STACK LOADER ARRANGEMENT FOR AN AUTOMATED LIBRARY SYSTEM

摘要

The stack loader (221) is mounted on a tape drive (211) in the automated library system (111), between the library system robot (230) and the associated tape drive (211). The stack loader (221) receives a stack of data storage media cartridges, such as magnetic tape cartridges from the library system robot (230). The library system robot (230) retrieves a plurality of blank magnetic tape cartridges and loads these cartridges into the stack loader (221) to maintain an available set of scratch tapes ready for immediate loading in the tape drive (211). The library software (110) then translates scratch mount commands into control signals to activate the stack loader (221) to mount a scratch tape in the associated tape drive (211). With queued tape cartridges, the scratch loader (221) functions as a mechanical cache for preloading queued cartridges in the scratch loader (221) for immediate access by the tape drive (211).