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What is
AIT?
AIT (Advanced Intelligent Tape) is a new intelligent tape technology
developed by Sony. It incorporates a new recording format, ALDC
compression, MIC (Memory In Cassette) capabilities, and the
exclusive use of AME (Advanced Metal Evaporated) media. (1)
How do
I set compression for my AIT tape drive?
The compression can be set in the software OR the hardware, not
both. If the compression is to be set on the hardware, you
will need to set the jumper or dip switch accordingly. Please refer
to your manual for specific instructions. (1)
Why
can I not reach full capacity on my AIT tapes?
A Your tape drive is a streaming device. If the data buffer in the
drive becomes empty during the backup process the tape will continue
moving thus leaving areas on the tape with no data and reducing the
tapes capacity - This can be caused by poor system performance or by
backing up over a slow or busy network.
Incorrect SCSI configuration can also
cause data bottlenecks, for best performance it is recommended to
configure the tape drive with a dedicated SCSI controller.
Poor media condition can cause write
errors, the data will then have to be written again, this also
reduces tape capacity - Be sure your media is in good condition. Due
to the built in head cleaning mechanism on all AIT drives, only
under extreme environmental conditions should it be necessary to
clean the heads on an AIT drive.
If you are using data compression,
remember that some files do not compress very well, ie: MPEG, JPEG,
PDF etc. If your drive has built in hardware compression enabled be
sure that you do not have the backup applications software
compression enabled also. (1)
Is
AIT compatible with current 8mm data cartridges?
A No. The AIT drive only accepts AIT AME cassette and rejects all
other 8mm cassettes. AIT is accepted by 8mm mechanisms, but is
permanently write protected. The AIT drive recognizes an AIT AME
cassette by ID holes on the cassette. (2)
Why won't my drive read back-ups made on another system?
Ensure that the compression method used to make the tape is the same
as the one being used to read it. Make sure the back-up program on
the reading computer is the same type or newer than the one which
created the tape. (1)
What is MIC or R-MIC?
MIC is the abbreviation for Memory-in-Cassette, which is a
semi-conductor memory chip embedded within the AIT media and
provides the storage of specific drive and media formats and
statistics. This memory chip provides fast drive access to this
information and allows the AIT drive to load and search much faster
than would otherwise be possible. R-MIC is the same as MIC except
that the communication path between this chip and the drive is
provided by a low-power, close-proximity radio frequency (RF) path,
rather than a direct mechanical connection. The R-MIC chip also
contains specific non-alterable memory that is used for the AIT WORM
implementation. (2)
What are the benefits of
MIC?
A MIC (Memory In Cassette) enables much faster file access by using
150 times search mode. It provides for up to 256 tape partitions to
enhance file accessibility, off-line cassette contents & history
recognition, higher data security using MIC ID, and many more
features. It also allows for fast load and unload operation with
identification happening in less than 10 seconds. (1)
About how long is the
media life?
Based on media life experiments, it is estimated to be over 30
years, similar to other current tape media. (2)
Do AIT drives require cleaning like other tape mechanisms?
Unlike many conventional tape drives, AIT drives do not require
periodic cleaning. The drive constantly monitors head output and
invokes the built-in Active Head Cleaner when it senses possible
contamination. Under extreme environmental conditions, a cleaning
cartridge may be required, but the drive will indicate this to the
user and the application. (2)
What differentiates AIT-3 from other generations of AIT?
A Like previous generations of Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT),
AIT-3 offers storage capacity, performance rates and reliability
unmatched by any other tape drive system in its price class. AIT-3
is based on the same core technologies as earlier versions of AIT,
but with boosted capacity and transfer rates. AIT-3 provides up to
100GB of native capacity (260GB with compression) and a 12MB/sec
sustained native transfer rate (31MB/sec with compression). (2)
(1) Source Sony
(2) Source www.aittape.com
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