Administrator's Guide

Preparing Volumes for Sequential Access Storage Pools

For sequential access storage pools with a FILE or SERVER device type, no labeling or other preparation of volumes is necessary.

For sequential access storage pools with other than a 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:

1. Label the volume. Any volumes associated with the following device types must be labeled before the server can use them:
   • 3570
   • 3590
   • 4MM
   • 8MM
   • CARTRIDGE
   • DLT
   • DTF
   • ECARTRIDGE
   • GENERICTAPE
   • OPTICAL
   • QIC
   • WORM
   • WORM12
   • WORM14

   See "Labeling Sequential Access Volumes".

2. For storage pools in automated libraries, use the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command to check the volume into the library. See "Informing the Server about New Volumes in a Library".

   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.

3. You can skip this step if you allowed scratch volumes in the storage pool by specifying a value greater than zero for the MAXSCRATCH parameter.

   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".

Defining Storage Pool Volumes

When you define a storage pool volume, you inform the server that the volume is available for storing backup, archive, or space-managed data.

For a sequential access storage pool, the ADSM server can use dynamically acquired scratch volumes, volumes that you define, or a combination.

To define a volume named VOL1 in the ENGBACK3 tape storage pool, enter:

define volume engback3 vol1

Using Scratch Volumes

You do not have to define volumes in sequential storage pools if you use the MAXSCRATCH parameter when you define or update the storage pool.You do not have to define volumes in tape storage pools if you use the MAXSCRATCH parameter when you define or update the storage pool. Setting MAXSCRATCH to a value greater than zero lets the storage pool dynamically acquire volumes as needed. ADSM automatically defines the volumes as they are acquired. The volumes are also automatically deleted from the storage pool when the server no longer needs them.

Before a scratch volume with other than FILE or SERVER device type can be used, it must have a standard label. See "Preparing Volumes for Sequential Access Storage Pools".