tape-filemark · shipping · also filemark, tape mark

Tape filemark

A tape filemark is a recorded logical delimiter separating files in a sequential tape stream.

Related Observatory article: Tape filemark on hesela.com

A mark is not itself a universal acknowledgement that earlier data reached the medium: immediate command semantics can allow buffered completion. IBM 3592 WRITE FILEMARKS with IMMED=0 and count=0 instead synchronizes pending data and marks without adding a delimiter. [3] Linux MTWEOFI and MT_ST_NOWAIT_EOF require particular care when interpreting completion. [1]

Relations

related

tape, lto, tape-buffer-synchronization

Limitations

• File boundaries and confirmed medium completion are distinct properties. [3, 1]

Citations

1. Linux v6.12: SCSI tape driver, buffering and MT_ST_NOWAIT_EOF (accessed 2026-10-16)
2. Linux v6.12 st.c: st_flush, st_set_options and st_int_ioctl (accessed 2026-10-16)
3. IBM 3592 SCSI Reference GA32-0968-07, section 5.2.52, page 199 (2026) (accessed 2026-10-16)

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