Skip to main content
Version: DPX 4.15

Device Control

The device control function provides numerous utilities related to storage devices, tape libraries, and media volumes.

Restrictions.

The Device Control feature is only available in the desktop interface.

In DPX, storage devices are grouped into either device clusters or tape libraries. A device cluster is a collection of devices grouped logically by the system administrator. A tape library is a collection of devices that are physically grouped together

The following table shows the icons used for device clusters and tape libraries in the management console.

TypeVariationIcon
Device Clusternon-SAN[image expected here]
SAN[image expected here]
Tape Librarynon-SAN[image expected here]
SAN[image expected here]

Control Devices Window​

To launch the Control Devices window, select the Control Devices tab on the Function Tab bar, then click Devices. If you right-click, the Control Devices window opens as a new window. The window opens as a single pane.

[image expected here]

Elements of the Control Devices Window​

  • Device Icon Color Coding
    The left side of the icon for a device contains a small square at the left. This square is color coded to indicate a status for that device.
Downed Device[image expected here]The red X denotes a downed device.
Available Device[image expected here]The green circle denotes an available device.
SAN Downed Device[image expected here]The red X along with a green T denotes a downed SAN device.
SAN Available Device[image expected here]The along with a green T green circle denotes an available SAN device.

  • Control Devices Resource Tree
    The Control Devices resource tree displays the hierarchical structure of the device clusters, tape libraries, and devices.

      + Enterprise
          + Cluster/Tape Library
              + Device/SAN Device
                  Device Path (SAN devices only)

    The hierarchical structure presents a SAN Device Path and non-SAN Device (the lowest levels in the hierarchy) in a similar format for consistency. The SAN Path represents the device itself. The format of a SAN Device Path or non-SAN Device consists of

    device-name@node-name.

  • Control Devices Context Menus
    In Control Devices, context menus vary according to the status of the device. For example, you can not down a device that is not up. Thus, if a device is down, Up Device appears on the context menu, but Down Device does not. Task descriptions describe context menus as appropriate.

  • Control Devices Menus
    In addition to the common menu options (see Common Menu Bar Options), the Control Devices window also contains the Device menu.

    To access an item in the Device menu, do one of the following:

    • From the menu bar, select Device. Then select the desired item.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut [ALT+D], use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys to select the desired menu item, then press [Enter].
      The Device menu items are described in the topics that follow.

  • Control Devices Task Panel Buttons
    The Control Devices task panel buttons are described in the topics that follow.

  • Control Devices Column Headings
    Each column in the Control Devices window offers information useful for controlling the individual devices.

DeviceThe device column displays the device icon followed by the device name. As you roll over either one with your mouse, a tool tip will appear giving some information about the device.
Device ClusterThe device cluster column displays a device cluster or tape library icon and name. As you roll over either one with your mouse, a tool tip will appear giving some information about the device cluster or tape library.
VOLSERThe VOLSER is taken from the label of a media volume when the volume is mounted on a device and the label is read.
StatusThe status column indicates the current status of the operation of the drive, for example, loading or unloading.
Control PathThe name of the node from where the device is being driven.
Acquired byThe management console or job name that has acquired the device.
BarcodeIf the tape library has a barcode reader and the media volume has a barcode, it is displayed in this column.
Request for MountThis column indicates if the operator was asked to mount a media volume in this device.

The following are tasks that can be executed from the Control Devices window:​