When a tape is introduced for the first time in a data center, it is free. Before a volume can be used for the first time it must be initialized.
When an application requests a volume, it is reserved. A volume is not available for other applications as long as a reservation exists.
Once the expiration date has been reached, a tape can be released again. Before it may be used again by another application it has to be reinitialized. When a tape is reserved, it can be exported to remote data center. The exception is WORM (Write Once, Read Many) tapes supported from MAREN V12.6C within device-type TAPE-U4W. A WORM tape can be written only once. Moreover, WORM tapes cannot be deleted before the active protection period expired and never can be exported as WORM tapes supported in MAREN V12.6C are virtual (ETERNUS CS).