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Version: DPX 4.15

Using the Operate Tape Library Window

The Operate Tape Library window enables you to manage the contents of a tape library. You use the window to do the following:

  • Format, verify, or scan tape volumes within the tape library.
  • Read or write a tape volume label.
  • Import or export tape volume.
  • Load or unload a tape volume from a drive.
  • Assign a tape volume to a media pool.

Overview of the Tape Library Control Functions​

Before you can operate the Tape Library Control functions, you must select an operation from a menu or the task panel. All functions can be carried out either by selecting a source and destination, then click Go or by dragging a media volume from an import port or drive to a slot or from a slot to a drive, an export port, or a media pool.

The following diagram illustrates a functional overview of the tape library control functions.

SOURCEDESTINATIONFUNCTIONFUNCTION
TAPE SLOT[1…x]†DRIVE[1…x]LOAD
READ LABEL
WRITE LABEL		VERIFY
SCAN
FORMAT
PORT[1…x]EXPORTEXPORT
MEDIA POOL[1]ADD MEDIAADD MEDIA
TAPE DRIVE[1]SLOT[1]UNLOADUNLOAD
TAPE PORT[1…x]SLOT[1…x]IMPORTIMPORT
† Includes slot with cleaning tape

Opening the Operate Tape Library Window​

To Open a Selected Tape Library for Operation:​

  1. On the Control Devices window, select a tape library from the resource tree by clicking the tape library icon or name.
  2. Open the Operate Tape Library window by doing one of the following:

    • Right-click a tape library name or icon to display a context menu. Select Operate Tape Library.

    • From the menu bar, select Device > Operate Tape Library.

      Tip. The Operate Tape Library entry appears on the Device menu when at least one tape library is configured.

    • On the task panel, click Operate A Selected Tape Library.

      The message “Do you want to update the inventory in the tape library?” is displayed. If you want to be sure that the management console displays the most current tape library inventory, click Yes. This directs the tape library to inventory every slot and may take considerable time. Click No to direct the management console to display the inventory cached in the tape library.


      The Operate Tape Library window opens in a new window as a double pane with three panels in the right pane.

      Note. You can also open the Operate Tape Library window by clicking a column heading on the Control Devices window, then, from the context menu, selecting Operate Tape Library and the tape library name.

Elements of the Operate Tape Library Window​

The Operate Tape Library window displays the contents of a tape library. It displays the status of all slots, ports, and tape drives. The left side of the window displays the slots and information about the media volumes inside them. The top portion (drive panel) of the right side of the window displays information about the drives. The middle portion (port panel) of the right side of the window displays information about the ports. The bottom portion (media pool panel) of the right side of the window displays information about the available media pools.

To print comprehensive tape library information, including slots, drives, and ports:​

  • From the menu bar on the Operate Tape Library window, select File > Show Print Friendly Version.

To see device paths to a SAN drive (i.e., the nodes that can access that drive), right-click SAN drive in the drive panel (top right section of the Operate Tape Library window).

If your tape library has a barcode reader, barcodes should appear in the barcode columns. If they do not appear, set the -b on option (short for “barcode on”) for the tape library parameter SSJUKER. (For example, SSJUKER -b on.) After setting SSJUKER, you need to properly shut down the communication agent (cmagent) and restart. Contact Catalogic Software Data Protection Technical Support if you need help with the environment variable.

Tip.

In Windows, parameters are set in registry entries in:

HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Syncsort\\BEX\\nodename\\0.
Note.

If your tape library is not Catalogic Software certified, DPX might not be able to operate the barcode reader, and the barcode will not appear in the barcode columns.

From the Operate Tape Library window, you can manually move tapes among slots, ports, and drives. To do this, select the function you want to perform, click the slot, port, or drive containing the tape you want to move and drag it to the slot, port, or drive where you want it to go.

You cannot directly move tapes between slots, and if you move a tape from a slot to a drive, the only slot to which you can return it will be the original slot. To move a tape between two slots, move it to a port first.

Each tape drive is accessed through its device server node in the Enterprise. A SAN drive can be accessed through multiple nodes (device paths). For SAN drives, DPX preselects a device path for the drive (defaulting to the first one). If you want to change this device path, right-click SAN drive in the top right section (drive panel) and select an available path.

The physical inventory of a tape library may become unsynchronized with the inventory displayed in the Operate Tape Library window from activities performed outside the management console, such as exporting a media volume and removing it from the export port. When this happens, if your tape library has a barcode reader, you can use Refresh to update the displayed inventory to accurately reflect the contents and state of the tape library. This closes the current Operate Tape Library window and displays the message “Do you want to update the inventory in the tape library?” Click Yes to direct the tape library to inventory every slot. The Operate Tape Library window re-opens in a new browser instance and may take considerable time to display the new inventory.

