Target management method for data backup to a shared transfer station, multiple media element device

摘要

A method is disclosed for specifying subsets and orders of processing of a set of target media elements utilized with a shared data transfer element in the backup of computer data to a data storage target device. Names assigned to selected target media configurations are used to designate logical groupings for storage and recall. In a described embodiment, a selected target configuration, chosen by name, is used to control the robotics of a tape cartridge backup system in coordination with the transfer of data to a tape drive read/write head, to automatically load tapes from user-designated slots of a tape magazine, in user-specified order, into the drive.