Data storage cartridge having a calibrated servo format region and methods for using same
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorRobert G. Biskeborn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tape cartridge according to one aspect includes a tape formatted with a servo pattern having at least two servo tracks thereon. The tape cartridge having stored therein a value corresponding to a difference between a specified distance between adjacent servo tracks and an average distance between adjacent servo tracks on the tape. The average distance is an average of actual distances between adjacent servo tracks over a portion of the tape. Various computer program products for using such a tape cartridge are also disclosed.
Claims25
A tape cartridge, comprising:
- a tape formatted with a servo pattern having at least two servo tracks thereon;
- and
- the tape cartridge having stored therein a value corresponding to a difference between a specified distance between adjacent servo tracks and an average distance between adjacent servo tracks on the tape,
- wherein the average distance is an average of actual distances between adjacent servo tracks over a portion of the tape.
A computer program product for calibrating a tape drive, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
- taking, by the computer, a measurement of a servo track span of a tape using a module of a tape drive running the tape, wherein the tape has stored therewith data of an average servo track span of a portion of the tape;
- calculating, by the computer, a value by comparing the measurement of the servo track span to the average servo track span;
- and
- storing, by the computer, the value in memory.
A computer program product for calibrating a tape, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
- taking, by the computer, servo track span measurements along a portion of the tape, wherein the tape has been loaded in a tape drive having a module of known servo reader span;
- computing, by the computer, an average of the servo track span measurements;
- calculating, by the computer, a difference between the average of the servo track span measurements and the known servo reader span;
- and
- storing, by the computer, the difference in association with the tape.
A computer program product for checking a tape for aging, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
- taking, by the computer, servo track span measurements along a portion of the tape, wherein the tape has been loaded in a tape drive having a module of known servo reader span;
- computing, by the computer, an average of the servo track span measurements;
- comparing, by the computer, the computed average of the servo track span measurements to an average servo track span derived from servo track span data created for the tape at an earlier date;
- and
- taking, by the computer, an action in response to a result of the comparing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.