Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes, responsive to a user request for a virtual tape from a first library operatively coupled to a first plurality of virtual tape storage devices sent to a second library operatively coupled to a second plurality of virtual tape storage devices, copying a virtual tape from the second plurality of virtual tape storage devices of the second library to the first plurality of virtual tape storage devices of the first library.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of informing a mainframe that a filesystem storing a plurality of virtual tapes is filled relative to a particular threshold includes returning, responsive to a write request to a virtual tape in the filesystem, a message indicating that the filesystem is filled relative to the particular threshold. The method can also include monitoring a plurality of filesystems for free space remaining on each of the plurality of filesystems. The method can additionally include indicating, in a data structure stored in a memory, a particular filesystem that is filled above the particular threshold. The data structure can be at least one of a table and a list. The method can further include mounting, responsive to a request to mount a particular virtual tape that is on a filesystem indicated in the data structure as being above the particular threshold, the particular virtual tape as read-only.

Abstract: Embodiments are described for named mounts in a virtual tape engine (VTE) system. A system maintains a file list of named volumes for each of the VTEs. When named mount requests are received, the system searches the file list for the named volume rather than searching through each of the file systems for each of the VTEs. When the volume name is found on a file list, the VTE for the volume name is identified and the mount request can be completed.

Abstract: Data de-duplication (“de-dupe”) allows IT organizations to replace aging tape systems with disk-based backup solutions and minimize the storage allocated to backup and data protection. The effectiveness of de-dupe technology is dependent on the data being protected. Data streams with little data repetitiveness provide disappointing results when processed through a block-level de-dupe engine. To avoid this problem, Assisted Mainframe De-Dupe (AMDD) technology can insure that filesystem block-level de-dupe products efficiently de-dupe tape backup streams received from IBM™ and/or compatible mainframes. By pre-processing backup tape volumes before sending the data to storage, AMDD insures that large amounts of unchanged data lines up on de-dupe block boundaries each time the data is sent to the de-dupe process engine.

Abstract: Data de-duplication (“de-dupe”) allows IT organizations to replace aging tape systems with disk-based backup solutions and minimize the storage allocated to backup and data protection. The effectiveness of de-dupe technology is dependent on the data being protected. Data streams with little data repetitiveness provide disappointing results when processed through a block-level de-dupe engine. To avoid this problem, Assisted Mainframe De-Dupe (AMDD) technology can insure that filesystem block-level de-dupe products efficiently de-dupe tape backup streams received from IBM™and/or compatible mainframes. By pre-processing backup tape volumes before sending the data to storage, AMDD insures that large amounts of unchanged data lines up on de-dupe block boundaries each time the data is sent to the de-dupe process engine.

Abstract: Data de-duplication (“de-dupe”) offers IT organizations the opportunity to replace aging tape systems with disk-based backup solutions and minimize the storage allocated to backup and data protection. The effectiveness of de-dupe technology is extremely dependent on the data being protected. Data streams with little data repetitiveness will provide disappointing results when processed through a block-level de-dupe engine. To avoid this problem, Assisted Mainframe De-Dupe (AMDD) technology can be used to insure that filesystem block-level de-dupe products efficiently and effectively de-dupe tape backup streams received from IBM and or compatible mainframes. By pre-processing backup tape volumes before sending the data to storage, AMDD will insure that large amounts of unchanged data will line up on de-dupe block boundaries each time the data is sent to the de-dupe process engine.