Mixing media in drives

Information about compatible media and drives in the TS3500 tape library.

Not all cartridges that are supported by the TS3500 tape library are compatible with all drives. Ultrium cartridges are not supported by 3592 tape drives, and 3592 tape cartridges are not supported by LTO Ultrium drives.

When labeled according to IBM bar code label specifications, the last character of the volume serial (VOLSER) number of an LTO cartridge indicates the generation of the media. For example:
  • 000764L8 is an LTO Ultrium 8 cartridge
  • 000764M8 is an LTO Ultrium M8 cartridge
  • 000764L7 is an LTO Ultrium 7 cartridge
  • 000764L6 is an LTO Ultrium 6 cartridge
  • 000764L5 is an LTO Ultrium 5 cartridge

On a 3592 tape cartridge, the IBM® product label represents whether it is a read/write (R/W) cartridge or a write-once-read-many (WORM) cartridge.

Table 1 summarizes cartridges that are compatible with Ultrium tape drives. Table 2 summarizes cartridges that are compatible with 3592 tape drives.

Table 1. Compatibility among LTO Ultrium tape drives and tape cartridges.
  • (-) Not compatible
  • (R/W) Read Write
  • (RO) Read Only
Cartridge type Drive type
LTO Ultrium 8 (F8A) LTO Ultrium 7 (F7A) LTO Ultrium 6 (F6A) LTO Ultrium 5 (F5A) LTO Ultrium 4 (F4A) LTO Ultrium 3 (F3A/ F3B) LTO Ultrium 2 LTO Ultrium 1
12 TB LTO Ultrium 8 data cartridge (xxxxxxL8) R/W - - - - - - -
12 TB LTO Ultrium 8 WORM data cartridge (xxxxxxLY) R/W - - - - - - -
9 TB LTO Ultrium M8 data cartridge (xxxxxxM8) R/W - - - - - - -
6 TB LTO Ultrium 7 data cartridge (xxxxxxL7) R/W R/W - - - - - -
6 TB LTO Ultrium 7 WORM data cartridge (xxxxxxLX) R/W R/W - - - - - -
2.5 TB LTO Ultrium 6 data cartridge (xxxxxxL6) - R/W R/W - - - - -
2.5 TB LTO Ultrium 6 WORM data cartridge (xxxxxxLW) - R/W R/W - - - - -
1.5 TB LTO Ultrium 5 data cartridge (xxxxxxL5) - RO R/W R/W - - - -
1.5 TB LTO Ultrium 5 WORM data cartridge (xxxxxxLV) - RO R/W R/W - - - -
800 GB LTO Ultrium 4 data cartridge (xxxxxxL4) - - RO R/W R/W - - -
800 GB LTO WORM Ultrium 4 data cartridge (xxxxxxLU) - - RO R/W R/W - Reformat Reformat
400 GB LTO Ultrium 3 data cartridge (xxxxxxL3) - - - RO R/W R/W Reformat Reformat
400 GB LTO WORM Ultrium 3 data cartridge (xxxxxxLT) - - - RO R/W R/W Reformat Reformat
200 GB LTO Ultrium 2 data cartridge (xxxxxxL2) - - - - RO R/W R/W Reformat
100 GB LTO Ultrium 1 data cartridge (xxxxxxL1) - - - - - RO R/W R/W
Notes:
  • In order to support LTO Ultrium 5 or later tape drives, all node cards in the library must be model xx3-equivalent node cards. For node cards in model xx2 frames, this requires a xx3 model conversion OR the enhanced node card(s) feature (FC 1700 or 1701).
  • The library rejects any command to move unsupported media to a drive and returns a sense key of 5 and an additional sense code/additional sense code qualifier of 30/00.
  • Pre-initialized M8 media is supported with a minimum LTO 8 tape drive firmware level of HB82. The use of un-initialized M8 media in a TS3500 or pre-initialized M8 media with prior tape drive firmware levels may result in a permanent reduction in the capacity of the M8 media from 9 TB to 6 TB (native).
Table 2. Cartridges that are compatible with 3592 tape drives.
  • (-) Not supported
  • (R/W) Read Write
  • (RO) Read Only
Media Recording format TS1160 tape drive TS1155 tape drive TS1150 tape drive TS1140 tape drive TS1130 tape drive TS1120 tape drive J1A tape drive
Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled Encryption enabled Encryption not enabled
JE, JV1, JM Encrypted 60F R/W R/W - - - - - - - - - - -
60F R/W R/W - - - - - - - - - - -
JD, JZ1, JL Encrypted 55F R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - - - -
55F R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - - - -
Encrypted E08 R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - -
E08 R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - -
JC, JY1, JK Encrypted E08 R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - -
E08 R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W R/W - - - - - - -
Encrypted E07 RO RO RO RO R/W R/W R/W R/W - - Reformat Reformat -
E07 RO RO RO RO R/W R/W R/W R/W - - Reformat Reformat -
JB, JX1 Encrypted E07 RO RO RO RO R/W R/W R/W Reformat Reformat Reformat Reformat Reformat -
E07 RO RO RO RO R/W R/W R/W R/W Reformat Reformat Reformat Reformat -
Encrypted E06 - - - - - - R/W Reformat R/W Reformat Reformat Reformat -
E06 - - - - - - R/W R/W R/W R/W Reformat Reformat -
Encrypted E05 - - - - - - RO Reformat R/W Reformat R/W Reformat -
E05 - - - - - - RO RO R/W R/W R/W R/W -
JA, JW1, JJ, JR1 Encrypted E06 - - - - - - RO Reformat R/W Reformat Reformat Reformat Reformat
E06 - - - - - - RO RO R/W R/W Reformat Reformat Reformat
Encrypted E05 - - - - - - RO Reformat R/W Reformat R/W Reformat Reformat
E05 - - - - - - RO RO R/W R/W R/W R/W Reformat
J1A - - - - - - RO RO RO RO R/W R/W R/W
Notes:
  1. WORM tapes (JR, JV, JW, JX, JY, JZ) can be reformatted only if they are initialized and labeled; if data exists on the tape, reformatting is not allowed.