Method for Minimizing Contaminant Levels Within a Tape Drive System

• US 20090185309A1
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Doan, Randall S., Bates, Allen Keith, Winarski, Daniel J., Bui, Nhan X.
• Application Number:
  US12/016,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20090185309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/97.20
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1446 Reducing contamination, e.g. by dust, debris
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/41 Cleaning of heads of record carriers G11B23/50

Abstract

A method for minimizing dust level within a tape drive system is disclosed. A dust concentration level within the tape drive system is initially determined. A head brush interval is subsequently adjusted according to the determined dust concentration level within the tape drive system.

Claims

1. A method for minimizing contaminant levels within a tape drive system, said method comprising:

determining a dust concentration level within a tape drive system; and

adjusting a head brush interval according to said dust concentration level within said tape drive system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a dust sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said dust sensor determines said dust concentration level by sensing light reflected off of a tape head.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a number of write-verify errors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a number of read errors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by an inability to read the timing based servo written to a magnetic tape by a tape manufacturer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by an excessive use of a cleaner cartridge.

8. A computer readable medium having a computer program product for performing parallel data indexing within a data storage system, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining a dust concentration level within a tape drive system; and

computer program code for adjusting a head brush interval according to said dust concentration level within said tape drive system.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a dust sensor.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said dust sensor determines said dust concentration level by sensing light reflected off of a tape head.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a number of write-verify errors.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by a number of read errors.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by an inability to read the timing based servo written to a magnetic tape by a tape manufacturer.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said dust concentration level is determined by an excessive use of a cleaner cartridge.