Abstract: A demand on a server farm or local area network for a farm or network resource is satisfied. The farm or network has a demand director server, a first resource server having a first resource, and a second resource server having a second, different, resource. The director server is aware of what resources are held on the first and second resource servers. In response to a request for one of the first and second resources, one of the first and second resource servers is selected to serve out the requested resource and direct the request to the selected one of the first and second resource servers. The demand server selects an appropriate one of the resource servers to receive the request using its knowledge of where the requested resource is located.

Abstract: A fast access storage device, e.g., a disc, stores initial portions of many movies. A tape library stores many tapes, for the remainder of each movie. A controller controls drives for the disc and tape so the remainder of a particular movie is read from the tape after the initial portion of a particular movie is read from the disc so a viewer is unable to perceive that the movie is recorded on the disc and tape and can start watching the movie sooner than if the movie were recorded only on a tape.

Abstract: A management data distribution apparatus has, a control unit, a buffer memory element, at least one input port, and a telecommunications output. The at least one input port is arranged to receive management data from devices located within a network and to pass the management data to the control unit. The control unit is arranged to control output of the management data via the telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network. The control unit is also arranged to store management data arriving at the at least one input port when the said telecommunications output is in use in the buffer memory element, temporarily.

Abstract: The availability of requested network resources in a network of servers, each having associated network-servable resources of a specific kind is maintained. Resource data and resource-serving application software serve out the resource data and dynamically distribute capacity to serve out servable resources between the resource servers dependent on demand for the resources. The capability of the network as a whole to serve out a particular resource dependent upon the level of demand for the particular resource is thereby varied. The capacity to serve out servable resources is distributed between the resources without necessarily moving the resource data itself between the servers by distributing: resource-serving application software and/or installation software adapted to install resource-serving application software.

Abstract: A method of serving out video over a network of video servers includes evaluating a capacity of the network as a whole to serve out specific video items by establishing, for each video server in the network, an established ability of each server to serve out the specific items that are potentially servable from each video server. The method further includes using the established abilities of each video server to evaluate an overall capability of the network as whole to serve out each of the specific video items. The method also includes varying the overall capability to serve out at least a selected one of the specific video items in accordance with the overall capability of the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for managing a moveable media library. The system may comprise at least one robotic mechanics and a controller. The controller may comprise a processor for executing instructions and non-volatile memory for storing at least: code for controlling the at least one robotic mechanics; and code for responding to commands received from host systems to retrieve a moveable medium of a plurality of moveable media, the code for responding is operable to receive the commands addressed with multiple device identifiers according to a device access protocol, and the code for responding is operable to associate each device identifier of the multiple device identifiers with at least one respective library partition.

Abstract: A tape drive assembly for performing a backup operation has a tape receiving station to receive a data storage unit including a tape to store data in a data backup operation. A write head writes data to the tape in a data backup operation. A non-volatile memory unit records data in a data backup operation and communicates data to the write head. An input connected to a data host machine passes data to the memory unit such that, in use in a data backup operation, the data are communicated from the data host machine to the input and recorded in the memory unit prior to the data being passed from the memory unit to the write head for writing to the tape.

Abstract: A number of virtual areas with virtual addresses of storage locations within the virtual areas are allocated to a data storage array, having a total physical storage capacity. Physical addresses are allocated by an array controller for the disc storage array to the virtual addresses only as data are to be written to the respective virtual addresses.

Abstract: A data storage device has a non-volatile memory-storing data content, and a control processor for evaluating selected data content of the memory to establish whether there is a match between a characteristic of, or a derivative of, the data content and a reference data content characteristic, or derivative. The processor takes an action in response to the match.

Abstract: A fast access storage device, e.g., a disc, stores initial portions of many movies. A tape library stores many tapes, for the remainder of each movie. A controller controls drives for the disc and tape so the remainder of a particular movie is read from the tape after the initial portion of a particular movie is read from the disc so a viewer is unable to perceive that the movie is recorded on the disc and tape and can start watching the movie sooner than if the movie were recorded only on a tape.

