Spectra T50e - LIBRARY SUPPORT AND UPGRADES

Appendix A—Best Practices Using Cartridges
August 2017 User Guide—Spectra T50e Library
482
Handling Cartridges
IncorrecthandlingoranincorrectenvironmentcandamagetheLTO
cartridgeorthemagnetictapeinsideit.Toavoiddamagetoyour
cartridgesandtoensurethecontinuedhighreliabilityofyourdrives,use
thefollowingguidelines:
 Donotdropthecartridge.Ifthecartridgedrops,slidethecartridge
doorbackandensurethattheleaderpinisproperlyseatedinthepin‐
retainingspringclips.Inspectthecartridgetomakesurethatthereare
nogapsintheseamofthecartridgecase.
 Donotopenanypartofthecartridgeotherthanthecartridgedoor.The
upperandlowerpartsofthecaseareheldtogetherwithscrews;
separatingthemdestroystheusefulnessofthecartridge.
 Donothandletapethatisoutsideofthecartridge.Handlingthetape
candamagethetape’ssurfaceoredges,whichmayinterfere withread
orwritereliability.Pullingontapethatisoutsideofthecartridgecan
damagethetapeandthebrakemechanisminthecartridge.
 Iftapeisoutsideofthecartridge,slidethecartridgedoorbackandturn
thehubtogentlyspoolthetapebackintothecartridge.Testthetapeby
usingyourstoragemanagementsoftwaretowritetothetapeandthen
runaPostScan.
 Beforeyouuseacartridge,letitacclimateforatleast24hourstothe
normaloperatingenvironment.
 Ensurethatallsurfacesofacartridgearedrybeforeuse.
 Donotstackmorethansixcartridges.
 Donotexposethetapecartridgetomoistureordirectsunlight.
 Donotdegaussatapecartridgethatyouintendtouse/reuse.
Degaussingmakesthetapeunusable.
 Donotexposerecordedorblanktapecartridgestostraymagnetic
fields(suchasterminals,motors,videoequipment,X‐rayequipment,
orhigh‐currentcablesorpowersupplies).Suchexposurecancausethe
lossofrecordeddataormaketheblankcartridgeunusable.
 MaintaintheenvironmentalconditionsspecifiedinLTOCartridge
Specificationsonpage503.