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HP Magnetic Tape Controllers and Drives  



The following sections describe magnetic tape controllers and drives; however, note that not all supported devices are described here. Refer to the Software Product Description for the OpenVMS Operating System (SPD 82.35.xx) for the definitive list of supported devices.

TM03 Magnetic Tape Controller (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TM03 magnetic tape controller supports up to eight TE16, TU45, or TU77 tape drives. These dual-density (800 or 1600 bit/inch) drives differ in speed: the TE16, TU45, and TU77 read and write data at 45, 75, and 125 inches per second (ips), respectively. Each drive can hold one 2400-foot, 9-track reel with a capacity of approximately 40 million characters. The TM03 controller is connected to the MASSBUS through a MASSBUS adapter.

TS11 Magnetic Tape Controller (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TS11 magnetic tape controller connects to the UNIBUS through a UNIBUS adapter and supports one TS04 tape drive. The TS11/TS04 is a single-density tape system that supports 1600-bit/inch, phase-encoded recording.

The TSU05 and the TSV05 magnetic tape drives are used with UNIBUS and Q-bus systems, respectively.

TM78 and TM79 Magnetic Tape Controllers (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TM78 and TM79 magnetic tape controllers support up to four TU78 tape drives. These high-performance, dual-density drives (1600 or 6250 bit/inch) operate at 125 ips using a 2400-foot reel of tape with a capacity of approximately 146 million characters when recorded in the GCR (6250 bit/inch) mode. The TM78 and TM79 controllers are connected to the MASSBUS through a MASSBUS adapter.

TU80 Magnetic Tape Subsystem (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TU80 is a single-density, dual-speed (25 or 100 ips) magnetic tape subsystem that uses streaming tape technology (see Streaming Tape Systems). It supports one drive per subsystem. The TU80 connects to the UNIBUS through a UNIBUS adapter and completely emulates the TS11 magnetic tape controller.

TA81 Magnetic Tape Subsystem  

On VAX and Alpha systems, the TA81 is a high-performance, dual-density (1600 or 6250 bit/inch), dual-speed (25 or 75 ips) magnetic tape subsystem that uses streaming tape technology (see Streaming Tape Systems). It attaches to an HSC50 controller, and is managed with the TMSCP control protocol for tape mass storage.

TU81 Magnetic Tape Subsystem (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TU81 is a high-performance, dual-density (1600 or 6250 bit/inch), dual-speed (25 or 75 in/s) magnetic tape subsystem that uses streaming tape technology (see Streaming Tape Systems). It connects to the UNIBUS through a UNIBUS adapter, and is managed with the TMSCP control protocol for tape mass storage.

TU81-Plus Magnetic Tape Subsystem (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TU81-Plus is an enhanced version of the TU81 streaming tape subsystem. It is a 9-track, dual-speed, dual-density, ANSI-standard, half-inch magnetic tape subsystem. In addition, it has a 256-KB cache buffer that temporarily stores commands and data moving to and from the tape unit. The buffer increases the amount of time the tape drive is able to stream, thereby increasing performance. The TU81-Plus connects to all VAXBI, UNIBUS, and Q-bus systems using the KLESI-B, KLESI-U, and KLESI-Q adapters.

TA90 Magnetic Tape Subsystem  

On VAX and Alpha systems, the TA90 is a 5- by 4-inch, 200-MB cartridge tape, fully read- and write-compatible with the IBM 3480 format. The TA90 includes a master controller and a dual transport unit. As many as three additional dual transport slave units can be connected to a single TA90 master controller for a total of eight drives. The controller connects to the HSC 5X-DA high-speed channel card in the HSC.

TA90 tape drives can be equipped with optional stack loaders for unattended backup operations. Each TA90 master has two dual-port STI connections to the HSC. Such dual pathing allows each control unit to service two HSC controllers, which significantly increases tape drive availability. The TA90 subsystem includes a 2-MB cache that allows the controller to prefetch upcoming commands and store them while completing current data transfers. This behavior helps optimize performance. The TA90 is a TMSCP device.

RV20 Write-Once Optical Drive (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the RV20, a 2 GB, double-sided, write-once optical (WORM) disk drive, is accessed sequentially similar to a tape. A 100-bit error correction code (ECC) protects user data. The controller performs bad block replacement. Three RV20 slaves can be daisy-chained to the subsystem controller in the RV20 master for a total of four drives.

