International Business Machines Corporation

Lee Curtis Randall

Icko E T Iben

Daniel James Winarski

Ernest Stewart Gale

Shawn Michael Nave

James Mitchell Karp

Leonard George Jesionowski

Michael Philip McIntosh

Richard L Bradshaw

Wayne Alan McKinley

Icko Eric Timothy Iben

Robert G Biskeborn

Nhan Xuan Bui

Brian Gerald Goodman

George G Zamora

Dylan J Boday

Craig Anthony Klein

Anna Wanda Topol

Raymond Yardy

Robert George Emberty

Stephen Leonard Schwartz

Icko E Tim Iben

Thomas Stanley Truman

Louie Arthur Dickens

Jason Liang

David Lee Swanson

Wlodzimierz Stanley Czarnecki

Steven Mark Groff

Icko ETim Iben

A data storage library system includes a data storage library, at least one environmental conditioning unit, at least one data storage drive retained within the data storage library, and at least one access door for providing access to an interior portion of the data storage library. The system also includes a library controller, wherein the library controller is configured to initiate a service mode prior to and during a service procedure performed within the data storage library, and further wherein at least one operational state within the at least one data storage drive is changed during the service mode. The change in the at least one operational state may be, for example, an increase in temperature within the at least one data storage drive, or the insertion of a data storage cartridge into the at least one data storage drive during the service mode.

Data storage library with service mode for protecting data storage drives

A data storage library system includes a data storage library having at least one library frame, at least one environmental conditioning unit associated with the data storage library and configured to control one or more interior environmental conditions within the at least one library frame, and at least one access door for providing access to an interior portion of the at least one library frame. The system also includes a library controller configured to initiate a service mode prior to and/or during a service procedure performed within the at least one library frame, wherein the service mode comprises configuring the at least one environmental conditioning unit to adjust the one or more environmental conditions within the at least one library frame toward one or more exterior environmental conditions outside of the data storage library. Optionally, a lock and/or indicator (visual and/or audible) may control access to the interior of the library frames. Associated methods of servicing a data storage library are disclosed.

Data storage library with service mode

A data storage library system includes at least one data storage library, the at least one data storage library comprising at least one library frame, wherein the at least one library frame has at least one environmental conditioning unit configured to control one or more environmental conditions within the at least one library frame. The system also includes at least one access door for providing access to an interior portion of the at least one library frame, a library controller, and at least one louver, where the louver may be selectively moveable to control a communication pathway for external air to enter the at least one library frame. In one embodiment, the at least one louver may be controlled by the library controller to automatically open when it is detected that the one or more access doors are opened, and to close the louver when the one or more access doors are closed.

Data storage library with positive pressure system

A method in one embodiment includes fabricating a tape having an applicator portion for applying an organic coating to a magnetic head for reducing exposure of the head to oxidation promoting materials. The method also includes applying the organic coating to the applicator portion of the tape, the organic coating being for coating a tape bearing surface of the magnetic head with the organic coating upon the applicator portion being run over the tape bearing surface of the magnetic head. The method further includes applying a lubricant to a data portion of the tape.

Protecting a sensitive device from corrosion

A tape drive may arrange timing-based-servo marks into a timing-based-servo pattern. The timing-based-servo pattern may be at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may select the at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may match at least two timing-based-servo marks in the at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may determine, from the matching, whether an alignment of the at least two timing-based-servo marks is demonstrative of tape-creep.

Tape-creep detection via frequency domain data

A method includes determining whether a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor is corroded using resistance, amplitude and signal to noise ratio (SNR) measurements of the sensor. A method to determine whether a TMR sensor is corroded includes determining an expected initial resistance value, Rand measuring a resistance value, R, of the sensor. The method includes calculating a ratio of the Rvalue and the expected initial resistance value, Rand determining whether the ratio is in a predefined range for the TMR sensor. In response to determining that the ratio of the sensor is within the predefined range, the method includes outputting an indication that the TMR sensor is corroded. In response to determining that the ratio of the sensor is outside the predefined range, the method includes outputting an indication that the TMR sensor is not corroded.

Setting bias currents and limiting corrosion in TMR sensors

A tape drive may calculate the slopes for three successive timing-based-servo marks in a timing-based-servo group. The timing-based-servo marks may be arranged in a one or more M-patterns. The three successive timing-based-servo marks may be across the one or more M-patterns. The tape drive may perform a parabolic fit of a gradient of the slopes. The tape drive may determine whether the gradient is demonstrative of tape-creep.

Tape-creep detection via trajectory and distortion angles

A tape drive may calculate a slope for each of the timing-based-servo marks in a timing-based-servo group. The timing-based-servo marks are arranged in one or more M-patterns. The tape drive may average the slope for each of the timing-based-servo marks across the one or more M-patterns. The tape drive may generate a least-squares assessment of the averaged slope. The tape drive may determine, from the least-squares assessment, whether the averaged slope is demonstrative of tape-creep.

Averaged slope timing-based-servo tape-creep detection

A computer-implemented method may include obtaining position information of a susceptible zone of a tape. The susceptible zone may be a section of the tape where a stress value of the tape exceeds a threshold. The method may further include storing a block of data to the tape in a first storage zone. The method may further include determining that the first storage zone is positioned within the susceptible zone. The method may further include storing, based at least in part on the determining, a duplicate block of data in a second storage zone.

Data storage in view of susceptible zones

A computer-implemented method may include obtaining position information of a susceptible zone of a tape. The susceptible zone may be a section of the tape where a stress value of the tape exceeds a threshold. The method may further include storing, based on the position information, a block of data to the tape in a first storage zone. The first storage zone may be positioned outside of the susceptible zone.

A data storage library system includes at least one data storage library comprising at least one library frame and at least one environmental conditioning unit, the at least one environmental conditioning unit configured to control one or more environmental conditions within the at least one library frame. The system further includes at least one access door for providing access to an interior portion of the data storage library, a library controller, and at least one warning indicator associated with the data storage library and in electronic communication with the library controller. The at least one warning indicator is configured to provide an indication to an operator when the conditions within the data storage library are such that the at least one access door may be opened and when the conditions within the data storage library are such that the access door should not be opened.

Data storage library with interior access regulation

A method for reducing aging effects on a magnetic recording tape, according to one embodiment, includes loading a dual-reel cartridge having a magnetic recording tape into an input/output device. A current load point of the magnetic recording tape is determined. At least one input/output operation is performed on the magnetic recording tape. An unload point on the magnetic recording tape that is different than the current load point of the magnetic recording tape is selected, and the magnetic recording tape is moved to the selected unload point. A date-time stamp associated with the selected unload point is sent for storage in the memory. The dual-reel cartridge is unloaded from the input/output device.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Lee Curtis Randall