Tape Drives - A reference for Designing Servers and Peripherals for the Microsoft® Windows nt® Server Operating...

Tape Drives
Tape drives as backup devices can be an important part of guaranteeing data availability at a corporate site. Windows NT Server includes a graphical tool named Backup that supports tape backup of Windows NT Server-based data.
If a tape drive is provided in a Basic server system, it must comply with the requirements and recommendations in this section.
162 System includes tape drive for local backup
System administrators will commonly want offline backup capabilities to be available. If a tape drive is provided with a server system, either as a built-in or peripheral add-on device, it must meet the minimum requirements defined in this section.
163 Single-tape device meets minimum capacity requirements
Minimum storage capacity is required for any tape device designed for a compliant system. Minimum capacity required is based on targeted system type.
164 Single-tape device meets minimum speed requirements
Minimum speed capabilities are required for any tape device designed for a compliant system.
165 Tape device meets industry standards
A SCSI tape peripheral must be compliant with the SCSI tape command set and with the requirements for SCSI peripheral devices, as defined in the “SCSI Controllers and Peripherals” section earlier in this chapter.
IDE is not recommended for servers, but if an IDE tape peripheral is implemented, it must be compliant with the packet passing protocol defined in SFF 8020i, Version 1.2. Also, for cartridge drives, the device must be compliant with QIC 157, Revision D or higher.
166 SCSI tape drive supports SCSI commands
The following commands or features must be supported by the device’s driver:
Erase
Mode Select — compression enable/disable
Mode Sense — write protect status, media type, and density code reporting
Prevent/Allow Medium Removal, Load/Unload Unit
Read, Verify
Reserve, Release
Rewind, Space, ReadPosition, Locate
Test Unit Ready, Request Sense, ReadBlockLimits, Inquiry
Write, Write Filemarks
Recommended: Inquiry with support for reporting serial number or other unique unit ID should be supported by the device’s driver.
167 Win32-based backup solution provided with device
For a tape device designed for Windows NT Server, the manufacturer must provide a Windows NT tape driver for the built-in Windows NT backup application or provide a Win32-based backup application for the device if the Windows NT Server operating system does not include built-in support for the tape drive.
A hardware vendor might also choose to include a backup application that provides additional functionality over that included in Windows NT Server, such as the ability to create and script jobs, automated scheduling of jobs, remote administration of backup, and client-server backup to remote tape devices.
Media Changers
This section defines requirements for media changers.
CD Changers
This section provides requirements for CD changers.
There is no requirement or recommendation for providing a CD changer with a server system, but if present or designed to be compatible with Windows NT 5.0, it must comply with these requirements.
168 CD changer for seven or fewer discs meets SFF 8070i requirements
If an ATAPI-compatible CD changer is present that supports seven discs or less, the device should be compliant with ATAPI SFF 8070i.
This section provides requirements for tape and optical disk changers. There is no requirement or recommendation for providing a tape or optical disk changer, but if a device is present or is designed to be compatible with Windows NT 5.0, it must meet the requirements defined in this section.
This includes changers that support the following drive/media types:
3.5‑inch, 5.25‑inch, and 12‑inch magneto-optical or phase-change drives and media
All magnetic tape drives and media
It does not include changers that support CD‑ROM, CD‑R, CD‑Rewritable, or DVD drive/media types.
169 SCSI changer and drive support auto-configuration
To meet the requirements for auto-configuration of changers and their associated drives, the following changer requirements and configuration restrictions are being made:
For changers where autoconfiguration under Windows NT Media Services (NTMS) control is a targeted feature, all changer tape or optical disk drives must be connected to the same SCSI bus as the changer. Changer systems that are not configured this way will not be autoconfigurable under NTMS in Windows NT 5.0 and must provide documentation that describes the appropriate manual configuration process for use with NTMS. Examples of proper documentation are available in Appendix A of NTMS Programmers Guide, which is available at http://www.highground.com/ntmsmain.htm.
The changer’s Read Element Status–Data Transfer Element Descriptor must support the reporting of the SCSI Bus Address and LUN of each drive in the library unit.
If drive cleaning is required and can be automated, a specific slot that is accessible by way of a Move Medium command must be designated in the Operator’s Guide.
The changer must be able to report whether or not a bar-code reader is installed in the unit.
The changer must be able to report on the current presence or absence of (magazine) slots as well as drives by using the Read Element Status command.
170 SCSI tape and optical disk changers support SCSI commands
The following commands or features must be supported by the changer:
Initialize Element Status (with/without bar-code reading)
Mode Sense—Pages 1D, 1E, 1F
Move Medium
Prevent/Allow Medium Removal (door access and IEPORT locking)
Read Element Status
Reserve, Release
Send Volume Tag, Request Volume Element Address
Test Unit Ready, Request Sense, Inquiry
Recommended: Inquiry with support for reporting serial number or other unique unit ID should be supported by the changer.
Chapter 6
Basic Physical Design and Hardware Security Requirements
This chapter summarizes physical design and hardware security requirements and recommendations.
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