Why Clean Computer Tape? - Degauss (Erase), Clean, and
Test Computer Hard Drives and Computer Tape: Degaussing, Cleaning, and
Testing Equipment and Services
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Can you believe magnetic computer tape, some forty years old, is still used
today! Believe it, because we recycle round-reel tape. Some of the tape we
receive, we don’t even try to test and reuse. It is so old and sticky we
cannot imagine firms have stored this product so long. And we get calls
weekly from users trying to read older tape that either flakes off or is so
sticky it can stop tape-drive motors from advancing at the prescribed speed
necessary to read the tape.
Here’s another fact that may startle you. If the older tapes had been
properly cared for and stored correctly most of them would probably run.
Certainly binder hydrolysis and various chemical processes will degrade
tape. However, life expectancy and continuous error-free write/read
capability depends upon several factors directly related to how the user
maintains the tape library.
Badly deteriorating tape is in this condition due to mishandling and poor
storage. With older magnetic tape, error correction was able to handle a
certain amount of abuse and debris damage. However, today’s extremely
sophisticated metal-particle tapes, with capabilities of much larger storage
and different recording schematics, and digital linear tape, which is
128-track serpentine longitudinal recording, are going to demand a different
level of care and handling. Newer yet is the super DLT, which is Quantum’s
developed laser-guided magnetic recording with a transfer rate of
11MB/sec. Still think you can just put it on an open shelf?
Let's review just two important steps that will improve the life of your
tape library and provide error-free recording, or close to it.
Care
and Handling: Remember that with open-round reel tape you could see blowouts
and cinched tape. DLT tape is not visible so you need to know that the tape
may have improper tension, rewind, and may have dirt and contamination
inside the cartridge. Not only is the tape expensive it holds extremely
valuable information. Just because you have a backup doesn’t mean that data
is in any better shape than the one you originally recorded. Periodic
cleaning and rewinding to original tension will increase the performance of
each tape.
Storage: DLT tape should have a storage life of 30 years,
as long as
the tape is stored in the case and the reel axis is horizontal. More
important, though, is the environment in which the tape is stored. Ideal storage is
in a room that is non-fluctuating 65 degrees Fahrenheit with 40 percent
relative humidity.
