Operating the ValueLoader. Quantum DLT VS80, DLT VS160
The Quantum DLT VS80 and DLT VS160 Tape Autoloaders are SCSI-2 LVD data storage devices that incorporate a DLT VS80 or DLT VS160 tape drive and eight tape slots. The ValueLoader automatically imports, exports, and loads DLTtape™ IV data cartridges for high-speed backups and data transfers. It allows you to perform a variety of tasks from the front panel, including loading and unloading cartridges, writing protection, and cleaning. It also allows you to manage your inventory of cartridges, and configure the ValueLoader for various settings.
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2
Chapter 2
Operating the ValueLoader
Section Overview
This section describes the following:
•
Operator’s Panel Overview on page 22
•
Understanding the Menu Structure on page 27
•
•
Cleaning the Tape Drive on page 34
•
Creating an Inventory of Cartridges on page 36
2
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 21
Operating the ValueLoader
Operator’s Panel Overview
Operator’s Panel Overview
The Operator’s Panel consists of four LEDs, four buttons, and a
2-line by 16-character LCD screen. The Operator’s Panel provides everything you need to monitor ValueLoader status and to control all of its functions.
2
Figure 9 Operator’s
Panel—Drive Empty
22
The display defaults to the Home screen. The Home screen consists of the ValueLoader status on the top line and the current cartridge inventory on the second line. If the tape drive does not have a cartridge loaded, the top line displays “Drive empty.”
The cartridge inventory indicates all slots that contain a cartridge by displaying the slot number. Empty slots are indicated by a hyphen (–).
An exclamation point (!) displayed in the inventory indicates that the ValueLoader has identified a cartridge in the indicated slot that is either an invalid cartridge type (DLTtapeIII cartridge or non-
DLT1 cleaning cartridge) or has had a media-related error These can be caused by faulty or improperly degaussed media, media that has been previously written in an invalid format such as
DLT7000 or DLT8000, or dirty read/write heads in the tape drive.
The Media Attention LED is also be illuminated. See
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Operator’s Panel Overview
Indicators on page 25 for more information. Exporting the
indicated cartridge will clear the error condition. See Exporting
Cartridges on page 29 for instructions. If these symptoms occur on
multiple known good cartridges, consider cleaning the tape drive.
See
Cleaning the Tape Drive on page 34 for instructions. If a
particular cartridge causes error conditions repeatedly, that cartridge may be defective or invalid.
Occasionally, you may see the message “In Transit,” which indicates:
• An error condition has caused a cartridge to be left between its slot and the drive. (Power cycle or reset the ValueLoader to clear this condition.)
• A cartridge is unexpectedly found in the Import/Export slot opening. (Power cycle or reset the ValueLoader to clear this condition.)
If the tape drive has a cartridge loaded, the top line displays
“Drive loaded.” The cartridge currently loaded in the drive is indicated by an alternating black block and the slot number as shown in
figure 10 . This display can also indicate that the specified
cartridge is being loaded, unloaded, imported, or exported, as well as indications of reading, writing, calibrating, etc. The
ValueLoader status line indicates the current operation. An example of this display is shown in
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 23
Operating the ValueLoader
Operator’s Panel Overview
Figure 10 Operator’s
Panel—Drive Loaded
24 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Operator’s Panel Overview
LED Indicators 2 The Operator’s Panel includes four LED indicators that provide a
variety of information as detailed in table 2 .
Table 2 LEDs
LED
Ready/Activity
Clean Drive
Media Attention
Error
Color
Green
Amber
Amber
Red
Description
Illuminated when power is on. Blinking whenever there is tape drive or ValueLoader robotics activity.
Illuminated when the tape drive needs to be cleaned. Indicates that 250 tape motion hours have passed since the last cleaning. The LED turns off when cleaning is successfully completed. See
Cleaning the Tape Drive on page 34.
Illuminated if a media-related error has occurred.
This condition can be invalid format such as
DLT7000 or DLT8000, dirty read/write heads in the tape drive, or if an invalid cartridge type
(DLTtapeIII III cartridge or non-DLT1 cleaning cartridge) is inserted. The offending cartridge is indicated by a “!” in the cartridge inventory display for the corresponding slot. Exporting the indicated cartridge will clear the error condition.
