发明名称 |
DATA STORAGE DRIVES IN AN AUTOMATED DATA STORAGE LIBRARY |
摘要 |
Data storage drives of an automated data storage library are allocated to received requests. A drive resource provider, upon receiving a request for a drive when all of the drives of the pool are allocated, holds any mount of a portable data storage cartridge relative to the request, releasing the hold when a drive is allocated. Spare drives are provided, outside of the pool. A spare drive may be allocated in response to the request, and a message is posted indicating use of the spare data storage drive. The posted message may comprise a notification that action may be taken to permanently transfer a spare data storage drive to the pool. Furthermore drive image providers of a virtualization system for an automated data storage library provide an image of a fixed plurality of virtual data storage drives with fixed identifications to a host application. A drive resource provider, at any one time, assigns any number "m" of a pool of "n" drives to the drive image providers, and "n" - "m" of the pool are freed and available for assignment. The drive resource provider responds to a triggering event requesting a drive, and dedicates one of the "n" - "m" drives of the pool to the virtual drive. The drive image provider characterizes and directs communication between the host and the dedicated drive as a fixed virtual drive; and prior to the dedication of a drive, characterizes the virtual drive to the requesting host application as "not ready". |
申请公布号 |
WO03023597(A2) |
申请公布日期 |
2003.03.20 |
申请号 |
WO2002GB03743 |
申请日期 |
2002.08.14 |
申请人 |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION;IBM UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED |
发明人 |
BASHAM, ROBERT, BEVERLEY;DAHMAN, KIRBY, GRANT;DAY III, KENNETH, FAIRCLOUGH;JESIONOWSKI, LEONARD, GEORGE |
分类号 |
G06F3/06;G06F13/00;G11B15/68;G11B17/22 |
主分类号 |
G06F3/06 |
代理机构 |
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代理人 |
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主权项 |
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地址 |
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