Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-24
2001-02-06
Dinh, Tan (Department: 2752)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C700S214000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185165
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to automated data storage libraries which transport portable data storage media between storage slots and data storage drives, and, more particularly, to the configuration of an automated data storage library into multiple logical libraries for sharing the automated data storage library between multiple hosts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automated data storage libraries are known for providing cost effective access to large quantities of stored data. Generally, data storage libraries include a large number of storage slots on which are stored portable data storage media. The typical portable data storage media is a tape cartridge or an optical cartridge. An accessor robot typically accesses the data storage media from the storage slots and delivers the accessed media to a data storage drive for reading and/or writing data on the accessed media. Suitable electronics both operate the accessor robot and operate the data storage drives to transmit and/or receive data from an attached on-line host computer system.
In a conventional automated data storage library, the storage slots are arranged in a planar orthogonal arrangement forming a “wall” of data storage media. The plane may be a flat plane, or may be cylindrical. To double the storage capacity, two “walls” of data storage media may be provided on either side of the accessor robot.
A number of different companies manufacture automated data storage libraries today, each model displaying various different features. Some automated data storage libraries offer the capability of sharing the entire library with a plurality of hosts. The IBM 3575 Tape Library Dataserver with Multi-Path Feature has the internal capability to allocate drives and storage slots and to handle contentions among the hosts for the same library components. The ATL Products PL50 Library Hub is directed to sharing a library among multiple hosts externally of the library. Hereinafter, the term “logical library controller” is used to refer to the controller with sharing capability, whether it is internal or external to the library.
Conventionally, the components of the automated data storage library, such as data storage drives and storage slots, are sequentially assigned to each of the hosts either automatically (and typically equally) or manually where the operator assigns numbers of the components to each logical library at the host terminal. The assignments are then utilized by the logical library controller for accessing media from the assigned storage slots and directing the accessor robot to deliver the media to the assigned data storage drives in the logical library for each of the separate hosts.
A logical library controller typically comprises a microprocessor, including a database, which may comprise a memory, and input/output adapters, such as SCSI ports. The database typically stores the programs (microcode) which cause the controller to operate the library, and include information indicating the characteristics of the particular library and the logical library assignments. The programs for the controller may be installed or updated by a typical input device, such as a CD-ROM optical drive, but the specific information characterizing the specific library and logical library assignments are typically unavailable externally and only appear in the manually entered database.
The controller memory may fail and require replacement. The microcode may be restored on the replacement memory by installing the microcode at the CD-ROM, but the specific information characterizing the specific library and the logical library assignments would be lost, and would have to be manually entered or manually selected. A difficulty is that there may be no record known by or available to the operator or the memory installer to identify the logical library assignments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide logical library assignment information for the logical library controller that is easily implemented and is available separately from the controller database.
Disclosed is a vision system for partitioning an automated data storage library, having a plurality of storage slots for storing data storage media, into multiple logical libraries. The system includes a positionable vision indicator having logical library indicia, which is positioned at a location where it is desired to identify storage slots for a logical library. A reader is provided for reading the indicia and for locating the positionable vision indicator, and a processor (logical library controller) is coupled to the reader, assigning, in response to the indicia and the location, a sequential portion of the storage slots adjacent the location to one of the multiple logical libraries.
Similarly, data storage drives and I/O slots may also be identified for a logical library.
In one embodiment, the data storage media have media indicia thereon, and the positionable vision indicator may comprise a dummy data storage media positionable in the storage slots, and the logical library indicia is readable by the same reader as the media indicia.
In another embodiment, holders are positioned at locations adjacent to groups of the storage slots and the positionable vision indicator is a label support having logical library indicia, and is mountable on the holders. The positionable vision indicator label support may comprise a snap-on label support assembly which may be pressed onto and engage the holders. Alternatively, the holders may comprise a magnetically permeable attachment surface, and the positionable vision indicator label support comprises a magnet which may be moved into proximity with and magnetically engage the holders.
For a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Jesionowski Leonard George
Yardy Raymond
Dinh Tan
Holcombe John H.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Sullivan Robert M.
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