RV02 cartridges can be used on any HP RV20 optical subsystem.

The average access time is 212.5 ms with an average seek rate of 150 ms. The maximum data transfer rate is 262 KB per second (formatted and sustained) with a burst rate of 1.33 MB per second.

TK50 Cartridge Tape System (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TK50 is a 95-MB, 5.25-inch cartridge tape system that uses streaming tape technology (see Streaming Tape Systems). The TK50 records data serially on 22 tracks using serpentine recording, rather than on separate (parallel) tracks. Data written to tape is automatically read as it is written. A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is performed and the controller is notified immediately if an error occurs on the tape.

The TQK50 is a dual-height Q-bus controller for the TK50 tape drive. The TUK50 is a UNIBUS controller for the same drive. The TZK50 is a SCSI controller for the TK50 tape. Both the TQK50 and the TUK50 are TMSCP devices.

Read and Write Compatibility Between Cartridge Tape Systems describes compatibility among the TK50, TK70, and TZ30 magnetic cartridge tape systems.

TK70 Cartridge Tape System (VAX Only)  

On VAX systems, the TK70 is a 295-MB, 5.25-inch, streaming cartridge tape system. (See Streaming Tape Systems for information about streaming tape technology.) The TK70 tape drive records data serially on 48 tracks using serpentine recording, rather than separate (parallel) tracks. Data written to the tape is automatically read as it is written. A CRC check is performed and the controller is notified immediately if an error occurs on the tape.

The TQK70 is a dual-height, Q-bus controller for the TK70 magnetic tape drive. The TK70 subsystem includes a 38-KB cache to optimize performance. The TBK70 is a VAXBI-bus controller for the same drive. Read and Write Compatibility Between Cartridge Tape Systems describes compatibility between the TK50 and TK70 magnetic cartridge tape systems.

TZ30 Cartridge Tape System  

On VAX and Alpha systems, the TZ30 is a 95-MB, 5.25-inch, half-height cartridge streaming tape drive with an embedded SCSI controller. See Streaming Tape Systems for information about streaming tape technology. The TZ30 uses TK50 cartridge tapes. It records data serially on 22 tracks using serpentine recording, rather than separate parallel tracks. Read and Write Compatibility Between Cartridge Tape Systems describes compatibility between the TK50, TK70, and TZ30 magnetic cartridge tape systems.

Read and Write Compatibility Between Cartridge Tape Systems  

When you insert a cartridge tape into the TZ30, TK50, and TK70 tape drives, the hardware initializes the media to a device-specific recording density automatically.

Depending on the type of cartridge and the type of drive on which it is formatted (inserted and initialized), full read and write access to tape cartridges may not be permitted.

Formatting a Blank TK50 Cartridge Tape

A blank, unformatted TK50 cartridge can be formatted on the TK50, TK70, and TZ30 cartridge systems. For example, a TK70 tape drive has full read and write access to a TK50 cartridge formatted on a TK70 drive. Once the cartridge tape is formatted on a particular tape drive, the tape drive has full read and write access to the cartridge tape.

Formatting a Previously Initialized TK50 Cartridge Tape

If a TK50 cartridge tape is formatted on a TZ30 or TK50 cartridge tape drive, the TZ30 and TK50 drives initialize the TK50 cartridge to TK50 density. The following table summarizes the types of access available:

TK50
Controller Read Write
TZ301
Yes
Yes
TQK50
Yes
Yes
TQK70
Yes
No

The TK70 tape drive can read data on a TK50 cartridge formatted on a TK50 or TZ30 tape drive.

Formatting a TK50 or TK52 Cartridge Tape on a TK70 Tape Drive  

If a TK50 or TK52 cartridge tape is formatted on a TK70 tape drive, the TK70 cartridge tape drive initializes the TK50 or TK52 cartridge tape to TK70 density. The following table summarizes the types of access available:

TK50 TK52
Controller Read Write Read Write
TZ302 No
No
No
No
TQK50 No
No
No
No
TQK70 Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

The TK50 and TZ30 tape drives cannot read or write data on a TK50 cartridge tape formatted on a TK70 drive.


Footnotes
1Has an internal controller.
2Has an internal controller.

( Number takes you back )


 
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