Cartridges

Choosing Cartridges

HP is not only the leader in tape backup but also the leading supplier of DDS cartridges. HP DDS cartridges are designed to meet the exacting mechanical, environmental and durability specifications of data storage applications. They undergo more than 600,000 hours of rigorous testing and are designed to withstand 2,000 passes or 100 full backups. And because HP DDS cartridges are inexpensive, they give DAT the lowest overall cost of ownership of all backup technologies.

To avoid loss of data and damage to your drive, use only cartridges that bear the DDS logo. DAT cartridges are for audio use and should not be used for data storage. To identify data-grade tapes, look for the DDS logo on the cartridge. Although the logo may be used by any media manufacturer whose tapes meet the DDS specification, Hewlett-Packard recommends that you use HP DDS Media Recognition System cartridges with your HP tape drive. Hewlett-Packard cartridges have been designed and tested to give maximum data reliability and mechanical durability. See Ordering Information for part numbers and descriptions.

Caution: Use only cartridges labeled "DDS Media Recognition System" in the drive. Do not use cartridges labeled "DAT" because the media is not certified and its integrity cannot be guaranteed for data storage purposes. DAT cartridges have a different mechanical specification that can cause them to jam in the mechanism. The tape drive warranty does not cover damage caused by the use of DAT cartridges.

Cartridge Compatibility by Model

For optimum performance and storage capacity, use tape cartridges that match your drive's format, and normally use only one cartridge per day.

• HP SureStore Tape 5000 drives use only DDS-1 cartridges (60-meter or 90-meter).
• HP SureStore DAT8 drives use DDS-2 cartridges.
• HP SureStore DAT24 drives and DAT24x6 autoloaders use DDS-3 cartridges.
• HP SureStore DAT40 drives and DAT40x6 autoloaders use DDS-4 cartridges.

HP SureStore DAT drives are backward compatible, however, which means that a DDS-3 drive can read and write DDS-2 tapes, but a DDS-2 drive cannot use a DDS-3 tape. The compatibility between drive models and cartridges is summarized in the table below.

Caring for Cartridges

Under optimum environmental conditions, Hewlett-Packard DDS-2, DDS-3 and DDS-4 cartridges are currently specified to 2000 passes over any part of the tape. In operational terms, this can be translated to about 100 backup operations. Under severe environmental conditions, particularly where the tape drive is used at very low humidity or if certain areas of the tape are accessed frequently, the number of backup operations should be limited even further.

Caution: Ensure that only one label is stuck to the label area of the cartridge. Never use non-standard labels, and never stick anything to the cartridge other than in the label area.

Using Cartridges

Only use DDS cartridges in temperatures in the tape drive's operating range from 5°C to 40°C (40°F to 104°F) and 20 to 80% relative humidity (noncondensing). If you expose cartridges to temperatures outside the operating limits, stabilize them before you use them. To do this, leave the cartridges in the operating environment for 24 hours.

Storing Cartridges

Tests show that data can successfully be stored on DDS cartridges for 30 years or more if stored under proper conditions:

• Store cartridges at temperatures between -40°C and 45°C (-40°F and 113°F ) with a relative humidity between 5 and 95%.
• Always keep the cartridges in a clean environment.
• Always store cartridges in their plastic cases when not in use.

Maximizing Tape Life

• Do not touch the tape.
• Do not attempt to clean the tape path or tape guides inside the cartridge.
• Do not leave cartridge tapes in excessively dry or humid conditions.
• Do not leave cartridges in direct sunlight or in places where magnetic fields are present (for example, under telephones, next to monitors or near transformers).
• Do not drop cartridges or handle them roughly.
• Do not stick more than one label onto cartridges; extra labels can cause the cartridges to jam in the tape drive.
• Do not use cartridges beyond their useful life.

Avoiding Condensation

Condensation can be a problem for tape drives and cartridges, where a thin tape is passing across a rapidly spinning drum. To minimize the chance of condensation, stay within the specifications for using and storing cartridges above and observe the following guidelines:

1. Position the drive where the temperature is relatively stable -- away from open windows, heat sources and doors.
   
2. Avoid leaving cartridges in severe temperature conditions, for example, in a car standing in bright sunlight.
   
3. Avoid transferring data (reading from and writing to cartridges) when the temperature is changing by more than 10°C (18°F) per hour.
   
4. If you bring a cold tape drive or tape cartridge into a warm room, allow time for it to warm to room temperature before using it. For example, if you have moved the drive from a cold car to a warm room, allow time for the drive to reach room temperature (up to 24 hours if the temperature change is extreme).