So assume we don't bulk erase them, but instead bplabel them. Is the
DLT7000 going to write 35/70 Gigs or 20/40 Gigs to the tape. 


"W. Curtis Preston" wrote:
> 
> It doesn't permanently damage them, but it does really tick them off.
> DLT writes in a linear serpentine fashion, where it starts on one track,
> writes to the end of the tape, moves down a bit, then starts writing again
> in the opposite direction.  A crude illustration below:
> 
> +------------------------------------------------------+
> | START ---------------------------------------------> |
> | <--------------------------------------------------- |
> | ---------------------------------------------------> |
> | END <----------------------------------------------- |
> +------------------------------------------------------+
> 
> To keep track of which tape file and block is on which stripe, it puts a
> directory at each end of the tape every time it finishes writing.  That's
> why DLTs take so darn long to eject.
> 
> When you bulk erase them, it's got to read the whole tape, figure out
> what's where (which is really nothing), and then re-write those
> directories.  It takes about 2.5 hours when this happens.
> 
> BTW, the same thing can happen if you drive gets wonky. ;)
> 
> At 12:41 PM 8/23/2001 -0400, Labonte, L R (Leo), SITS wrote:
> >CAUTION: You may do damage to your DLT tapes by bulk
> >erasing.  We only bulk erase when we throw tapes away.
> 
> ---
> W. Curtis Preston
> Principal Consultant for Storage Designs,   your storage experts
> Voice: 760 710 7017                            Fax: 760 710 7019
> Webmaster: http://www.backupcentral.com curtis AT backupcentral DOT com

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