When processing time increased by 22% in four months and users started complaining about delays in processing reports, management personnel at a Fortune 500 Bank in Orlando, Florida knew there was a problem. A subsequent examination of the bankšs own PM2 reports showed a high number of temporary and permanent errors in 3480 media. Bank management called a meeting with Data Link and tape drive field engineers, who reported they were wet cleaning the drives once a week to remove a thick crust of black debris in the drives. Data Link suggested a library profile to determine the cause of the problem.

During the library profile, Data Link analyzed the debris and discovered it to be carbon, the same type used in backcoating tape. Data Link learned the bank was running original-formulation 3480 cartridges in new automated tape libraries. The new libraries run faster and operate at higher temperatures causing the 3480s to deposit carbon debris in the drives. This carbon debris was then transferred to any tape subsequently run through the drive. To solve the problem, Data Link cleaned the entire library and copied the older 3480 tapes to new 3490e media.

Within 90 days, the bank realized an 85% reduction in temporary errors and a 73% reduction in permanent errors. Over time, weekly graphing of the sitešs PM2 reports showed a 700% increase in the number of megabytes processed per temporary error. The bank also purchased an Data Link cleaning and testing system so it could implement regular cleaning as part of an ongoing media management program.

Below is a list of services:

Library Profiles & Audits
Data Link library profiles and audits evaluate the quality of your media, the efficiency of your tape processing systems, and compliance with IRS regulations. By systematically examining your tape library on-site, Data Link can determine where problems are likely to occur. Through subsequent media testing, we can often determine the exact cause of media-related problems.

Library Cleaning
Extend tape life, eliminate debris, and reduce data errors with regular cleaning.

Data & Disaster Recovery
Should disaster strike, Data Link can help by recovering damaged data and restoring normal operations. Data Link recovers data from storage media that has been corrupted due to hardware or software failure, natural disasters, or human error.