I would like to know how also.  I have not found a way with DRM, or in
native TSM.  This is because when a tape is made 'scratch', it looses
all the related information about the tape.

I would like to keep data so I can know how long it is used (time, and
read/write cycles), current read errors, write errors, and high-water
marks for both read and write errors.

Due to lack of this information, one write error generates an
'opportunity' to retire a tape, even if the tape is new.  I re-label the
tape if there are any read-error found.  To do these, it is a manual
process (which I sorely despise, but I have not found a better way).  I
have a reuse period of 3 days on onsite tapes, so I can review their
error stats before they are reused, and when tapes come back onsite,
their error stats are checked before they are put back into the scratch
pool.  I actually put the ones with read errors in one drawer (once they
are ready for scratch use), and make sure and re-label them before
putting them into my general 'scratch' pool (another drawer).  The ones
with write errors, are 'evaluated' (I have sent some back to the
manufacturer when a whole bunch of an order of 100, like 80 percent, had
errors on the first use after labeling), before being disposed of.

-----Original Message-----
From: John C Dury [mailto:jdury AT DUQLIGHT DOT COM] 
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 12:30 PM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Monitoring lifecycle of tapes in a 3494 library?

We have 2 3494 libraries, one local and one remote, and our auditors
would
like us to monitor the lifecycle of the tapes in both. I've informed
them
that, upon several errors, TSM will mark the tape as unavailable and
stop
using it, but that isn't good enough for them. They want an automated
report generated that will show how long the tapes have been in the
library
and possibly how many errors, read and write, have been detected on
each.
Anyone have any suggestions on an automated way to do this? Or as
automated
as possible?
Thanks.