From 8001c82e816a87edfed9c80630a5e4f3af6bbb11 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Dietmar Maurer Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2020 10:41:40 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 1/1] tape: update user docu - howto label tapes --- docs/tape-backup.rst | 37 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 36 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/docs/tape-backup.rst b/docs/tape-backup.rst index b585139e..4ccf92aa 100644 --- a/docs/tape-backup.rst +++ b/docs/tape-backup.rst @@ -74,13 +74,16 @@ Terminology .. _LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label Specification: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-lto-ultrium-cartridge-label-specification +.. _LTO Barcode Generator: lto-barcode/index.html + :Barcodes: are a special form of tape labels, which are electronically readable. Most LTO tape robots use an 8 character string encoded as `Code 39`_, as definded in the `LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label Specification`_. You can either bye such barcode labels from your cartidge vendor, - or print them yourself. + or print them yourself. You can use our `LTO Barcode Generator`_ App + for that. .. Note:: Physical labels and the associated adhesive shall have an environmental performance to match or exceed the environmental @@ -176,6 +179,38 @@ Administration Label Tapes ~~~~~~~~~~~ +By default, tape cartidges all looks the same, so you need to put a +label on them for unique identification. So first, put a sticky paper +label with some human readable text on the cartridge. + +If you use a `Tape Library`_, you should use an 8 character string +encoded as `Code 39`_, as definded in the `LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label +Specification`_. You can either bye such barcode labels from your +cartidge vendor, or print them yourself. You can use our `LTO Barcode +Generator`_ App for that. + +Next, you need to write that same label text to the tape, so that the +software can uniquely identify the tape too. + +For a standalone drive, manually insert the new tape cartidge into the +drive and run: + + # proxmox-tape label --changer-id --drive + +.. Note:: For safety reasons, this command fails if the tape contain + any data. If you want to overwrite it anways, erase the tape first. + +You can verify success by reading back the label: + + # proxmox-tape read-label --drive + +If you have a tape library, apply the sticky barcode label to the tape +cartridges first. Then load those empty tapes into the library. You +can then label all unlabeled tapes with a single command: + + # proxmox-tape barcode-label --drive + + Run Tape Backups ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- 2.39.2