I agree with this story...but we're using DLT tapes.

They worked great for a couple of years...then started getting multiple
errors.

We purchased "real" labels and have had ZERO errors reading them.

We continue to print our own labels for non-STK barcode readers and it
continues to work OK in these environments.  Only because it would cost
us a fortune to print all the combos of Alpha & numerics for our remote
storage nodes.

Dale

-----Original Message-----
From: Tsiamis, Panagiotis [mailto:TsiamisP AT UNISYSTEMS DOT GR] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 11:25 AM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTMAIL.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [Networker] Label SOS

Just a word from our (bitter) experience Davina,

Do tell them to use the highest quality paper and priter they can find
to
print their labels.

One of our customers some time ago, used a similar (or could have been
the
same) s/w to produce barcode labels for 9840 tapes for use in a
StorageTek
L180.
They used an old inkjet printer and some general purpose paper (you know
the
one which has some kind of sticky glue at the back) they had stored in a
cupboard somewhere.
Of course it didn't actually fit the tapes and we had to cut the
barcodes
with a razor and stick them to the tapes -  80 of them!

The L180 reported numerous "Can't read label" messages on
initialization,
which meant we had to inventory the library manually to have Networker
identify all the tapes. Worst of all was that every now and then, the
robot
lost its calibration so badly that it could not recover. Tapes got stuck
up
in the drives while the arm laid at the bottom and the "Service
Required"
led came on.
I was present at one time when the robot's arm hit hard between slots
while
trying to deposit a tape. We're talking about a seriously "drunk"
robot...
(Why it should loose its calibration after having initialized its matrix
and
did its inventory, just because it couln't read some labels, I can only
theorize.)

But to cut an already long story sort, the whole think went magicaly
away
after they purchased the proper barcode labels (guess who had to change
them!).

Panos



| -----Original Message-----
| From: Davina Treiber [mailto:treiber AT HOTPOP DOT COM]
| Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 2:12 PM
| To: NETWORKER AT LISTMAIL.TEMPLE DOT EDU
| Subject: [Networker] Label SOS
|
|
| Is there a UK supplier reading this list who can supply
| barcode labels for
| a StorageTek 9710 "off the shelf"? They need to include some
| letters (i.e.
| not 000000 to 999999) and they need to be available tomorrow. Any help
| appreciated.
|
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| also view and post messages to the list.
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