Spectra T950 - Handling Cartridges

Appendix A — Best Practices Using Cartridges
November 2016 User Guide—Spectra T950 Library
511
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rearofthecartridge(thepartthatyou
loadintothetapedrivefirst)andensure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.Do
notopenanyotherpartofthecartridgecase.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insertingitintoa
magazine.
 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TapeMedia
Specificationsonpage550.