Bulk loading cartridges into high-density frames

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Bulk load cartridges into storage slots in high density (HD) frames of the TS4500 tape library during the initial cartridge insertion.

About this task

After cartridges are inserted into storage slots and the library frame door is closed, the cartridges are assigned to logical libraries based on their volume serial (VOLSER) number. If the VOLSER of a cartridge does not match any of the existing VOLSER ranges, the cartridge remains unassigned. (VOLSER ranges are created and assigned to logical libraries during the initial library setup.)

Procedure

Complete the following steps to bulk load cartridges into an HD frame:

  1. Press the pause button on the display panel of the base frame of your TS4500 tape library to pause the library.
    This action causes the library to move the cartridge accessor to its home location and pause operations for 60 seconds or as long as a frame door is open. The pause light next to the pause button stops flashing and illuminates solid to indicate that the library is paused. The health status pod on the System page of the management GUI also shows when the library is paused.
  2. Within 60 seconds, unlock and open the front door on any HD frame.
  3. Insert the cartridges into any HD slot that accepts cartridges by gently pushing the cartridges into the slot against the resistance of the constant force spring. Insert cartridges until the retention latch locks around the front of the cartridge or until the slot accepts no more cartridges because it is full.
    LTO slots accept five cartridges; 3592 slots accept four cartridges.
    Important:
    • All HD slots are black; however, the location of the cartridge retention latch differentiates LTO HD slots from 3592 HD slots. The cartridge retention latch is on the left side of LTO HD slots and on the right side of 3592 HD slots.
    • For the initial bulk load on a newly installed frame, insert cartridges into the deep slots, but leave the top row empty. The slots in the top row must be empty for the initial audit of the frame to start. The initial audit fills these slots and then they are used like any other HD slot in subsequent library operations.
    • Only place cartridges in the frame that has the front door open. Do not insert cartridges into slots in an adjacent frame.
    • The write-protect switch is on the left side of both LTO and 3592 cartridges. Insert LTO and 3592 cartridges into HD slots so that the write-protect switch is on the left and the bar code label is visible (see Figure 1 and Figure 2). The orientation differs from the orientation in an I/O slot.
    Figure 1. Proper orientation of LTO tape cartridges in HD slots. The cartridge retention latch ( 1 ) and write-protect switch ( 2 ) are shown.
    proper orientation of LTO tape cartridges
    Figure 2. Proper orientation of 3592 tape cartridges in HD slots. The cartridge retention latch ( 1 ) and write-protect switch ( 2 ) are shown.
    proper orientation of TS4500 tape cartridges in HD slots
  4. Gently close and lock the front door.
  5. After approximately 15 seconds, the TS4500 tape library automatically inventories the frame of the door that you opened. During the inventory, the pause indicator on the display remains illuminated and a message displays on the health status pod on the System page of the management GUI.
    The inventory in an HD frame after a full bulk load takes approximately 45 minutes.

What to do next

IBM recommends that you do not insert cartridges into an adjacent frame. However, if you inserted cartridges into an adjacent frame, you must also do an inventory of that frame or of the entire library.