Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance during backup are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries that include or more custom tags, detecting an execution of a backup data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes creation of a backup copy of a data set in that data storage system in a destination data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the backup data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the backup data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the backup data operation command.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for recovering a message from a failed node. A message module communicates a message to a request queue and a copy queue. A transfer module transfers the message from the request queue to a first target node in response to the message residing in the request queue. A detection module detects a failure of the first target node. A recovery module copies the message from the copy queue to the request queue in response to the failure of the first target node and the message residing in the copy queue. The transfer module further transfers the message from the request queue to a second target node in response to the message residing in the request queue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling multi-volume datasets in a tape storage system are disclosed. In response to a write request for a multi-volume dataset, the information of the multi-volume dataset are captured by intercepting and deciphering a set of volume mount commands. Otherwise, the information of the multi-volume dataset are captured by snooping header information from a previous volume listed in a header of the multi-volume dataset. A chain of logical volume names that belongs to the multi-volume dataset is then built. Finally, the chain of logical volume names is then stored in a chain database.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing data in storage units. Storage pool information indicates an assignment of a plurality of storage units to a plurality of storage pools, wherein each pool is assigned zero or more storage units, wherein data associated with one storage pool is stored in a storage unit assigned to the storage pool, wherein the storage pool information for each pool indicates a threshold and target storage pool, and wherein the target storage pool is capable of being different from the storage pool. One storage unit associated with a source storage pool is selected and a determination is made of the threshold from the storage pool information for the source storage pool.

Abstract: A method and system for shredding data within a data storage subsystem is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method is provided of continually shredding data within a data storage subsystem in which all the data of a first storage element is made permanently unreadable followed by the performance of a data shred process. In the described data shred process, second storage element is first selected (e.g., from plurality of candidate or potential storage elements), which includes a first storage object to be preserved and a second storage object to be shredded. Once the second storage element is selected, data of the first storage object is stored/copied within the first storage element. Thereafter, all data of the second storage element is rendered permanently unreadable.

Abstract: A method and system for scrubbing data within a data storage subsystem is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for scrubbing data of a storage element within a data storage subsystem. In the described method embodiment, a request to access the storage element is processed utilizing a first processing module and access permission metadata associated with the storage element. A data scrub process is concurrently performed utilizing a second processing module by modifying the access permission metadata and validating data of the storage element substantially simultaneously with the processing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamically compressing categories in a data storage library. In one embodiment, the method includes retrieving an identification of a first category in the data storage library, the first category being a last-compressed category. Next, an identification number of a first order of the first category is retrieved, the first order being a last compressed order. Compression is resumed of orders in the first category with an order next following the first order and continued with additional orders in the first category. If a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the identification of the first category and the identification number of the order of the first category being compressed are stored. If, however, the predetermined amount of time has not elapsed and compression of the first category is complete, compression of a second category is begun.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for recalling a logical volume from a mountable media for use in a virtual tape server. The apparatus includes a receiving module, a queuing module, and an optimizer module. The receiving module receives recall requests for logical volumes stored in a mountable media such as a tape cartridge. The queuing module places the requests in a queue to be processed in turn. The optimizer module reorders the queue based on one or more optimization rules in order to process the recall requests more efficiently.

Abstract: A hierarchical data storage system including a policy based migration engine to select a migration policy and migrate data from a first set of removable storage media, such as tape cartridges, to a second set of removable storage media in accordance with the migration policy. The hierarchical data storage system further includes a control unit including a processor, a host interface to couple the processor to a host, a library manager interface to couple the processor to an automated tape library, a storage device interface to couple said processor to a storage device, and a memory unit.

Abstract: A device monitors a system's available resources and produces either a deferred notification or an instant notification based on a comparison with an established threshold. The threshold may be adjusted if current or anticipated system resource utilization changes. Changes to the threshold may result in deferred notifications being removed from a queue and an instant notification being transmitted to a reporting facility.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for return processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has more than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has more than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is returned to a second storage pool.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for borrow processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has less than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has less than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is borrowed to the first storage pool from a second storage pool.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method, and article of manufacture to provide for obtaining data storage device specific information from a data storage device using standard read/write commands. This method uses a host application to write a unique sequence of records to a logical volume of the data storage device. The data storage device detects the unique sequence of records for the logical volume and writes device specific information to the logical volume allowing the host application the ability to read the data storage device specific information using a read command for the logical volume.

Abstract: A method to write information to two virtual tape servers. The method writes a file to a virtual host device disposed in a first virtual tape server, where the virtual host device comprises an adjustable bandwidth. The method queues a job to copy the file to a second virtual tape server, determines the age of the copy job, and copies that file to the second virtual tape server. The method sets an age threshold, and determines if the copy job age is greater than that age threshold. If the copy job age is greater than the age threshold, then the method decreases the adjustable bandwidth, if not, the method restores the adjustable bandwidth.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method is provided for flushing data from a cache to secondary storage. The apparatus, system, and method identifies predefined high priority cache structures and predefined low priority cache structures. The apparatus, system, and method selectively flushes low priority cache structures according to a first scheme when the cache is under a demand load and according to a second scheme when the cache is under substantially no demand load. The first scheme is defined to flush low priority cache structures as efficiently as possible and the second scheme is defined to flush low priority cache structures in a less efficient manner.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to write information to two geographically separated virtual tape servers, where a first virtual server includes a first adjustable host bandwidth, and where a second virtual tape server includes a second adjustable host bandwidth, and where the first virtual tape server and the second virtual tape server exchange information via a virtual tape controller. The method provides a file to the virtual tape controller, writes that file to the first virtual tape server, and queues a copy job for the file in the virtual tape controller. Subsequently, the method provides the file to the second virtual tape server. The method sets a throughput threshold, determines the actual VTC throughput, and determines if the actual VTC throughput exceeds the throughput threshold. The method sets an age threshold and determines if the copy job age is greater than that age threshold.