Viewing and specifying types of media for a device

The Media Types tab on the device properties displays types of media that can be placed in the device, and lets you specify whether these media types can be used for read or write operations.

Backup Exec's device and media database maintains a list of media types, such as 4mm, and then further defines the subcategories of a media type. For example, a 4mm media type can include 4mm DDS-1 with a length of 60m and the storage capacity of 1.3 GB. Another 4mm tape might also be a 4mm DDS-1 but have a length of 90m and a storage capacity of 2GB.

By default on the Media Types tab, all media type categories are listed, and are allowed for use by both read and write operations. If a number appears in brackets beside the media type, that media entry is available for use when creating a bar code rule.

You can specify that the device be limited to performing read and write operations on specific media types. This information is then incorporated into the device and media database, allowing Backup Exec to exclude this media type when searching for media to be used for a job that requires writing to the media.

To view a device's media type properties

On the navigation bar, click Devices.
Expand the server icon, click Stand-alone Drives, or if the drive is attached to a robotic library, click Robotic Libraries.
Select the device for which you want to view properties.

Under General Tasks in the task pane, select Properties, and then on the Drive Properties dialog box, click Media Type.

The Media Types tab provides the following information:

Media Types	Type of media, such as 4mm, and any defined category of this media type, such as CLN for cleaning tape. Media types that have numbers appearing in brackets (for example, 4mm [6]) can be used to define specific bar code rules.
Read	Displays Yes if this media type can be read by the device; otherwise, displays No.
Write	Displays Yes if this media type can be written to by the device; otherwise, displays No.