Abstract: The availability of requested network resources in a network of servers, each having associated network-servable resources of a specific kind is maintained. Resource data and resource-serving application software serve out the resource data and dynamically distribute capacity to serve out servable resources between the resource servers dependent on demand for the resources. The capability of the network as a whole to serve out a particular resource dependent upon the level of demand for the particular resource is thereby varied. The capacity to serve out servable resources is distributed between the resources without necessarily moving the resource data itself between the servers by distributing: resource-serving application software and/or installation software adapted to install resource-serving application software.

Abstract: A demand on a server farm or local area network for a farm or network resource is satisfied. The farm or network has a demand director server, a first resource server having a first resource, and a second resource server having a second, different, resource. The director server is aware of what resources are held on the first and second resource servers. In response to a request for one of the first and second resources, one of the first and second resource servers is selected to serve out the requested resource and direct the request to the selected one of the first and second resource servers. The demand server selects an appropriate one of the resource servers to receive the request using its knowledge of where the requested resource is located.

Abstract: A method of serving out video over a network of video servers includes evaluating a capacity of the network as a whole to serve out specific video items by establishing, for each video server in the network, an established ability of each server to serve out the specific items that are potentially servable from each video server. The method further includes using the established abilities of each video server to evaluate an overall capability of the network as whole to serve out each of the specific video items. The method also includes varying the overall capability to serve out at least a selected one of the specific video items in accordance with the overall capability of the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for managing a moveable media library. The system may comprise at least one robotic mechanics and a controller. The controller may comprise a processor for executing instructions and nonvolatile memory for storing at least: code for controlling the at least one robotic mechanics; and code for responding to commands received from host systems to retrieve a moveable medium of a plurality of moveable media, the code for responding is operable to receive the commands addressed with multiple device identifiers according to a device access protocol, and the code for responding is operable to associate each device identifier of the multiple device identifiers with at least one respective library partition.

Abstract: Utilisation by hosts of a data storage array is billed by allocating to the array a number of areas to which data can be written. A table of area usage is formed for each area. An area or areas are allocated to hosts as required. In response to data being written by a host to a sector of an area, a record of used sector is written to the respective table. On the basis of the information in the area usage tables, hosts are billed for the actual level of utilisation of the allocated area or areas.

Abstract: A management data distribution apparatus has, a control unit, a buffer memory element, at least one input port, and a telecommunications output. The at least one input port is arranged to receive management data from devices located within a network and to pass the management data to the control unit. The control unit is arranged to control output of the management data via the telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network. The control unit is also arranged to store management data arriving at the at least one input port when the said telecommunications output is in use in the buffer memory element, temporarily.

Abstract: A monitoring appliance for a data storage array used by plural hosts to store data responds to stored metadata to interrogate the data storage array at intervals to establish the amount of usage of the data storage array. Each host can use the file system(s) and/or database(s) of its choice in portions of the data storage array allocated to it. The monitoring appliance has basic knowledge of all file systems/databases used by the hosts, and the metadata structure of those file systems/databases.

Abstract: A number of virtual areas with virtual addresses of storage locations within the virtual areas are allocated to a data storage array, having a total physical storage capacity. Physical addresses are allocated by an array controller for the disc storage array to the virtual addresses only as data are to be written to the respective virtual addresses.

Abstract: A tape drive assembly for performing a backup operation has a tape receiving station to receive a data storage unit including a tape to store data in a data backup operation. A write head writes data to the tape in a data backup operation. A non-volatile memory unit records data in a data backup operation and communicates data to the write head. An input connected to a data host machine passes data to the memory unit such that, in use in a data backup operation, the data are communicated from the data host machine to the input and recorded in the memory unit prior to the data being passed from the memory unit to the write head for writing to the tape.