For sequential access storage pools with other than FILE or SERVER device type, you must prepare volumes for use. When the server accesses a sequential access volume, it checks the volume name in the header to ensure that the correct volume is being accessed. To prepare a volume:
| Tip: | When you use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command with drives in an automated library, you can label and check in the volumes with one command. |
If you have not allowed scratch volumes in the storage pool, identify the volume, by name, to the ADSM server so that it can be accessed later. For details, see "Defining Storage Pool Volumes".
You can use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command to label and check in volumes in one operation.
Use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command from the server console or an administrative client. When you use the command, you provide parameters that specify:
To use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command, there must be a drive that is not in use by another ADSM process. This includes volumes that are mounted but idle. If necessary, use the DISMOUNT VOLUME command to dismount the idle volume to make that drive available.
By default, the label command does not overwrite an existing label on a volume. However, if you want to overwrite existing volume labels, you can specify OVERWRITE=YES when you use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command.
Attention: By overwriting a volume label, you destroy all of the data that resides on the volume. Use caution when overwriting volume labels to avoid destroying important data.
Use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command to specify the volume for labeling. (You can use the VOLRANGE parameter of the LABEL command for a large number of volumes.) For automated libraries, you are prompted to mount the volume in the entry/exit slot of the library. If no entry/exit slot is available, mount the volume in an empty slot. For manual libraries, you are prompted to load the volume directly into a drive.
You can label volumes one at a time or let ADSM search the library for volumes.
The LABEL LIBVOLUME command assumes that you will insert volumes into the library when prompted to do so. The label process then mounts each inserted volume into a drive and writes a label to it using a name that you enter at a prompt. This is the default mode of operation when you specify a library for use with the LABEL LIBVOLUME command.
If the library does not have an entry/exit port, you are prompted to remove the tape from a specified slot number (not a drive). If the library has an entry/exit port, the command by default returns each labeled volume to the entry/exit port of the library.
The LABEL LIBVOLUME command searches all of the storage slots in the library for volumes and tries to label each one that it finds. You choose this mode when you specify the SEARCH parameter. After a volume is labeled, the volume is returned to its original location in the library.
If the library has a bar-code reader, the LABEL LIBVOLUME command can use the reader to obtain volume names, instead of prompting you for volume names. Use the SEARCH=YES and LABELSOURCE=BARCODE parameters.
The labeling process only attempts to label volumes that reside in the INSERT category in the library. All other volumes are ignored by the labeling process. This precaution prevents the inadvertent destruction of that data on volumes being actively used by other systems connected to the library device.
| Note: | The LABEL LIBVOLUME command will label the volumes in the INSERT category and in the PRIVATE , 3490SCRATCH, and 3590SCRATCH categories (but not the volumes already checked into the library). |
The media for optical drives needs to be formatted before use. You can use the DSMLABEL utility to format and label 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch optical disks. Use the -format parameter when starting the DSMLABEL utility.
> dsmlabel -drive=/dev/rop1,117 -library=/dev/lb0 -search -format
The following are some examples of labeling volumes.
Suppose you want to label all of the volumes that reside in a SCSI library. The library device is an Exabyte EXB-120 and, although it contains four drives, you only want to use two of them to label volumes. The drives are at element addresses 116 and 117. Enter the following command:
label libvolume adsmlibname search=yes labelsource=barcode
If the server is not available, use the following command:
> dsmlabel -drive=/dev/mt0,116 -drive=/dev/mt1,117 -library=/dev/lb0 -search
Suppose you want to label a few new volumes for use in your existing Exabyte EXB-120 library. You want to manually insert each new volume into the library, and you want the volumes to be placed in storage slots inside the library after their labels are written. You know that none of the new volumes contains valid data, so it is acceptable to overwrite existing volume labels. You only want to use one of the library's four drives for these operations. Enter the following command:
label libvolume adsmlibname volname overwrite=yes
If the server is not available, use the following command:
> dsmlabel -drive=/dev/mt0,116 -library=/dev/lb0 -overwrite -keep
Suppose you want to label a few new volumes using a tape drive that is not part of an automated library. The drive is attached at SCSI address 5. Enter the following command:
label libvolume adsmlibname volname
If the server is not available, use the following command:
> dsmlabel -drive=/dev/mt5
Suppose you want to label all of the volumes that are in the INSERT category in an IBM 3494 tape library and you want to use both of the two drives within the library. Enter the following command:
label libvolume adsmlibname search=yes
| Note: | If the volumes to be labeled are 3590 media, you must add DEVTYPE=3590. |
If the server is not available, use the following command:
> dsmlabel -drive=/dev/rmt1 -drive=/dev/rmt2 -library=/dev/lmcp0
| Task | Required Privilege Class |
|---|---|
| Inform the server when a new volume is available in an automated library | System or unrestricted storage |
You inform the server that a new volume is available in an automated library by checking in the volume with the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command. When a volume is checked in, the server adds the volume to its library volume inventory. You can also use the LABEL LIBVOLUME command to label and check in volumes in one operation.
| Note: | Do not mix volumes with bar-code labels and volumes without bar-code labels in a library device because bar-code scanning can take a long time for unlabeled volumes. |
| Processing time: | Wait for the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME process to complete before defining volumes or the defining process will fail. Because the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command involves device access, it may take a long time to complete. For this reason, the command always executes as a background process. |
When you check in a volume, you must supply the name of the library and the status of the volume (private or scratch).
