A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: determine, by the processor, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred. One or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined are also determined, by the processor, based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape is induced by the processor, such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the one or more areas in turn. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value are identified, by the processor, as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving, from a tape drive, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred, in addition to determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, the tape drive is instructed to induce relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value is identified as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

A computer-implemented method for determining a damaged area of a magnetic tape loaded in a tape drive, according to one embodiment, includes: determining a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred in response to experiencing the first error. Moreover, the method includes determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined. The one or more areas are determined using a predetermined algorithm which incorporates the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, relative motion is induced between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn. Furthermore, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value is identified as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

A computer-implemented method for determining a damaged area of a magnetic tape loaded in a tape drive, according to one embodiment, includes: determining a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred in response to experiencing the first error. Moreover, the method includes determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined. The one or more areas are determined using a predetermined algorithm which incorporates the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, relative motion is induced between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn. Furthermore, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value is identified as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.

An End of Data Set (BOD) including a High Resolution Tape Directory (HRTD) is written at a position next to a last written user data set on a tape. When appending a new user data set, the new user data set is written starting from a position next to an end longitudinal position (LPOS) of the EOD to generate an overwritten BOD.

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: detecting a first error while accessing a magnetic tape, determining a first error location on the magnetic tape where the first error occurred, determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined, independent of a read and/or write operation, inducing relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn, using the tape head to measure a number of servo errors that occur in each of the respective one or more areas, and identifying each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value as a damaged area of the magnetic tape. The one or more areas are determined using a predetermined algorithm which incorporates the first error location.

In one embodiment, a method includes writing a file into a data partition of a tape medium. The method also includes storing a high resolution tape directory (HRTD) having location information of data in the data partition as part of end of data (EOD) of the index partition. The storing the HRTD as part of the EOD of the index partition includes requesting movement of the tape medium to the index partition in order to update an index file after changes have occurred to data in the data partition, and writing an updated index file into the index partition concurrent to writing an updated HRTD into the EOD of the index partition.

An End of Data Set (EOD) including a High Resolution Tape Directory (HRTD) is written at a position next to a last written user data set on a tape. When appending a new user data set, the new user data set is written starting from a position next to an end longitudinal position (LPOS) of the EOD to generate an overwritten EOD.

A capability to store meta-information related to file access histories on tape recording systems is provided. Base meta-information is stored on a tape. The base meta-information is meta-information that is associated with one or more files that are stored on the tape and is based, at least in part, on a tape access operation history. A first quantity of differentiated meta-information is stored on the tape at a predetermined time interval after storing the base meta-information, wherein the first quantity of differentiated meta-information is based, at least in part, on the tape access operation history and reflects a history of at least one file of the one or more files that are associated with the base meta-information.

Provided is a magnetic tape in which the total thickness of the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.60 m, the magnetic layer includes ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder and an abrasive, a percentage of a plan view maximum area of the abrasive confirmed in a region having a size of 4.3 m6.3 m of the surface of the magnetic layer by plane observation using a scanning electron microscope, with respect to the total area of the region is equal to or greater than 0.02% and less than 0.06%, and a tilt cos 0 of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder with respect to a surface of the magnetic layer acquired by cross section observation performed by using a scanning transmission electron microscope is 0.85 to 1.00.