Adding a Tape Library

Before defining a tape library to DPX, you must install the tape library driver on the node to which the tape library is attached. Follow the instructions in Chapter 33: Device Configuration Wizard in the DPX 4.9.x Reference Guide.

Note. The DPX tape library driver enables DPX to control the tape library media changer. Do not confuse this driver with tape drive drivers, which are supplied by tape device manufacturers and are available from their websites.

A single tape library cannot contain both devices on a storage area network (SAN) and devices directly connected to a server.

Restrictions. Currently, tape library management is only available through the desktop interface. The tape library management functionality through the web interface will be implemented in future versions of DPX.

To define a new tape library:

1. Click Configure on the Function Tab bar of the window, then click Devices.

2. Open the Add Tape Library dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:

   • Right-click the Enterprise name or icon to display the Enterprise context menu. The selection is indicated by the selection check box next to the Enterprise icon. Then select Add Tape Library.

   • In the left pane, select the Enterprise to which you want to add the tape library and do one of the following:

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

     • On the task panel, click Add Tape Library. The Add Tape Library dialog appears.

3. Complete the active fields in the Add Tape Library dialog:

Tape Library Name

Enter a name (up to 14 alphanumeric characters) for the tape library (for example, New Tape Library). No two tape libraries in the Enterprise can have the same name.

Storage Area Network Specify whether devices in the tape library are connected to a Storage Area Network (SAN). A tape library cannot contain both devices on a SAN and devices directly connected to a server.

Tape Library Type Select a tape library type (for example, EXB210) from the pull-down menu. (For an ADIC SDLC tape library, select ADIC_AML.)

If you select either ACSLS for a StorageTek Automated Cartridge System (ACS), ADIC_AML for an AML Automated Storage Library, IBMATL for an IBM Magstar 3494 Tape Library (IBM 3494), the Using Slot and Cleaning Slot fields disappear and the Storage Area Network field is forced to No.

If you select ACSLS, the Controller ID field disappears and the ACS Number field appears. If you select IBMATL, the Category field appears in the dialog. If you select ADIC_AML, the pull-down menu on the Device Type field is disabled.

Controller Node The controller node is a node that communicates with and controls the tape library media changer. The controller node is a special case of a device server. This is also the node where you have installed the tape library device driver. See Device Configuration Wizard.

Select the node name of the controller node (for example, SALES_SERVER_1). The controller node is connected to the tape library media changer either directly or over a SAN.

Although this node must be running one of the operating systems specified in Manual Tape Library Installation, tape library devices (tape drives) can be attached to any controller node or NDMP node in your regular network or SAN.

Note. Even in a SAN, you need to choose one node as the primary controller node for the tape library. This node manages the robotics and messages. The drives in the tape library can be accessed from any node that can access the SAN.

Tip. A tape library media changer can be controlled by the NDMP node, eliminating the need for a separate Windows or UNIX controller node. To enable a tape library media changer to be controlled by the NDMP node, select the NDMP node name in the Controller Node field in the Add Tape Library dialog.

Controller ID Enter the complete path and name to the media changer device file on the controller node. The media changer device file contains the file handle for the tape library driver. For example, the media changer device file could be /dev/sync_sa/t0d0 for Sun or C:\backex\bin\JB\sync_sa0 for Windows. This file is created by DPX during tape library driver installation. See Device Configuration Wizard.

For IBM 3494, this is the logical name of the library control point that you specified when you first configured IBM 3494. This field does not appear if you choose ACSLS in the Tape Library Type field.

ACS Number This field only appears if you choose ACSLS in the Tape Library Type field. Enter the ACS Number. The ACS Number was specified in ACSLS when the ACS was first configured, and its valid range is 0-126. For more information on ACS, see Chapter 41: Using Oracle StorageTek Automated Cartridge System Library in the DPX 4.9.x Reference Guide.

Category This field appears if you choose IBMATL in the Tape Library Type field.

Device Type Select a device type (for example, 4 mm) from the pull-down menu. All devices in a tape library must be the same type. If you chose ACSLS from the Tape Library Type pull-down menu, the Device Type DLT appears in this field.

Using a Slot Enter the starting and ending slot numbers to use for media volumes. For example, entering 1 and 11 means for DPX that slot numbers 1 through 11 are reserved for media volumes.

Note. If the slot numbers start at zero (0), slot number 1 is the 2nd slot.

Cleaning a Slot Enter the slot(s) used for the cleaning media. If there is only one cleaning slot, enter the slot number twice; for example, 0 through 0 indicates that slot number 0 contains a cleaning media (the default value). If there is no cleaning slot, enter -1 in each field.

Cleaning Threshold Enter the number of times a drive can be used before it is cleaned. An internal counter is incremented each time a media volume is inserted in the drive. For example, if you enter 50, a media volume can be inserted in the drive 50 times. Just before the next use, the cleaning media is inserted to clean the drive head. After the drive is cleaned, the counter is reset to 0.

Comment Enter an optional comment of up to 48 characters.

4. Select Add on the task menu at the top right of the right pane. If you are unable to see the task menu, resize the right pane. The new tape library name appears in the device resource tree in the left pane and is indicated by the selection check box. The add tape library dialog in the right pane becomes the edit tape library dialog for the new tape library.