LTO tape drive · air-gap archive · out of service · PSU failure · confirmed LTO 2026-05-26
mDrive
The ultimate air-gap, long-term storage tier · LTO format confirmed by Dan · likely mLogic mTape / mDrive Thunderbolt enclosure (mLogic mTape2 LTO-6 appears in 2022 eBay correspondence; Hedge Canister archive-management software referenced) · exact model + PSU spec pending rating-plate photo drop
Tier
Air-gap archive
Tape format
TBD · LTO-?
Interface
TBD · Thunderbolt?
Status
PSU failed
EOD estimate
~2040-2045
Tape archival
~30 yrs
Stewardship posture
Every tech record sits at one rung of a containment ladder. As vendor EOL approaches and security updates dry up, the unit steps down the ladder rather than being binarily retired — extending its useful life by isolating risk.
| Tier 0 · normal | Full network access · vendor updates flowing · routine use |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 · firewalled | No inbound exposure · still pulls updates · still on internet |
| Tier 2 · CF Access gated | Behind Cloudflare Access · only authenticated identities reach it · no public ingress |
| Tier 3 · RAID-only · no internet | Bound to LAN · no outbound update channel · still serves files locally |
| Tier 4 · LAN-only · no SMB ingress | Reachable only from a single workstation · no shared mounts |
| Tier 5 · air-gapped | mDrive lives here · powered down between use · tape inserted only for write/read sessions · physically isolated · ultimate cold tier |
Air-gap is the terminal posture — there's no rung below. It's also why the EOD horizon is so long: no firmware to patch, no exposure to defend, no SLA to keep. The drive only needs to power on when called and read tapes the format still supports.
Identity facts
Model
TBD · likely mLogic mDrive Thunderbolt LTO enclosure · confirm from rating plate after photo drop
Tape format
TBD · LTO-? · note the generation marking on the cartridge label
Interface
TBD · Thunderbolt 2 / 3 / USB? · note the rear-panel port shape
Serial number
TBD · capture from rating plate
Power input (OEM PSU)
TBD · voltage · amperage · connector type · polarity — the critical fact needed to source the replacement PSU
Purchase + install
TBD · drop receipt into the zone below to lock the date + retailer
Current location
TBD · note shelf + where the existing tape cartridges live
Tape inventory
TBD · count, generations, label scheme, last-written date per cartridge — drop a photo of the tape rack
Last successful write
TBD · the date the drive was last verified working before the PSU failure
Full specs · mDrive
| Make / model | TBD · pending rating-plate photo |
|---|---|
| Form factor | Desktop tape-drive enclosure · single-cartridge bay |
| Tape generation | TBD · LTO-? (LTO-9 reads ←LTO-7, writes ←LTO-8) |
| Native capacity per tape | TBD · LTO-7: 6 TB · LTO-8: 12 TB · LTO-9: 18 TB |
| Compressed capacity (2.5×) | TBD · multiply native by ~2.5 for typical mixed-media compression |
| Interface | TBD · most mLogic mDrives are Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 3 |
| Power supply | TBD · external brick · spec to be captured from existing PSU label (currently failed) |
| Software | Standard LTFS (Linear Tape File System) on macOS · drag-and-drop file copy once mounted |
| Archival rating | LTO consortium rates tape media at 30 years archival under recommended storage conditions (15-25°C, 20-50% RH, dust-free) |
Drop zone
Drag in a photo of the unit + rating plate + existing PSU label (front, rear, and the small print on the PSU brick). Also welcome: receipts, manuals, tape-cartridge photos, label-scheme notes. Files stay in your browser until you click 📋 Copy JSON for sync and run pa_dropzone_apply.py (or paste the JSON to Claude). Files land in pa/technology/mdrive/.
