Ultrium 960 bar code reader issue

[Andrew Vo]

I'm using Brightstor 11.5 with my ultrium 960 and i can't get the tapes to come up with the bar code as the serial number.
I've check the "use bar code reader" within the device configuration of Brightstor already, but the tapes serail are still the defaults that Brightstor uses. I'm trying to get the software to read the tapes bar code. Is there any trick to the ultrium 960.
This is new ultrium 960 with new Brightstor 11.5 running on a new loaded Windows 2000 server.

[Lewis Finch]

obvious question. Are we talking standalone drive or Autoloader here?

[Andrew Vo]

its an autoloader

[CA713937]

Which autoloader?

The HP 1/8 autoloaders do not have a bar code reader.

[Andrew Vo]

model is AF204.

Does this model have bar reader ?

[CA713937]

No, the AF204A StorageWorks 1/8 Ultrium 960 Autoloader does NOT have a bar code reader.

The only HP autoloaders with a barcode reader are the discontinued SureStore 1/9 autoloaders and the StorageWorks 1016 (16 slot) depending on options.

[Andrew Vo]

can you give me another model number for backup device that would hold 8 lto 3 tapes and about the same price range as the AF204 that i got.

I think i ordered the wrong one. I want something that uses a cassette that all the tapes could go in so that i can pull them out at once, on weekly basis.

thanks for the help. i'll give you 10 points if i can locate another backup device with those functions.

[CA713937 · Accepted solution]

As you found out, the StorageWorks 1/8 autoloaders do not have a removeable magazine.

We recently introduced a 2U mid-range library with two removable 12 slot magazines. It has either one LTO3 or 2 LTO2 HH drives. A bar code reader is standard. It's called the MSL2024:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/msl2024/index.html

The only other low(er) end product with removable magazines is the 2U SSL1016 autoloader (two removable 8 slot magazines). The LTO2 version of this product does have a bar code standard. There is no LTO3 version (since the MSL2024 has more slots for the same rack footprint). Here's the link:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ssl1016/index.html

I'll guesss that the street prices of these are not close to the 1/8 960 however, so they may not meet your requirements.

I'm not sure if there are other vendors with an 8 (or 9) slot autoloader similar to the discontinued 1/9 which had a removable magazine (it was a desktop unit).

[Andrew Vo]

Thanks for your help. I'll look around for vendors.