The library includes an easy-to-read bitmap LCD and a five-button keypad,
called the Operator Panel, which allows you to interactively control library
operations. Using the Operator Panel, you can set library options, check operating
statistics, and diagnose errors. The buttons on the keypad are described in
more in Table 1.
Table 1. Operator Panel keypad
Selection
Button
Description
Left Arrow
Navigate Menu Left
Right Arrow
Navigate Menu Right
Up Arrow
Scroll Value Up
Down Arrow
Scroll Value Down
Action button
Run Menu Option
Icon Definitions
The LCD on the library uses icons to provide graphical representations of
menu items. From the Main menu (Figure 1), you can view
menu icons as well as drive and tape status icons.
Figure 1. Main menu icons
Menu Icons
A list of the menu icons and their descriptions is provided in Table
2.
Table 2. Menu icons and descriptions
Status Menu Icons
Setup Menu Icons
Icon
Description
STATUS Menu
Display Firmware Version
Display Inventory
Display Motion Counts
Display Retry Counts
Display Sensor Status
Errors
Serial Number
Service Tag
Fibre Status
Command Menu Icons
Icon
Description
COMMAND Menu
Import Media
Import Data Media
Import Cleaning Media
Export Media
Export Data Media
Export Cleaning Media
Dismount Drive
Move Media
Bulk Load Media
Bulk Unload Media
Sequential Mode
Start Loop
Start Single
Stop
Resume
Icon
Description
SETUP Menu
Setup Wizard
Configure Slots
SCSI/Fibre
Drive SCSI ID
Set Inquiry
Access Mode
Fibre Setup
Lib SCSI ID
Configure User Interface
Timeout
Password
Key Clicks
Configure RMU
Configure AutoClean
Configure Scanner
Default Library
Tools Menu Icons
Icon
Description
TOOLS Menu
Clean Drive
Load Firmware
Demo Test
Self Test
Drive Maintenance
Manufacturing Test
Position Picker
Output Logs
Drive Power On/Off
Drive Status Icons
Figure 3 shows the icons that are displayed on the LCD
indicating drive status. The icons are described in Table
3.
Drive error message. The character after the ! represents the error
indicator on the drive LCD. See the drive manufacturer documentation
for an explanation of the error. (This icon is not shown in Figure 3).
The tape drive is compressing data on tape.
The tape is write protected.
Tape Activity Icons
Table 4 shows the icons that are displayed on the LCD
indicating tape activity.
Table 4. Tape activity icons and descriptions
Icon
Description
A tape drive is loading a cartridge.
A tape drive has a cartridge loaded.
A tape drive is rewinding a cartridge.
A tape drive is unloading a cartridge.
A tape drive has unloaded a cartridge.
A tape drive is reading data from a cartridge.
A tape drive is writing data to a cartridge.
A tape drive is erasing data from a cartridge.
A tape drive is locating data on a cartridge.
Online and Offline Modes
Your library can operate in an online or offline mode. Typically, the library
is in the online mode. When you access the Command, Setup, or Tools menus
from the Operator Panel, a message notifies you that the library will go into
offline mode. You must verify that you want the library to operate in offline
mode before proceeding. When the library is offline, the host has limited
access to the library. The host can retrieve information from the library
but cannot run any commands that change the state of the library, such as
writing data or moving media. Entering the Main menu automatically returns
the library to the online mode. The Operator Panel indicates which mode you
are in. Figure 4 shows the offline mode, Figure
5 shows the online mode.
Figure 4. Offline mode
Figure 5. Online mode
Inserting and Removing Media
Your library has been designed to make media insertion a simple and accurate
process. There are two ways to insert and remove media from the library.
Load the magazines with tapes and use the Bulk Load feature in the Command
menu. For more information, see
Bulk Load. To remove media, unload the tapes from the rear slots to the
magazines by using the Bulk Unload feature in the Command menu. For more information,
see
Bulk Unload.
Use the Import/Export features in the Command menu to load tapes from the
IE slot. For more information, see
Import Media and
Export Media.
NOTICE: It is not recommended that you manually
insert/remove media to/from the rear slots directly. If you choose to insert/remove
media directly to/from the rear slots and the picker is blocking the slots,
use the Position Picker tool to move the picker.
Do not move the picker manually or you may damage it.
NOTE: Media barcode labels can be viewed through
the magazine window.
The magazines and rear storage slots are designed to prevent the cartridges from being inserted incorrectly. The magazines and rear storage slots also include cartridge locks that prevent media from falling out of the slots when the magazines are inverted or the library is transported. To remove the tapes from the rear slots and the magazine, lift up on the green lever to release the locking mechanism.
The rear storage slots contain sensors that detect the presence of cartridges and automatically update library inventory when cartridges are inserted or removed. Sensors also detect the presence/absence of the magazines and the inventory is updated when the magazines are inserted or removed.
NOTE: If you remove and then reinsert the magazines
very rapidly, the sensors may not be able to detect the presence of the
magazines. Ensure that you fully insert the magazines and do not remove
and reinsert them very rapidly.
NOTICE: Do not directly insert media into
the picker. If media is inserted into the picker incorrectly, it may damage
the picker.
Removing Tapes
There are four instances that may require manual removal of a tape cartridge
from the interior of your library. You can remove a tape manually from a drive,
the rear slots, the front magazines, and the picker. You can position the picker
to move it out of your way to be able to reach the back interior of your library.
