Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080244154 | Method for Controlling Access to Data of a Tape Data Storage Medium - A method, system, and machine-readable medium for controlling access to data of a tape data storage medium are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided which comprises conveying data access control metadata from a tape cartridge comprising a tape data storage medium to a host, receiving decrypted metadata from the host, comparing a checksum value determined utilizing the decrypted metadata with checksum data stored within the tape cartridge; and processing a request to access the tape data storage medium received from the host based upon a comparison of the checksum value and checksum data. In the described method embodiment, the data access control metadata comprises encrypted metadata corresponding to a data storage parameter, where data is stored within the tape data storage medium utilizing the data storage parameter and the decrypted metadata is generated by the host utilizing the encrypted metadata. | 10-02-2008 |
20080259485 | System and Method for Cleaning a Tape Drive - A system, a method, and article of manufacture are employed to clean the input/output transducers on tape drives, verified by the tape drives reading alphanumeric information from data tracks and servo tracks of a cleaner tape. An aggressive cleaning frontcoat section of the cleaner tape can be used to provide additional cleaning action, and the cleanliness of the data read elements, data write elements, and the servo heads. A less-abrasive cleaning section may be used to clean less difficult types of contaminants. In this manner, the cleanliness of the data read elements, the data write elements, and the servo heads can be verified. A cleaning section may also be used as a leader section of a self-characterization section. Alternatively, a magnetic data tape section may be included for self-characterization. | 10-23-2008 |
20100188776 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A TAPE DRIVE - A system, a method, and article of manufacture are employed to clean the input/output transducers on tape drives, verified by the tape drives reading alphanumeric information from data tracks and servo tracks of a cleaner tape. An aggressive cleaning frontcoat section of the cleaner tape can be used to provide additional cleaning action, and the cleanliness of the data read elements, data write elements, and the servo heads. A less-abrasive cleaning section may be used to clean less difficult types of contaminants. In this manner, the cleanliness of the data read elements, the data write elements, and the servo heads can be verified. A cleaning section may also be used as a leader section of a self-characterization section. Alternatively, a magnetic data tape section may be included for self-characterization. | 07-29-2010 |
20110051280 | OVERHEAD CALCULATION IN WRITING SYNCHRONIZED DATA TO MAGNETIC TAPE - Various embodiments for writing received synchronized data to magnetic tape having a plurality of wraps using a magnetic tape drive adapted for performing the writing according to an available plurality of predefined tape speeds are provided. In one such embodiment, for each of the available plurality of predefined tape speeds, an average overhead per synchronized command for performing a recursively accumulated backhitchless flush (RABF) cycle is calculated. One of the available plurality of predefined tape speeds having a lowest calculated average overhead is selected. The RABF cycle is performed using the selected one of the available plurality of predefined tape speeds. | 03-03-2011 |
20130275666 | WRITE PROCEDURE USING ESTIMATED BEST SETTING IN FIRST RUN - In one general embodiment, a tape drive system includes: a read channel; a write channel; logic configured to receiving a request for a write operation to be performed in a tape drive; logic configured to determine an optimum a write procedure in response to receiving the request, the determining being based on expected writing times of each of a plurality of write procedures and an expected transaction size of a next write operation; and logic configured to invoke the determined optimum write procedure in response to determining the optimum write procedure. | 10-17-2013 |
20130275667 | WRITE PROCEDURE USING ESTIMATED BEST SETTING IN FIRST RUN - In one general embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for a write operation to be performed in a tape drive, determining an expected transaction size of a next write operation, comparing the expected transaction size of the next write operation to each of a first transaction size threshold and a second transaction size threshold in response to receiving the request, determining an optimum a write procedure based at least in part on the comparison, and invoking the optimum write procedure in response to determining the optimum write procedure, wherein the first transaction size threshold is greater than the second transaction size threshold, and wherein the optimum write procedure is selected from the group consisting of: a backhitch write procedure, a same wrap backhitchless flush (SWBF) write procedure, and a recursively accumulating backhitchless flush (RABF) write procedure. | 10-17-2013 |
20150058504 | DYNAMICALLY CHANGING A BUFFER FLUSH THRESHOLD OF A TAPE DRIVE BASED ON HISTORICAL TRANSACTION SIZE - According to one embodiment, a method for dynamically changing a buffer threshold in a tape drive includes determining that a drive buffer is emptied of data, calculating a write size indicating an amount of data from a transaction size left to be written to a tape prior to a next anticipated sync command, setting a buffer threshold that triggers a back hitch to a smaller value when the transaction size is less than a buffer size, setting the buffer threshold to the smaller value when an absolute difference between the transaction size and the write size is greater than or equal to the buffer size, and setting the buffer threshold to a larger value when the transaction size is not less than the buffer size and/or the absolute difference between the transaction size and the write size is less than the buffer size. | 02-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080304174 | OPTIMIZING TAPE SPEED FOR A SYNC OPERATION - Provided are techniques for determining a tape speed for a next sync operation. A sync command is received. An average transaction size and an average host transfer rate of a set of previous sync operations are calculated. The tape speed for the next sync operation is determined using the average transaction size, the average host transfer rate, and a backhitch time. Data is written to a tape cartridge using the determined tape speed. | 12-11-2008 |