See
Exporting Cartridges on page 29 for
instructions. If these symptoms occur on multiple known good cartridges, consider cleaning the tape
drive. See Cleaning the Tape Drive on page 34 for
instructions. If a particular cartridge causes these symptoms repeatedly, that cartridge may be defective or invalid.
Illuminated if an unrecoverable tape drive or
ValueLoader error occurs. A corresponding error message appears on the LCD screen. See
ValueLoader Error Codes on page 62 for more
details.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 25
Operating the ValueLoader
Operator’s Panel Overview
Operator’s Panel
Control Buttons 2
The Operator’s Panel includes four buttons that provide access to all operations and information menus.
Table 3 Control
Buttons
Button
[Cancel]
[Previous]
[Next]
[Enter]
Description
Cancels the current menu option and returns to the previous menu level or Home screen.
Selects the previous item or value in the currently displayed menu.
Selects the next item or value in the currently displayed menu.
Executes the current menu or selects the current option displayed on the LCD panel.
26 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Understanding the Menu Structure
Figure 11 Operator’s
Panel Menu Structure
Operating the ValueLoader
Understanding the Menu Structure
2
HOME SCREEN
COMMANDS
Impor t
Expor t
Load Cartridge
Unload Cartridge
Clean Drive
Re-inventor y
INFORMATION
Cycle Count
View Event Log
Product Rev
Firmware Rev
DIAGNOSTICS
System Test
CONFIGURATION
Reset
Change SCSI ID
Code Update
Circular Mode
Autoload Mode
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 27
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
Using Cartridges
Before you use the ValueLoader, make sure you observe these general rules:
• ValueLoader VS80.
Use only DLT VS1 tape cartridges.
• ValueLoader VS160.
Use only DLTtapeIV tape cartridges.
• Clean the tape drive when the Clean Drive LED is illuminated , or if there is any other indication that the drive is having trouble reading or writing, such as if the Media Attention LED is illuminated, or there is an exclamation point (!) in the inventory display. Be sure to use only DLT1 compatible cleaning cartridges. The tape drive rejects all other types of cleaning cartridges.
Note: The ValueLoader automatically unloads any other cartridge types and any cartridges whose format it cannot read. If you experience any failures with reused
Quantum DLT formatted (degaussed) cartridges, the degaussing may not have been sufficient to fully erase the data. If this happens, use another cartridge before suspecting other system components.
2
Importing
Cartridges
28
2
This option forces the ValueLoader to import a cartridge into a specific empty slot in the carousel. To import tapes into the
ValueLoader:
1 Make sure the write-protect switch is set as desired for each
data cartridge (see Write-Protecting Cartridges on page 32). If
applicable, install a barcode label into the slide-in slot on the
front of each cartridge. (See Barcode Reader on page 3 for more
information.)
2
3
From the Home screen or main menu, press the [+] or [–] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen.
Press the [Enter] button to access the available options.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Figure 12 Importing a
Cartridge
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
4
5
6
Press the [+] or [–] button until “Import” appears on the LCD screen. Press [Enter] to select.
Press the [+] or [–] button until the desired slot number appears on the LCD screen and press the [Enter] button. You are not given the option to import a cartridge to an occupied slot.
When “Insert Cartridge Slot” appears on the LCD screen and the Import/Export slot opens, insert the desired data cartridge into the Import/Export slot so that the write-protect switch is facing out from the ValueLoader and toward the right.
Note: If you are using the Operator’s Panel to clean the drive, import the cleaning cartridge only when the front panel indicates that cleaning is needed. You may keep a cleaning cartridge in the ValueLoader if the backup software can manage the drive cleaning.
7
8
9
Repeat steps
5 and 6 as needed for additional cartridges.
Press the [Cancel] button when you have finished importing cartridges.
Verify that the LCD screen shows that the desired slots have cartridges installed.
