Adaptive tension position changing for magnetic tape recording device

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• receiving a seek command for moving tape in the tape drive to a target position;
• determining, based on a current position of the tape, the target position, a high water mark for the tape, a first speed of moving the tape at a first tension, and a second speed of moving the tape at a second tension, whether to move the tape according to a first procedure or a second procedure, the first procedure including directly moving the tape from the current position to the target position with the tape at the first tension, the second procedure including moving the tape from the current position to the HWM with the tape at the first tension and moving the tape from the HWM to the target position with the tape at the second tension;
• and
• moving the tape according to the determined first or second procedure.

A system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform a method comprising:
• receiving a seek command for moving tape in the tape drive to a target position;
• determining, based on a current position of the tape, the target position, a high water mark for the tape, a first speed of moving the tape at a first tension, and a second speed of moving the tape at a second tension, whether to move the tape according to a first procedure or a second procedure, the first procedure including directly moving the tape from the current position to the target position with the tape at the first tension, the second procedure including moving the tape from the current position to the HWM with the tape at the first tension and moving the tape from the HWM to the target position with the tape at the second tension;
• and
• moving the tape according to the determined first or second procedure.