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DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

 
Ray gaudette
New Member

DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

Can anyone suggest a general recommended hours-of-use interval that should prompt a cleaning? When I asked HP, they said the drive should be cleaned when it tells you to clean it (when the light goes on). However, this drive is part of a 1/8 autoloader attached to a server that is in a remote location and therefore, many weeks can go by without anyone actually seeing the autoloader. The backup software we're using (Brightstore/Arcserve) has an option to auto-clean the drive after "n" hours of use (the "n" is configurable and of course, you have to tell it what slot the cleaning tape is in) The question is, what to set the "n" to??
Many Thanks, Ray
5 REPLIES 5
Byron Burnett
Advisor

Re: DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

Hello Ray.. below is from some HP documentation..

"HP Surestore DLT VS80 drives have been developed to have a minimal cleaning requirement. The CLEAN/MEDIA LED on the tape drive front panel will flash when the drive needs cleaning. Under typical conditions, the drive should seldom require cleaning. However, high duty cycles and adverse environmental conditions may require the drive to be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure optimum performance is maintained, and it is therefore considered good practice to clean the drive approximately every two weeks."

Depending on your backup job size N should be at least 330+ .. for more information on cleaning check

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=lpg50139

good luck
Alexander M. Ermes
Honored Contributor

Re: DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

Hi there.
Some software like OmniBack ( Data Protector ) does it automatically. Only thing you have to do is setup a cleaning tape slot and insert a cleaning tape.
What kind of software do you use ?
Rgds
Alexander M. Ermes
.. and all these memories are going to vanish like tears in the rain! final words from Rutger Hauer in "Blade Runner"
Ray gaudette
New Member

Re: DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

We use Brightstore/Arcserve v9 from Computer Associates. That software also will do it automatically after a certain number of hours-of-use. I'm not sure, however, if the software will also do it in response to the drive telling the software that it needs cleaning. Thanks. Ray
Bob_196
Trusted Contributor

Re: DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

If you are worried about missing a cleaning - don't worry the drive/library will prompt the cleaning - just import a cleaning tape and the library will remeber it is in there - if the library requires a cleaning, I think it will load the cleaning tape automatically

hope this helps

Cheers
Bob

[ remember the points :-) ]
David Ruska
Honored Contributor

Re: DLT VS80 Recommended cleaning interval

> just import a cleaning tape and the library will remeber it is in there - if the library requires a cleaning, I think it will load the cleaning tape automatically

No, the library will not clean automatically (although there maybe one or two with an option for this) - that causes potential conflict with the app trying to use the drive. Cleaning is typically managed by the backup application, and it needs to know which slots have cleaning tapes (or use cleaning tape barcodes - if it has a barcode reader).
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