A computer system may include a host computer system and a storage device such as a tape device that includes one or more tape drives. The host computer system may be configured to provide commands to the storage device and to initiate a timeout period for each command provided to the storage device. The host computer system may be configured to initiate a first timeout period if a first type of command is provided to the storage device, to initiate a second timeout period if a second type of command is provided to the storage device, and to initiate a third timeout period if a third type of command is provided to the storage device, where the first timeout period, the second timeout period, and the third timeout period each have a different duration.