WORM tape cartridge characteristics

Write-once, read-many (WORM) tape cartridge characteristics.

Characteristics of WORM cartridges:
  • WORM format pervades the entirety of every WORM cartridge. The WORM tape media is formatted to give every block on a WORM cartridge write-once, read-many protection. Additionally, the cartridge memory (CM) has a WORM indicator byte in the cartridge type field. Both of these conditions must be true for the drive to work with a WORM cartridge. If one condition is true and the other is false, an ATTN DRV - Invalid Cartridge message posts.
  • Each WORM cartridge is identified with a worldwide unique Cartridge Identifier (WWCID), which is permanent and locked, providing another level of security for data that must be maintained. This permanently locked information is stored in both the cartridge CM and on the tape itself. The cartridge is also associated with the unique barcode volume serial (VOLSER). WORM cartridges can be audited with the WWCID and the write mount count.
  • WORM cartridges are labeled with a 'JR,' 'JV,' 'JW,' 'JX' , 'JY', or 'JZ'. They are color-coded to distinguish them from rewritable cartridges (the color-coding is distinguishable by people with any of the three major varieties of color blindness).
  • The WORM cartridge is tamper-proof (see WORM microcode controls).
  • WORM cartridges are read (or appended) only on WORM enabled 3592 drives. Non-WORM enabled drives cannot use a WORM cartridge other than to unload it.
  • A WORM cartridge cannot be made non-WORM.
  • A non-WORM cartridge cannot be made WORM.
  • Written user data cannot be modified or erased. Destruction of the data requires destruction of the media and its usability (heat, crushing, physical shredding, or magnetic fields sufficient to destroy all formatting that is required to ever read or write the cartridge again).