Exporting
Cartridges 2
This option moves a cartridge from a specific slot to the Import/
Export slot. To export one or more cartridges from the
ValueLoader, follow these steps:
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 29
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
From the Home Screen or main menu, press the [+] or [–] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen. Press [Enter] .
Press the [+] or [–] button until “Export” appears on the LCD screen. Press [Enter] .
Press the [+] or [–] button until the desired slot number appears on the LCD screen. Press the [Enter] button. You are not given the option to export from an empty slot.
When “Remove Cartridge” appears on the LCD screen and the cartridge is ejected through the Import/Export slot, remove the exported cartridge from the ValueLoader, and press the [Enter] button.
Repeat steps
3 and 4 as needed for any additional cartridges.
Press the [Cancel] button when you are done exporting cartridges.
Make sure the LCD screen indicates that the desired slots are empty.
Figure 13 Exporting a
Cartridge
Loading
Cartridges 2
This option loads a cartridge from the ValueLoader carousel into the tape drive. To use this option, follow these steps:
1 From the Home Screen or main menu, press the [+] or [-] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen.
Then, press [Enter] .
30 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
2
3
4
Press the [+] or [-] button until “Load Cartridge” appears on the
LCD screen.
Press the [Enter] button to select.
Press the [+] or [-] button until the desired slot number appears on the LCD screen and press the [Enter] button. The slot number you select indicates the cartridge to be loaded into the tape drive.
Note: Only slot numbers that contain cartridges are displayed.
5
Status messages appear while the cartridge is loading. “Drive
Stopped” appears when the operation is complete.
Press the [Cancel] button when you are done loading the cartridge.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 31
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
Unloading
Cartridges 2
This option unloads the cartridge from the tape drive into its original slot. To use this option, follow these steps:
1 From the Home Screen or main menu, press the [+] or [–] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen. Press [Enter] .
2
3
4
Press the [+] or [–] button until “Unload Cartridge” appears on the LCD screen. Press the [Enter] button to unload the cartridge from the tape drive.
Status messages appear while the cartridge is unloading.
“Drive Empty” appears when the operation is complete.
Press the [Cancel] button when you are done unloading the cartridge.
Write-Protecting
Cartridges 2
All cartridges have a write-protect switch to prevent accidental erasure or overwriting of data. Before loading a cartridge into the
ValueLoader, make sure the write-protect switch on the front of the cartridge is positioned as desired:
• Slide the switch to the left to write-protect the cartridge. A small orange rectangle is visible, indicating the cartridge is write-protected.
• Slide the switch to the right to allow the ValueLoader to write data to the cartridge. The lock icon on the switch indicates that the cartridge is write-enabled.
32 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Using Cartridges
Figure 14 Write-
Protecting a Cartridge
Indicator
Write protect switch
Write protected
Write enabled
Maintaining
Cartridges 2
To ensure the longest possible life for all of your DLTtape cartridges, follow these guidelines:
• Do not drop or strike a cartridge. Excessive shock can displace the tape leader, making the cartridge unusable and possibly damaging the ValueLoader.
• Store your DLTtape cartridges in their storage cases.
• Do not expose your DLTtape cartridges to direct sunlight or sources of heat, including portable heaters and heating ducts.
• The operating temperature range for cartridges is 10° C to 40°
C (50° F to 104° F). The storage temperature range is 16° C to
32° C (60° F to 90° F). Always store your DLTtape cartridges in their storage cases.
• If a cartridge has been exposed to temperatures outside the ranges specified above, stabilize the cartridge at room temperature for the same amount of time it was exposed to the temperatures or 24 hours, whichever is less.
• Store your DLTtape cartridges in a dust-free environment in which relative humidity is always between 20% and 80%
(noncondensing). The ideal relative humidity is 40% ± 20%.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 33
Operating the ValueLoader
Cleaning the Tape Drive
• Do not place DLTtape cartridges near sources of electromagnetic energy or strong magnetic fields, such as computer monitors, electric motors, speakers, or X-ray equipment. Exposure to electromagnetic energy or magnetic fields can destroy data on cartridges.
• Place identification labels only in the slide-in slot on the front of the cartridge.