Sourcing notes · replacement PSU
| Confirmed (Dan) | LTO tape drive · air-gap / cold-tier role · current PSU has failed |
|---|---|
| Software ecosystem | Hedge · Canister — macOS LTFS archive-management tool · prior outreach to canister@hedge.co requesting PSU help · no reply received (Dan, search-confirmed 2026-05-26) |
| Likely vendor | mLogic — Thunderbolt LTO enclosures (mTape / mDrive series) · mLogic mTape2 LTO-6 appears in a March 2022 eBay delivery-update email · no other vendor correspondence found across Gmail / dare.co.uk mailboxes |
| OEM PSU pattern | mLogic Thunderbolt LTO enclosures typically use an external 12 V DC brick · amperage varies by generation (commonly 5-6 A for LTO-6/7 single drives) · 5.5×2.5 mm center-positive barrel is the most common connector for this class |
| Replacement avenues | Direct from mLogic (preferred — they sell PSU spares for legacy units · email support@mlogic.com) · eBay used spares (mLogic enclosures appear regularly · search "mLogic mTape PSU" / "mLogic LTO power supply") · Mean Well GST60A12-P1J or similar 12 V 5 A medical-grade brick as a generic substitute once spec is confirmed |
| What we still need | Rating plate + PSU label photos to lock: exact model · OEM PSU voltage · amperage · connector dimensions · polarity |
A background research pass surfaced Iomega MDHD-series intel — discount that lead; Dan confirmed LTO, so we're firmly in mLogic/Thunderbolt territory rather than consumer USB HDD. The Iomega-MDHD intel is parked as a published report — kept on file in case (a) an actual Iomega MDHD surfaces later in inventory, or (b) the failure profile (12 V brick, 5.5×2.5 barrel) matches another household device. Parked-sketch report → Iomega MDHD PSU intel (2026-05-26).
Files archived
No files yet. First drop should be: (1) the unit from the front, (2) the rear/interface side, (3) the rating plate, and (4) the existing PSU brick label.
Steward actions outstanding
- Find a replacement power supply — drop the existing PSU label photo so we can read voltage / amperage / connector / polarity. Then cross-check against the sourcing-notes intel that lands above.
- Re-ping support — prior thread to
canister@hedge.cowent unanswered; once we have the rating plate + PSU label photo, send a fresh email to support@mlogic.com (vendor-direct beats software-distributor) with model + photos attached. Track the outbound + reply chain back on this page. - Confirm make + model — rating-plate photo of the drive housing. Likely
mLogic mTapeormLogic mDrive, generation TBD (LTO-6 strongly suggested by the 2022 eBay record). - Lock LTO generation — note the LTO number printed on the cartridges you have (LTO-7/8/9 most likely).
- Inventory tape cartridges — count, generation, label scheme, last-written date per tape. Photo of the tape rack.
- Capture last-known-good state — when was this drive last verified working? What was on the tape last written?
- Document the LTFS workflow — once PSU is replaced + drive boots, screenshot the mount-on-macOS flow and note any quirks.
- Storage condition check — confirm tapes live in 15-25°C, 20-50% RH, dust-free conditions (LTO consortium archival spec).
- Rotation / verify cadence — define a schedule for periodic read-back to detect tape degradation before it becomes data loss.
Cross-references
- QNAP TS-453A — Tier 1/2 warm-storage NAS · the LAN-facing sibling
- Synology DS1813+ — Tier 1/2 8-bay sibling NAS
- Technology category index
- Storage-tier context: mDrive is the air-gap cold tier in the household storage stack. Warm = NAS; cold = tape. See the Audrey 4TB photo-library + Immich RAID sketch for the broader storage-pyramid conversation.
- Pattern memory: the Stewardship-posture containment ladder above is a portfolio-wide pattern — every tech record gets an EOD estimate + posture rung. See
feedback_tech_record_eod_and_stewardship_posture.md. - Parked research: Iomega MDHD PSU intel (parked sketch, 2026-05-26) — wrong device family for this mDrive but solid intel on the 12 V brick failure profile; reusable if a Iomega-MDHD-class unit shows up elsewhere in inventory.