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Modular Design
Quantum A-Series Tape Drives User’s Guide 33
• Delivering the overall cosmetic look of the system.
The FPM is a single module with lenses for the system’s LEDs and a
button to activate the drive eject switch. The SDLT 600A tape drive front
panel contains no electronics.
Electronic Interface
Module 1
The Electronic Interface Module (EIM) is the electronic heart of the tape
drive. It provides the main control function for the system and the
interface from the system to the host computer, library, or autoloader.
The EIM provides the Advanced PRML feature of Quantum’s SDLT
technology. See Advanced Partial Response Maximum Likelihood
on
page 29 for a brief description of PRML.
The EIM consists of two major boards: the Integrated Controller Module
(ICM), and a separate Host Interface Module (HIM), see figure 10
. The
ICM contains the main controller and servo microprocessor, the custom-
designed SDLT ASICs, and the cache memory while the HIM implements
the interface between the host system and the tape drive. This allows easy
configuration of the tape drive to match different host interfaces by
simply substituting the appropriate HIM card.
As with the other major modules of the SDLT technology, the EIM is
manufactured and tested as a distinct module.
Super DLTtape II Data
Cartridge 1
As with all tape technologies, the Super DLTtape II data cartridge is a key
part of the overall system. The main function of the data cartridge is to
provide the magnetic recording media used by the system to store
customer information. The data cartridge also provides the protective
casing that allows safe media movement and storage.
From the outside, the Super DLTtape II data cartridge looks very similar
to the Super DLTtape I and DLTtape VS1 data cartridges. The basic
geometry, write protection switch, and label space are the same. This
simplifies the integration of the SDLT 600A tape drive into existing
operating environments and into automated tape libraries. The
Super DLTtape II data cartridge is easy to recognize; it has a different
color than the Super DLTtape I and DLTtape VS1 data cartridges, and
contains a distinctive pattern molded into the shell. The DLTtape logo
and the product name are also molded into the shell, which ensure you
have a genuine Quantum Super DLTtape II data cartridge.