Cleaning the Tape Drive
When the Clean Drive LED is on, the ValueLoader’s tape drive needs to be cleaned. An illuminated Media Attention LED or an exclamation point (!) in the inventory display may also indicate that the tape drive needs to be cleaned. Cleaning typically takes several minutes, during which the Ready LED blinks.
Each cleaning cartridge has an approximate life of 20 cleanings.
The cleaning cartridge includes a label with 20 small boxes printed on it. Always place a check mark in a box each time you use the cartridge to clean the drive. Replace the cleaning cartridge when all boxes are checked.
The drive cannot keep track of how many times a cartridge has been used. Therefore, if you are using backup software to manage cleaning, then you must monitor the software logs or use some other method to determine when you need to replace the cleaning tape. Refer to the backup software documentation for more information. Also refer to the backup software documentation for information on enabling automatic or scheduled cleanings with the use of a dedicated cleaning slot.
2
34 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Cleaning the Tape Drive
Caution: Use only Quantum DLT1 compatible cleaning cartridges in the ValueLoader, available at www.quantum.com
. Use of any other type of cleaning cartridge could damage the read/write head in the tape drive. Therefore, if you load any other type of cleaning cartridge, the ValueLoader will automatically unload it back into its original slot within approximately 25 seconds.
Note: If you are using Operator’s Panel commands to clean the drive, import the cleaning cartridge only after you have selected the Clean Drive command. If you would like to keep a cleaning cartridge in the ValueLoader, the backup software must manage drive cleaning.
To clean the tape drive, follow these steps:
1
2
From the Home screen or main menu, press the [+] or [–] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen.
Press [Enter] .
Press the [+] or [–] button until “Clean Drive” appears on the
LCD screen. Press [Enter] .
3
4
If the carousel is full, the LCD screen displays “No slot free for transfer”. Press the [Cancel] button repeatedly until the main menu or Home screen is displayed. Export a cartridge to make room for the cleaning cartridge. See
Exporting Cartridges on page 29 for instructions then return to
drive.
If the carousel is not full, the ValueLoader will select the first available slot and prompt you to insert a cleaning cartridge.
5 Insert the cleaning cartridge into the ValueLoader Import/
Export slot.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 35
Operating the ValueLoader
Creating an Inventory of Cartridges
During the cleaning process, which can take several minutes, the LCD screen displays “Drive Cleaning”.
Note: If the cartridge is not a valid cleaning cartridge, the
LCD screen will display “Bad clean tape” and the cartridge will be exported.
6 When tape drive cleaning is complete, the Clean Drive LED turns off (if previously on) and the ValueLoader unloads and exports the cleaning cartridge. Remove the cleaning cartridge, and press the [Enter] button when the LCD screen prompts you to do so.
Note: If the Clean Drive or Media Attention LED is illuminated again when you insert another cartridge immediately after cleaning, see
troubleshoot.
7 If you had to remove a data cartridge to import the cleaning cartridge, import that data cartridge to its original slot. See
Importing Cartridges on page 28 for more information.
Creating an Inventory of Cartridges
This option builds a new inventory of cartridges in the
ValueLoader. If using a barcode reader, this option also scans the barcode labels on each cartridge in the carousel. (See
Reader on page 3 for more information.) To use this option, follow
these steps:
1
2
3
From the Home screen or main menu, press the [+] or [–] button until “Commands” appears on the top line of the LCD screen.
Press the [Enter] button to access the available options.
Press the [+] or [–] button until “Re-inventory” appears on the
LCD screen. Press [Enter] .
2
36 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual
Operating the ValueLoader
Creating an Inventory of Cartridges
The ValueLoader will then check the drive and each slot for the presence of a tape in order to update inventory information.
Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual 37
Operating the ValueLoader
Creating an Inventory of Cartridges
38 Quantum ATL ValueLoader DLT VS80/DLT VS160 Tape Autoloader User Manual

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Key features
- Supports DLTtape IV cartridges
- Includes an 8-slot carousel
- Provides high-speed backup and data transfer
- Offers a variety of front-panel controls
- Allows for cartridge inventory management
- Provides ValueLoader configuration options