You can also position the picker when you want to remove a tape from the picker
by following the procedure below.
Positioning the Picker
From the Tools menu, highlight
and press .
Press
and
to select the target slot to move the picker to.
Press
to highlight Run ()
and then press .
Removing a Tape From a Drive
Position the picker to the left, which is away from the drive, using the
Operator Panel. Refer to Positioning the Picker.
Open the front door and remove the two magazines.
Press the eject button on the drive and remove the tape.
If the tape cannot be removed, contact Dell
Support.
If the tape cartridge is toward you, grasp it and remove it gently. However,
if the tape cartridge is away from you, gently push it into a rear slot with
a long narrow object like a ruler.
NOTE: If a cartridge is partially in the drive
and partially in the picker, contact Technical Support for removal instructions
Barcode Labels
For cartridges to be scanned, they must have an external label that is machine
readable to identify the volume serial number. A barcode must use only uppercase
letters A to Z and/or numeric values 0 to 9. The library currently supports
Code 39 type barcode labels.
Three different types of barcode label modes are supported in the PowerVault
132T library:
Default:
The scanner will expect to read and will report to the host six
characters. Optional one or two character media identifiers can be present
but will not be reported by a host.
Media ID:
The scanner will expect to read and will report to the host seven
or eight characters (six plus the media identifier) by a host.
Extended:
The scanner will read and report to the host between five and sixteen
characters.
The barcode scanner will read and report all of the information that it scans
and will display this information on the Operator Panel. The library will report
the barcode information to the host according to the mode it is configured
for and will display alert messages on the Operator Panel LCD if the scanned
barcode does not match the barcode length and media identifier requirements
of the mode.
For customers who wish to print the barcode labels, the individual media labels
are supported if the labels meet the requirements below:
Number of digits: 6-16 (based on mode)
Background reflection: at least 25 percent
Print contrast: at least 75 percent
Ratio: at least 2.2
Module: 250 mm
Print tolerance: ± 57 mm
Length of the rest zones: 5.25 mm ± 0.25 mm.
No black marks can be present in the intermediate spaces or rest zones.
No white areas may be present on the bars.
Bars should read in a uniform direction. Non-uniform reading directions
are feasible in principle, but have a detrimental effect on performance.
Quality Testing
Compliance with these specifications can be checked and documented with the Ergilaser 3000 High Density barcode measuring device that is manufactured by the Laetus Company.
Applying the Label
All barcode scanning labels should be applied to the front of the cartridge
in the upper right corner of the tape cartridge recess (when oriented vertically).
Make sure that the media identifier on the label matches the media type. The
media identifier is the last two extra characters on the right side of the label.
The label shown in Figure 6 is an example of an L1 media
identifier for an LTO-1 media type. When using LTO-2 media the media identifier
extension would be L2. For LTO-3 media the media identifier extension would
be L3. The library uses the media identifier on the label to determine if the
media is compatible with the tape drive. A drive mount will be prevented by
the library if the media type, as determined by the media identifier, is incompatible
with the target tape drive. As an example LTO-2 media improperly labeled with
an L3 media identifier extension could not be loaded into the LTO-2 drive.
Depending on the media type, barcode labels are either stickers that are adhered
to the front of the tape cartridge or cutouts that you slide into an indentation
on the front of the cartridge. To aid in readability, apply the labels so that
the numbers are at the top of the label.
Peel off the label and place it on the cartridge.
Verify that the label is oriented so that the numbers appear right-side
up and above the barcode.
Figure 6 shows the label application on a piece of LTO-1
media.
Figure 6. Barcode label
Menu Navigation
To navigate between menus and within a particular menu item, tabbing and scrolling
are used. Tabbing and scrolling are described in more detail below.
Main Menu Navigation
You can tab between the four icons in the Main menu by pressing the left and
right arrow keys (
and ).
Once you have highlighted the menu item you are interested in, press the Action
key ()
to select it.
Submenu Navigation
There are two levels of submenu navigation. The first level allows you to
move between the various submenu items. This type of tabbing works the same
as the Main menu tabbing, using the left and right arrow keys (
and )
to move between items, and using the Action key ()
to select items.
Once you have selected an item in a submenu, there may be several options
for that item. This is the second level of submenu navigation called scrolling.
When scrolling within a submenu item is available, a set of arrows will be present
on the right side of the LCD as shown below.
The presence of these arrows indicates that there are more items available to view or change. You use the up and down arrow keys on the keypad ( and ) to scroll up and down through the list or to change the value.
On some screens, there is more than one item to view or change. Each of the items will have its own set of scrolling arrows. Highlight the field, and then use the up and down arrow keys on the keypad ( and ) to scroll up and down through the list or to change the value. Use the left and right arrow keys ( and ) to move (tab) between items.
If you want to exit a submenu and go up a menu level, you use the back to
previous icon, indicated by
on the bottom left of the LCD. You need to press the left arrow key to select
, and then
press Action .
Normal Operations
Once your library and your choice of application software are installed and
configured, you can automatically perform backup and restore operations through
the application software. You do not need to intervene unless you need to replace
cartridges.
Always follow these general operating guidelines:
Use only the recommended types of media cartridges.
Clean the drive whenever the
icon appears on the LCD (signifying a cleaning request).