Sony AIT Tape Recording Process

AIT tape cartridge has application-ID which is written on its' system area. By reading the application-ID, the AIT WORM drive is able to identify if the AIT tape media is WORM or non-WORM media. If the application-ID is somewhat corrupted, even then the AIT drive will not overwrite as it does not has the recording enable-hole. Verification process is conducted by the AIT WORM-drive that matches the RMIC's application-ID with the AIT data tape's system area application ID. The storage media is rejected if there is a mismatch between these two application IDs.

"Error Code Correction" in the AIT3 WORM technology offers improved error correction process. Error correction in AIT technology comprises of 4 distinct levels. The first level is called "pre-Error Code Correction" while the other 3 are the ECC "Error Code Correction". First correction level involves the non Error Code Correction components that occur before the compression of data and the errors are addressed at bit-level. If the error cannot be resolved by the non-ECC component, then the data is sent back to the host system for resolution. Recording process terminates if the host system is unable to resolve the data error.

The other error correction levels (ECC) in AIT3 WORM cartridge are more advanced & comprehensive that work at the byte level. As the process of pre-ECC completes then the data moves through the other 3 correction levels. The process will terminate if errors are detected. Further recording will not be allowed until the host system finds the solution and removes the error. Sony AIT cartridge's recording procedure guarantees the accuracy of information being written onto the tape media. Contact TAPE4BACKUP to order all backup data tapes especially AIT, LTO, VXA, DLT and SDLT tapes.

During the read/write method of Sony AIT technology, the data from host is sent to SCSI-chip and then from there it moves to the I-F buffer, and at the end this data is sent to data-compression chip. In the pre-ECC procedure, the information is recorded onto the media with the addition of parity at bit-level in order to assure accuracy. All the conflicts and errors that cannot be resolved by adding parity is sent back to host for solution and verification of data accuracy. All this process is carried out before the next phase of the procedure continues in which the AIT technology's ECC-component detects errors and analyzes parity at byte-level. If data is returned to the data-compression chip before the ECC component or to the host after the pre ECC component, and the identified errors can not be resolved, then the process of recording terminates automatically.

Unique serial number is given to each AIT WORM cartridge which is saved in RMIC (Remote MIC) header. During the assembling of the AIT data tapes at the manufacturer, this unique number is saved in the AIT tape's application ID and in the RMIC as well. This unique number comprises of thirty two digits.

Application software is required by the AIT WORM functionality and the tape drive. Application software time stamps the information that is being written of AIT3 WORM tape. So this helps in indication of the date and time of data recording.

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