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Conference msgaxp::optical

Title:	Optical Products

Moderator:	TAPE::SENEKER

Created:	Wed May 04 1988
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	841
Total number of notes:	3218

782.0. "2.6 gb media in 1.2 drive? @1.2gb format" by KAOT01::B_CORBIN (dtn 640-7420 ) Wed Feb 12 1997 17:03

     Can 2.3gb  512 bytes/sector media be used in a drive
        that normanlly uses 1.2 gb 512  bytes/sector media.
        The customer is hoping that he can use the new media
        in his rwz52-dd ( Alpha UNIX) system in the 1.2 gb format
        and later us  the same media when they upgrade their drive.
    
        They have tried doing a newfs on the new media and get an
        io error.
    
        Brian Corbin

T.R Title User Personal
Name Date Lines

782.1 this media works in this drive TAPE::SENEKER Head banging causes brain mush Wed Feb 12 1997 17:23 64

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
782.1	this media works in this drive	TAPE::SENEKER	Head banging causes brain mush	`Wed Feb 12 1997 17:23`	64
	Generally speaking, the RWZ53 (new drive) can use older media, see the specifics below, but the RWZ52 (old drive) cannot use the new media. This type of support is called backwards compatibility. What you not implies is that you want forward compatibility. Forward compatibility is very hard to produce because it implies that your products of today will be able to use the features of your products of tommorrow. This is very hard to do, predicting the future is not a statisticly accurate science by most entities, people or companies. Also, see note at bottom regarding software impacts. The RWZ53 hardware can do the following: o READ this media: - 2.6 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 4X - 2.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 4X - 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X - 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 2X - ~650 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 1X - ~600 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 1X o WRITE this media: - 2.6 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 4X - 2.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 4X - 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X - 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 2X * Note: No ability to WRITE the 1st generation (1X) media. The RWZ52 hardware can do the following: o READ this media: Note: No ability to use the 3rd generation (4X) media. - 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X - 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 2X - ~650 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 1X - ~600 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 1X o WRITE this media: Note: No ability to use the 3rd generation (4X) media. - 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X - 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 2X - ~650 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 1024 byte/sector. 1X - ~600 MB WORM or R/W media. This is 512 byte/sector. 1X Note: Software impacts. Even though the hardware can do what is described above the software may not be able to use all of that functionality or the functionality may change from time to time. Please see the most current release notes or SPD for the software product you wish to use to drive this hardware. Example: Currently (Feb 1997) the OSDS/OSMS for OpenVMS V3.4 product does not support the use of any of the 1024 byte/sector media types. The hardware can use it but the software can not.

Generally speaking, the RWZ53 (new drive) can use older media, see
the specifics below, but the RWZ52 (old drive) cannot use the new
media.  This type of support is called backwards compatibility.  What
you not implies is that you want forward compatibility.  Forward
compatibility is very hard to produce because it implies that your
products of today will be able to use the features of your products
of tommorrow.  This is very hard to do, predicting the future is not
a statisticly accurate science by most entities, people or companies.

Also, see note at bottom regarding software impacts.

The RWZ53 hardware can do the following:

  o READ this media:
	- 2.6 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector.	4X
	- 2.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector.	4X
	- 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector.	2X
	- 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector.	2X
	- ~650 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is 1024 byte/sector.	1X
	- ~600 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is  512 byte/sector. 1X

  o WRITE this media:
	- 2.6 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector. 4X
	- 2.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector. 4X
	- 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X
	- 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector. 2X

	* Note: No ability to WRITE the 1st generation (1X) media.


The RWZ52 hardware can do the following:

  o READ this media:

	Note: No ability to use the 3rd generation (4X) media.

	- 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector.	2X
	- 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector. 2X
	- ~650 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is 1024 byte/sector. 1X
	- ~600 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is  512 byte/sector. 1X

  o WRITE this media:

	Note: No ability to use the 3rd generation (4X) media.

	- 1.3 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is 1024 byte/sector. 2X
	- 1.2 GB WORM or R/W media.   This is  512 byte/sector. 2X
	- ~650 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is 1024 byte/sector. 1X
	- ~600 MB WORM or R/W media.  This is  512 byte/sector. 1X

Note: Software impacts.

  Even though the hardware can do what is described above the software
  may not be able to use all of that functionality or the functionality
  may change from time to time.  Please see the most current release
  notes or SPD for the software product you wish to use to drive this
  hardware.

  Example:
  Currently (Feb 1997) the OSDS/OSMS for OpenVMS V3.4 product does not
  support the use of any of the 1024 byte/sector media types.  The
  hardware can use it but the software can not.