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HPE has announced a limited product exchange program for a specific batch of HPE LTO-9 Ultrium data cartridges, both rewritable (RW) and Write Once Read Many (WORM) media, that were manufactured between July 2021 and November 2021, due to a potential risk of fatigue failure of the tape reel (i.e. the winding core). Fatigue failure could result in breakage of the tape reel during write/read operation, thereby stopping the tape drive and requiring technical support to remove the tape cartridge from the drive. If broken, data written on the tape will become unrecoverable. The potential risk of fatigue failure increases with the combination of repeated data transfer operations and higher temperature and/or higher humidity operating environments. Depending on client usage, patterns, and operating conditions, it may be several years before the fatigue failure occurs. Fatigue failure may occur on a cartridge after the equivalent of 700 TB transfer of uncompressed data (write or read operations) when used within the Recommended Operating Environmental Conditions . The Recommended Operating Environmental Conditions for HPE LTO-9 Ultrium data cartridges are: Temperature: 15°C to 25°C Humidity: 20% to 50% RH Max. Dew Point Temperature: 22°C Fatigue failure may also occur after the equivalent of 300 TB of uncompressed data (write or read operations), when used in conditions exceeding the Recommended Operating Environmental Conditions, but within the Allowable Operating Environmental Conditions , which would be the following: Temperature: 15°C to 35°C Humidity: 20% to 80% RH Max. Dew Point Temperature: 22°C HPE estimates that the cartridge failure rate based on these conditions is less than 1%; however, this rate could potentially increase significantly with continued writing and/or reading of the tape cartridge and may also depend on the mode of use in conjunction with the specific hardware in operation. While this potential failure has not been reported to HPE by any customer operating in an existing data protection environment, out of an abundance of caution, HPE is proactively initiating a replacement program for affected cartridges.
This advisory applies to cartridges manufactured between July 26, 2021 and November 25, 2021 and shipped in the following SKU configurations: HPE SKU Description Q2079A HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW Data Cartridge Q2079AA HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW 20 Data Cartridges Q2079AL HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW 20 Data Cartridges Custom Labelled with Cases Q2079AC HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW 20 Data Cartridges Custom Labelled Library Pack without Cases Q2079AH HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW 20 Data Cartridges Library Pack without Cases Q2079AN HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB RW 20 Data Cartridges Non Custom Labelled with Cases Q2079W HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB WORM Data Cartridge Q2079WL HPE LTO-9 Ultrium 45 TB WORM 20 Data Cartridges Custom Labelled with Cases HPE LTO-9 Ultrium data cartridges manufactured on or before November 25, 2021, can be identified by either checking the manufacturing date recorded in the cartridge memory chip, or by checking the 8-digit Lot ID printed on the back of the tape cartridge (see image below) to determine if it falls under any of the following patterns. Media will be eligible for this replacement program if the Lot ID pattern corresponds to one of the sequences listed below (Note: “x” can be any character or number): xx 71 xxxx xx 81 xxxx xx 91 xxxx xx O1 xxxx x 0N1 xxxx x 1N1 xxxx 52N1 xxxx
If a tape cartridge is found with one or more of the above identifiers, discontinue use and visit the HPE LTO-9 Ultrium Media Product Replacement Program web page to make a replacement request. NOTE : Depending on client usage patterns and operating conditions, it may be several years before the fatigue failure occurs. Regardless of the potentially low risk of manifestation of this issue, HPE recommends immediately discontinuing use of affected HPE LTO-9 Ultrium data cartridges (both rewritable and Write Once Read Many [WORM] variants) manufactured between July 26, 2021 and November 25, 2021, if the information printed on the base of the cartridge is consistent with 8-digit Lot ID, as shown in the Scope section, and applying online for a product replacement. IMPORTANT : To qualify for this program, it will be necessary to provide proof of purchase information. Visit the HPE LTO-9 Ultrium Media Product Replacement Program web page to obtain a Contact Form and further details about how to apply for replacement HPE LTO-9 media. HPE is also recommending updating the firmware for your HPE tape system. HPE LTO-9 tape drives running firmware version Q3F9 will automatically identify affected media and limit its use by alerting the application to media end of life (HPE LTO-9 drive firmware is available from the HPE Support Center website). This will allow quarantine and replacement of affected cartridges with newer media. Users of non-HPE LTO-9 tape drives should contact their hardware provider for the latest firmware. NOTE : Continued use of affected media, once it has been set to End of Life by the firmware, will result in the media to be restricted to a read-only functionality to encourage migration to a newer media that does not have this issue. To minimize the inconvenience and disruption that this will cause, HPE will, at no charge, replace affected cartridges with new LTO-9 tape cartridges manufactured with a durability-improved reel , subject to our standard Limited Lifetime Warranty for HPE LTO-9 data cartridges. The "no charge" replacement includes the cost of shipping replacement cartridges to your preferred location. RECEIVE PROACTIVE UPDATES : Receive support alerts (such as Customer Advisories), as well as updates on drivers, software, firmware, and customer replaceable components, proactively in your e-mail through HPE Support Alerts. Sign up for Support Alerts at the following URL: HPE Email Preference Center
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