Environmental specifications

Refer to these environmental specifications to determine where to place the tape library.

Table 1 lists the recommended environmental specifications for the tape library when operating and when powered off. Figure 1 is a psychrometric chart showing the allowable and recommended operating environments. Table 2 provides guidelines for gas and particulate exposure.
Exclamation point and attention notice
Attention: The environments in Table 1 refer to the hardware of the tape library and may lead to temperatures greater than allowable for the cartridges and media stored in the library. Refer to the following topics and adjust the operating environment for the library accordingly.
Table 1. Equipment environment specifications for the tape library
Product operation (equipment is powered on) Product power off1
Dry-bulb temperature Humidity range, non-condensing Maximum wet-bulb temperature5 Maximum dew point temperature6 Maximum elevation Dry-bulb temperature Relative humidity Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Allowable2 Recommended 3 Maximum rate of change Allowable Recommended Maximum rate of change
16 to 32°C
(60 to 90°F)		 16 to 25°C
(60 to 77°F)		 5°C/hour
(9°F/hour)		 20% to 80% RH 20% to 50% RH 5% RH/hour4 with no condensation 26°C (79°F) 22°C (72°F) 3050 m (10,000 feet) 5 to 45°C
(40 to 113°F)		 8% to 80% RH 26°C (79°F)
Notes:
  1. Product equipment is removed from the original shipping container and installed but not in use - for example, during repair, maintenance, or upgrade.
  2. Derate maximum dry-bulb temperature 1°C/300 m above 900 m (1.8°F/1,000 feet above 3,000 feet).
  3. Derate maximum recommended dry-bulb temperature 1°C/300 m above 1,800 m (1.8°F/1,000 feet above 6,000 feet).
  4. For 3592 media, changes of up to 40% RH in 5 minutes are allowed as long as the 20% to 80% absolute limits are not exceeded.
  5. Applies to LTO drive generations 1 through 8 and to legacy 3592 drives (TS1155 and prior generations).
  6. Applies to TS1160 and LTO 9 drives.
Figure 1. Psychrometric chart showing recommended and allowable operating environments for the tape library
Psychrometric chart showing recommended and allowable operating environments
Notes:
  • The chart is shown in SI (metric) units and a barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa (sea level).
  • The recommended operating environment specifies a long-term operating environment that can result in the greatest reliability and energy efficiency.
  • The allowable operating environment represents where the equipment has been tested to verify functionality. Due to the stresses that operating in the allowable envelope can place on the equipment, these envelopes should be used for short-term operation, not continuous operation (for example, in the case of a cooling failure).
Table 2. Gas and particulate exposure
Contaminate Requirement
Gaseous contamination Severity level G1 as per ANSI/ISA 71.04-1985,1 which states that the reactivity rate of copper coupons shall be less than 300 Angstroms per month (Å/month, ≈ 0.0039 µg/cm² - hour weight gain).2 In addition, the reactivity rate of silver coupons shall be less than 300 Å/month (≈ 0.0035 µg/cm² - hour weight gain).3 The reactive monitoring of gaseous corrosivity should be conducted approximately 5 cm (2 inches) in front of the rack on the air inlet side at one-quarter and three-quarter frame height off the floor or where the air velocity is much higher.
Particulate contamination Data centers must meet the cleanliness level of ISO 14644-1 class 8. For data centers without airside economizer, the ISO 14644-1 class 8 cleanliness might be met simply by the choice of the following filtration:
  • The room air might be continuously filtered with MERV 8 filters.
  • Air entering a data center might be filtered with MERV 11 or preferably MERV 13 filters.
For data centers with airside economizers, the choice of filters to achieve ISO class 8 cleanliness depends on the specific conditions present at that data center.

The deliquescent relative humidity of the particulate contamination should be more than 60% RH.4

Data centers must be free of zinc whiskers.5
Notes:
  1. ANSI/ISA-S71.04. 1985. Environmental conditions for process measurement and control systems: Airborne contaminants, Instrument Society of America, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1985.
  2. The derivation of the equivalence between the rate of copper corrosion product thickness growth in Å/month and the rate of weight gain assumes that Cu2S and Cu2O grow in equal proportions.
  3. The derivation of the equivalence between the rate of silver corrosion product thickness growth in Å/month and the rate of weight gain assumes that Ag2S is the only corrosion product.
  4. The deliquescent relative humidity of particulate contamination is the relative humidity at which the dust absorbs enough water to become wet and promote ionic conduction.
  5. Surface debris is randomly collected from 10 areas of the data center on a 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) diameter disk of sticky electrically conductive tape on a metal stub. If examination of the sticky tape in a scanning electron microscope reveals no zinc whiskers, the data center is considered free of zinc whiskers.