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Delete a Tape

 
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Anuj Dhawan
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:03 am    Post subject: Delete a Tape Reply with quote

Hi,

I'm usually confused with this concept and I'd like to put my question this way...

"I need to delete a tape?" -- does the question in double-quotes makes a snese? By terminology, a tape-file (a file on a tape) can not be deleted, right? Then why do we have such threads every now and then...? Confused
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Bill Dennis
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Joined: 03 Dec 2002
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Location: Iowa, USA

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are correct that for physical tape there is no "delete" function. Until the tape is rewritten the data exists on the volume.

The person may have wanted to:

1. remove it from the catalog (and just used the wrong word)
2. expire the volume in the tape mgmt system for re-use
3. erase the data using a utility or magnetic degausser

Some tape mgmt systems do have a DELETE function to mark a volume as inactive.

Some virtual tape systems will delete the data on a virtual volume prior to the volume being rewritten.

Hope this helps.
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Disclaimer: My comments on this foorum are my own and do not represent the opinions or suggestions of any other person or business entity.
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Anuj Dhawan
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
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Location: Mumbai,India

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Bill. I was little unsure if I'm missing something as I said earlier,why do we have such threads every now and then and in multiple forums.

Sigh of relief, Appreciate your help... Smile
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Terry_Heinze
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Joined: 31 May 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm guessing that situation #1 is the most common.
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Anuj Dhawan
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Joined: 19 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll go with what has written in parenthesis... Very Happy ..and this is not a language barrier, I believe - just sheer ignorance.
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expat
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, you can "DELETE" a tape by over writing it. I recall working for a bank and when a tape was scrapped, it was written over several times with generated binary patterns before being sent away for destruction.

In the event of faulty tapes, these were physically destroyed on site.
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Anuj Dhawan
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
you can "DELETE" a tape by over writing it.
Yeah agree but it's over written, contentes are not deleted? May be I'd say, TAPE is TAPE it can not behave like RAM whereas DASDs can?
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nevilh
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

you can "DELETE" a tape by over writing it.
Yeah agree but it's over written, contentes are not deleted?

Disk data is also not deleted. All that is done is VTOC updated
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Anuj Dhawan
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You make me scratch my head. I was thinking about DASD similar to "HD" of Personal Computers and TAPE as "reel castles" which we used to use in "music tape recorders" in old days?...mmm, I'm curious what actually happens at physical level Confused
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nevilh
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Physically nothing happens. Only the pointers to the data are removed. If you want to test allocate a dataset using ABSTR . Add some easily recognisable data into the dataset. Delete the dataset . Reallocate the dataset using ABSTR . You should then be able to see the data that you added before deleting and reallocating the dataset . If you have no possibility to allocate the dataset without a close being performed, then after Reallocating the dataset use the DFDSS print command and you will see the data.
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