Attributes for other SCSI tapes (type ost)

The following are attributes for other SCSI tapes (type ost).

Block size
The system default is 512, but this should be adjusted to the default block size for your tape drive. Typical values are 512 and 1024. 8 mm and 4 mm tape drives usually use 1024 and waste space on the tape if the block size attribute is left at 512. A value of 0 indicates variable block size on some drives.
Device buffers
The general information for this attribute applies to this tape drive type.
Extended file marks
The general information for this attribute applies to this tape drive type.
Density setting #1 and density setting #2
The default value is 0 for both of these settings. Other values and their meanings vary for different tape drives.
Reserve support
The default value is no. This can be set to yes, if the drive supports reserve/release commands. If you are unsure, no is a safer value.
Variable length block size
The default variable length block size value is 0. Nonzero values are used primarily on quarter inch cartridge (QIC) drives. See the SCSI specification for the particular tape drive for advice.
Retry delay
This attribute applies exclusively to type ost tape drives.
Read/write timeout
This attribute applies exclusively to type ost tape drives.
Attributes with fixed values
If a tape drive is configured as an Other SCSI tape drive, the attributes for Extended File Marks, Retension, and Data Compression have predefined values which cannot be changed.
MPIO tape attributes
MPIO-supported tape devices will have additional attributes listed under MPIO device attributes.