20090303633 | Same Wrap Backhitchless Write Method to Encode Data on a Tape Storage Medium - A method to write information to a tape storage medium by disposing a tape storage medium in a tape drive apparatus comprising a write head. The method moves the tape storage medium in a first direction, writes data from a buffer to the tape storage medium, and thereby empties the buffer while the tape storage medium is moving in the first direction. The method determines, while the tape storage medium is moving in the first direction, whether to enable a backhitchless write wherein the tape storage medium is not stopped and moved in a second and opposition direction, prior to writing new data to the tape storage medium. By not stopping the movement of the tape storage medium, and by not moving the tape storage medium in a reverse direction to reposition the write head, the method eliminates the time overhead required to stop the tape and reposition the tape head. Applicants' method achieves this time efficiency without adverse impact to the nominal storage capacity of the tape information medium. | 12-10-2009 |
20100007978 | DETECTION OF DEFECTIVE TAPE DRIVE BY AGGREGATING READ ERROR STATISTICS - A plurality of tape drives writes a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of data units on a tape, wherein an indicator indicates which tape drive of the plurality of tape drives has written a corresponding data unit on the tape. Each of the plurality of tape drives generates an extent of read errors, in response to reading the plurality of data units written on the tape. The extent of read errors generated by each of the plurality of tape drives are aggregated at a computational device coupled to the plurality of tape drives. A determination is made at the computational device of a defective tape drive of the plurality of tape drives from the aggregated extent of read errors. | 01-14-2010 |
20100033863 | CARTRIDGE REFRESH AND VERIFY - A method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes receiving an instruction to perform a verification operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; unwrapping at least some of the tape from the spool of the media cartridge; after the unwrapping, wrapping at least some of the tape back onto the spool; during at least one of the unwrapping and wrapping (and preferably both, and possibly over several cycles of unwrapping and wrapping), performing a verification operation; generating a quality metric based on the verification operation; and outputting the quality metric or derivative thereof, such as a pass or fail indication; an instruction to set a pass/fail flag; a number, score or graphic illustrating to a user a general quality of the tape, etc. Additional methods and systems are also presented. | 02-11-2010 |
20100079896 | ERROR CORRECTION MAPPING - A method according to one embodiment includes receiving signals from multiple readers; and performing more error control processing on a signal from an outer reader than on a signal from an inner reader. A method according to one embodiment includes receiving signals from multiple readers; and performing different amounts of error control processing on signals from at least two of the readers. A tape drive system according to one embodiment includes a tape head having an array of readers; and a processor coupled to the head for performing error control processing, wherein the processor performs more error control processing on a signal from the outer reader than on a signal from the inner reader. | 04-01-2010 |
20100202083 | SETTING EDGE STRESS SIGNAL IN MAGNETIC TAPE DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGE MEMORY IN RESPONSE TO SERVO DETECTION ERROR SIGNALS - Methods, magnetic tape data storage drives, data storage systems, and magnetic tape data storage cartridges. A system having at least one magnetic tape data storage drive is configured to handle a magnetic tape cartridge comprising a magnetic tape data storage media and accompanying cartridge memory. The magnetic tape media comprises a plurality of longitudinal servo bands, the servo bands separated by data bands. Two servo bands, each at opposite sides of a data band are sensed. In response to at least one servo detection error signal of one of the two servo bands, an edge stress signal is set to the cartridge memory of the magnetic tape cartridge. Then, for example, after reloading the cartridge, the cartridge memory is inspected for a set edge stress signal; and, if the edge stress signal is set, only read operations are allowed with respect to the inspected magnetic tape data storage cartridge. | 08-12-2010 |
20100302667 | DETECTION OF DEFECTIVE TAPE DRIVE BY AGGREGATING READ ERROR STATISTICS - A plurality of tape drives writes a plurality of indicators corresponding to a plurality of data units on a tape, wherein an indicator indicates which tape drive of the plurality of tape drives has written a corresponding data unit on the tape. Each of the plurality of tape drives generates an extent of read errors, in response to reading the plurality of data units written on the tape. The extent of read errors generated by each of the plurality of tape drives are aggregated at a computational device coupled to the plurality of tape drives. A determination is made at the computational device of a defective tape drive of the plurality of tape drives from the aggregated extent of read errors. | 12-02-2010 |
20110222183 | Cartridge Refresh And Verify - A method according to one embodiment includes: deciding to perform a refresh operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; determining which drive of a plurality of drives is available to perform the refresh operation; causing the media cartridge to be mounted to the available drive; causing the drive to unwrap the tape from the spool of the media cartridge to about an end of the tape; and causing the drive to wrap the tape back onto the spool after the unwrapping, wherein at least some data on the tape is overwritten with new data, and a verification operation is performed using the new data. | 09-15-2011 |
20120218658 | CARTRIDGE REFRESH AND VERIFY - A method in one embodiment includes receiving a command to perform at least one of a refresh operation and a verification operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; mounting the media cartridge in a tape drive; starting execution of the refresh and/or verification operation; aborting execution of the refresh and/or verification operation upon occurrence of a predetermined event. A method in another embodiment includes receiving an instruction to perform a verification operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; unwrapping at least some of the tape from the spool; after the unwrapping, wrapping at least some of the tape back onto the spool; during at least one of the unwrapping and wrapping, performing a verification operation; terminating execution of the verification operation when a drive error is detected; outputting an indication of a media error when a media error is encountered. | 08-30-2012 |