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Imation has announced its new 'DataGuard RF Tape Tracking System' to help provide the range, reliability and accuracy of RFID technology for data tape storage facilities.
With the newly integrated RFID-based Volume and Serial Number Labels (known as 'Vol-Ser' labels), the company aimed to combine proven technologies in an open system that can potentially work with any tape management platform.
At up to 20 times the speed of original bar code systems, the DataGuard RF system helps to improve the efficiency and reliability of tape library audits as well as the cartridge check-in/check-out process. In addition, the system helps reduce the risk of lost or misfiled tapes through automatic cartridge notifications, instead of data centre managers worrying about lost tapes (and the associated financial liability and wasted resources).
The Vol-Ser Labels were designed to be applied to every tape cartridge in a data centre, and each comes with Imation's custom-designed antenna with a read range of up to 6 feet for a single cartridge, or up to 2 feet for a case of 20 cartridges.
The labels operate globally, so tapes can be shipped worldwide with a single tag type. Fully electronic product code (EPC) compliant, the labels also meet all of the environmental, drop, abrasion, and load/unload industry standards for data centre libraries.
The system uses a dual-function Motorola 9090G handheld reader that reads both the newly integrated RFID labels as well as existing bar codes, so users can immediately begin using the system as they transition their library to RFID labels. The system uses multiple data checks and communicates with existing tape management system via a docking station or a Wi-Fi network. The software is programmable to automatically check the data centre manager's watch list for misfiled or lost tapes, recognise corrupt Vol-Ser label data, and to ignore extraneous UHF signals.
Source: Imation Corporation
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