Yes IBM has been promising the extended length tapes for a long time now. I
think the last thing they told me was around the end of the year. Also,
this is not going to be free micro-code. There is a charge for each tape
drive that is upgraded.




Tom Tann{s <tom.tannas AT USIT.UIO DOT NO> on 08/07/98 03:38:57 PM

Please respond to "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>

To:   ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
cc:    (bcc: Mike Wilson/Texas Utilities)
Subject:  3590 "enhanced tapes"




Hello adsm'ers

Har anybody heard some recent news about these tapes?

Last year we were told that these (20GB) tapes would be available january
'98.
Our tape-dealer says he can deliver the tapes as soon as the microcode for
the 3590's has been updated to handle these longer tapes.
Our service-ingeneer also confirms that this is the reason why these tapes
cant be used for the moment..

I've been asking both about the tapes/microcodes monthly since february,
but the answers are still the same.

Now I begin to wonder if someone is playing us a trick...

These tapes would be very useful to us, because we're soon running out of
storage-cells in our 3494..