To check in one or just a few volumes, you can specify the name of the volume with the command, and issue the command for each volume. See "Checking In Volumes One at a Time (SEARCH=NO)".
To check in a larger number of volumes, you can use the search capability of the CHECKIN command (see "Searching the Library (SEARCH=YES)") or you can use the VOLRANGE parameter of the CHECKIN command.
When using the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command, be prepared to supply some or all of the following information:
For optical volumes being checked in to an automated library, you must specify CHECKLABEL=YES. ADSM must read the label to determine the type of volume: rewritable (OPTICAL device type) or write-once read-many (WORM or WORM12 device type).
To check in volume VOL001 manually (if the library does have an EE port), enter the following command:
checkin libvolume tapelib vol001 search=no status=scratch
You are prompted to insert a cartridge into one of the slots in the library.
If the library does not have an entry/exit port, you are prompted to remove the tape from a specified slot number (not a drive).
These slots are identified by element addresses. You can find these element addresses in the worksheet for the device (use Table 24 to find the worksheet).
For example, ADSM finds that the first empty slot is at element address 5. The message is:
ANR8306I 001: Insert 8MM volume VOL001 R/W in slot with element address 5 of library TAPELIB within 60 minutes; issue 'REPLY' along with the request ID when ready.
Check the worksheet for the device if you are not sure of the location of element address 5 in the library. When you have inserted the volume as requested, respond to the message from an ADSM administrative client. Use the request number (the number at the beginning of the mount request):
reply 1
Specify this option if you want to check in only a single volume that is not currently in the library. ADSM requests that the mount operator load the volume in the entry/exit port of the library.
If the library does not have an entry/exit port, ADSM requests that the mount operator load the volume into a slot within the library. The request specifies the location with an element address. For any library or autochanger that does not have an entry/exit port, you need to know the element addresses for the cartridge slots and drives. If there is no worksheet listed for your device in Table 24, see the documentation that came with your library.
| Note: | Element addresses are sometimes numbered starting with a number other than one. Check the worksheet to be sure. |
You can use this option for a 349X library, to search for volumes that have already been inserted into the library via the convenience or bulk I/O station. If the volume has already been inserted, the server finds and processes it. If not, you can insert the volume into the I/O station during the processing of the command.
Specify this option if you want ADSM to automatically search the library for new volumes that have not already been added to the library volume inventory. Use this mode when you have a large number of volumes to check in, and you want to avoid issuing an explicit CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command for each volume.
With this option, you cannot specify a volume name because the server searches for multiple new volumes in the library.
For example, for a SCSI library you can simply open the library access door, place all of the new volumes in unused slots, close the door, and issue the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command with SEARCH=YES.
If you are using a 349X library, the server searches only for new volumes in the following categories:
If 3590 support is enabled, the server searches for two scratch categories: SCRATCHCATEGORY, and SCRATCHCATEGORY + 1.
This restriction prevents the server from using volumes owned by another application that is accessing the library simultaneously.
When you check in a volume, you can specify whether ADSM should read the labels of the media during check-in processing. When label-checking is on, ADSM mounts each volume to read the internal label and only checks in a volume if it is properly labeled. This can prevent future errors when volumes are actually used in storage pools, but also increases processing time at check in. For information on how to label new volumes, see "Preparing Removable Media for ADSM".
To save time when checking in many volumes for a library with a bar-code reader, you can specify that the check-in process use the bar-code reader. If a volume has a bar-code label, ADSM uses the characters on the label as the name for the volume being checked in. If a volume has no bar-code label, ADSM mounts the volumes in a drive and attempts to read the recorded label.
For example, to use the bar-code reader to check in all volumes found in the TAPELIB library as scratch volumes, enter the following command:
checkin libvolume tapelib search=yes status=scratch checklabel=barcode
If you check in a volume that has already been defined in a storage pool, you must use a volume status of private. This status ensures that the volume is not overwritten when a scratch mount is requested. The server does not check in a volume with scratch status when that volume already belongs to a storage pool.
If no empty slots are available in the library when you are checking in volumes, the check-in fails unless you allow swapping. If you allow swapping and the library is full, ADSM selects a volume to eject before checking in the volume you requested.
ADSM selects the volume to eject by checking first for any available scratch volume, then for the least frequently mounted volume.