You can perform operations for multiple tapes, ports, and drives in a single action by using CTRL-click or SHIFT-click.

The procedures for each operation are in the topics that follow.

Note.

Some of the features on this window are not available for StorageTek Automated Cartridge Systems or ADIC/Quantum AML Automated Storage Libraries.

The following describes some elements of the Operate Tape Library window:​

  • Tape Library Context Menus
    Tape Library context menus, which are opened by right-clicking an object, vary according to the state of the last operation. Task descriptions discuss context menus as appropriate.

  • Operate Tape Library Menus
    In addition to the common menu options, the Operate Tape Library window contains two other menus, Function and Option.
    To access an item in the Function menu, do one of the following:

    • From the menu bar, select Function. Then select the desired item.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut [ALT+U], use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys to select the desired menu item, then press [Enter].
      The following is the Option menu:
      To access an item in the Option menu, do one of the following:
    • From the menu bar, select Option. Then select the desired item.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut [ALT+O], use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys to select the desired menu item, then press [Enter].


    The menu options are described in the topics that follow.

  • Tape Library Task Panel
    The tape library task panel buttons are described in the topics that follow.

  • Operate Tape Library Window: Left Pane
    The left pane of the Operate Tape Library window contains the slots where tapes are stored. The following is a sample of a left pane.

  • Operate Tape Library Window: Right Pane
    The right pane of the Operate Tape Library window contains the devices, the ports, and the media pools panels.

  • Operate Tape Library: Column Headings
    Left Pane Headings:

    • Slot#
      This column indicates the slot number and displays the slot icon. As you roll over either one with your mouse, a tool tip will appear giving some information about the device. The slot icon displays a media volume icon if it is occupied.

    • VOLSER
      This is the volser either from the media volume label or the media pool entry. If “Medium not known” is displayed in the volser column, neither the bar code nor the label has been read. Click on this text to view more information about the media volume.

      If the message states that the medium does not have media pool information, you can add it to a media pool by clicking Yes. See Assigning Media in a Tape Library to a Media Pool.

    • Barcode
      If the tape library has a barcode reader and the media volume has a barcode, it is displayed in this column.

    • JobName
      This is the name of the last job associated with this media volume if one exists.

    • Media_Status
      This column indicates the status of the media volume. The values are:

      NewThe media volume has not yet been labeled or written to.
      EmptyThe media volume has been labeled and contains no unexpired jobs.
      AppendableThe media volume contains one or more unexpired jobs.
      InDriveThe media volume has been loaded to a tape drive.
      InaccessibleThe media volume is not accessible, possibly because the drive to which it is loaded or being loaded is out of service.

    • Media_pool
      This column indicates the name of the media pool this media volume is associated with.
      Right Pane Top Panel (Devices) Headings:
      These fields are empty if there is no media volume in the drive.

    • Device
      The 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

    • VOLSER
      This is the volser from the media volume label.

    • Barcode
      If the tape library has a barcode reader and the media volume has a barcode, it is displayed in this column.

    • Slot#
      This column indicates the number of the slot from which the media volume was loaded.

    • Status
      The status field indicates the current status of the operation of the drive. The values are:

      FreeThe drive is not undergoing an operation.
      LoadingAn operation has requested that a media volume be loaded into the drive.
      UnloadingAn operation has requested that a media volume be unloaded from the drive to its home slot.
      Reading LabelAn operation has requested that the tape library read the media volume’s label.
      Writing LabelAn operation has requested that the tape library write a label on the media volume.
      FormattingThe tape is being formatted.
      VerifyingDPX is ensuring that either an entire media volume or a particular media volume partition can be read.
      ReleasingAn operation is releasing the drive.
      MountingAn operation has requested the tape library to mount a tape on the drive.
      MountedThe tape library has mounted the tape on the drive as requested.
      DismountingAn operation has requested the tape library to dismount a tape from the drive.


    Right Pane Middle Panel (Ports) Headings:

    This panel is blank if there are no import and export ports on the tape library.

    • Port

      This column indicates an import or export port number.
    • VOLSER

      This is the volser from the media volume label.
    • Barcode

      If the tape library has a barcode reader and the media volume has a barcode, it is displayed in this column.
      Right Pane Bottom Panel (Media Pools) Headings:
    • MediaPool

      The MediaPool column indicates which media pools match the media type of this tape library.
    • New_Volser#

      The New_Volser column indicates the number of media volumes assigned to this media pool with a Status: Current Value of New.
    • Unassign_Volser#s

      The Unassign_Volser#s column indicates the number of configured volume serial numbers not yet associated with media volumes.
See also.