Re: DSPTAPCTG, tape library, and write protect tab

I can see it happening on a very limited basis. Very limited.
However if it is happening frequently then I'd start to look into what is
going wrong with your tape handling.
Does the operator believe that it's good tape practice to set the write
protect tab before shipping offsite with the belief that it's better to
prevent accidental writing, or that setting the write protect tape is a
way of marking the tape as "active"?
Does the operator not use the plastic cases and just shove a bunch of
tapes in her briefcase, purse, laptop case, whatever, and the exposed
write protect tabs are being shifted? This could leave them open to
getting dirty and otherwise mishandled.

Hey, checking to see if there are unprotected tapes available
automatically is a noble cause and I've no fault with proceeding ahead.
However, due to the possible other complications from tape mishandling I
think the process bears looking into.

You may want to consider loading up the whole magazine. It's as good a
place as any to store tapes while they are onsite. If you go past your
allotted number of tapes it's quite easy to handle remotely versus
involving local tape handling. And so on...


Rob Berendt