Guidelines for bar code labels
Apply the following guidelines whenever using bar code labels:
v Use only IBM-approved bar code labels on cartridges to be used in an IBM tape library.
v Do not reuse a label or reapply a used label over an existing label.
v Before you apply a new label, remove the old label by slowly pulling it at a right angle to the cartridge
case.
v Use peel-clean labels that do not leave a residue after it is removed. If there is glue residue on the
cartridge, remove it by gently rubbing it with your finger. Do not use a sharp object, water, or a
chemical to clean the label area.
v Examine the label before it is applied to the cartridge. Do not use the label if it has voids or smears in
the printed characters or bar code. A library 's inventory operation takes much longer if the bar code
label is not readable.
v Remove the label from the label sheet carefully. Do not stretch the label or cause the edges to curl.
v Position the label within the recessed label area (see ▌5▐ in Figure 11 on page 37).
v With light finger pressure, smooth the label so that no wrinkles or bubbles exist on its surface.
v Verify that the label is smooth and parallel, and has no roll-up or roll-over. The label must be flat to
within 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) over the length of the label and have no folds, missing pieces, or smudges.
v Do not place other machine-readable labels on other surfaces of the cartridge. They might interfere
with the ability of the drive to load the cartridge.
Write-Protect switch
The position of the write-protect switch on the tape cartridge (see ▌1▐) determines whether you can write
to the tape. If the switch is set to:
v The locked position
(solid red), data cannot be written to the tape.
v The unlocked position (black void), data can be written to the tape.
If possible, use your server's application software to write-protect your cartridges (rather than manually
setting the write-protect switch). This setting allows the server's software to identify a cartridge that no
longer contains current data and is eligible to become a scratch (blank) data cartridge. Do not
write-protect scratch (blank) cartridges; the tape drive is not able to write new data to them.
a69i0365
L
T O 1 2 3 L8
LT0123L8
Figure 13. Sample bar code label on the LTO Ultrium 8 Tape Cartridge. The volume serial number (LTO123) and bar
code are printed on the label.
Ultrium media 43