm tape drive after 30GB of tape use, which should be about 15 passes. If you receive read or write errors with a tape (especially a used tape), discard the tape and use a new one.
You can use the cleaning cartridge kit available from Banyan. Instructions for using the cleaning cartridge are included in the kit.
You can purchase 2.2GB data tape cartridges from your Banyan reseller.
Caution: Do not rewind and re-use the cleaning cartridge, because a dirty cartridge can redeposit debris onto the tape heads. Use only the cleaning solution provided with the cleaning kit. Other solutions may damage the tape path components.