About Manually Cleaning Tape Drives

The library allows you to manually clean tape drives using the Web client. When a tape drive needs cleaning, it notifies the library. If the library’s AutoClean feature is not enabled (no cleaning slots have been configured), the library generates a Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) ticket informing the user that the tape drive needs cleaning.

Manual tape drive cleaning does not require you to configure cleaning slots or import cleaning cartridges. If you do not have cleaning slots configured, you are prompted to insert a cleaning cartridge into the topmost import/export (I/E) station slot. However, if you do have cleaning slots configured, you can choose to use cleaning cartridges from these slots. If two or more configured cleaning slots have cleaning cartridges in them, the library chooses which cleaning cartridge to use. For instructions on how to configure cleaning slots, see Configuring Cleaning Slots.

During the cleaning operation, the library takes the affected partition offline, moves the cleaning cartridge from the I/E station slot to the designated tape drive, and cleans the tape drive. When the operation is complete, the library moves the cleaning cartridge back to the I/E station slot and brings the partition back online.

For instructions on how to manually clean a tape drive, see Manually Cleaning Tape Drives.

NOTE: If the library contains zero import/export (I/E) station slots, you will not be able to manually clean tape drives. See About I/E Station Slots for more information.

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