Abstract: Systems and methods for retrieving data from a storage system having a plurality of storage pools are provided. The system comprises a logic unit for processing configurable data retrieval instructions to determine a first storage pool from which target backup data is to be retrieved, in response to a data restore request; and a logic unit for retrieving the target backup data from the first storage pool to satisfy the restore request. The configurable data retrieval instructions are managed by a source external to the storage system with administrative authority to change the configurable data retrieval instructions to optimize data restoration from the storage system.

Abstract: An example of a method for error tracking includes sending a data object to a first location. This example also includes determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information. This example of the method also includes sending the data object to a second location. This example further includes determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data. Some examples of the invention may be called a data centric error tracking and problem analysis method (and system), because the error tracking is generally based on the path traveled by the data.

Abstract: Transaction-based data storage is provided by a host server (130) for a tape storage device (160). Data associated with a transaction is received from a client (105, 110, 115) at the host server (130) and provided to a cache (164) of the tape storage device (160), for writing to the tape medium (168). To confirm that data has been actually written to the tape medium (168) and is not still in the cache (164), a tape medium position corresponding to an amount of tape medium needed to store the data from a transaction is calculated by the host server (130) when it receives the data based on the amount of data and the data capacity of storage blocks of the tape (168). The host server (130) periodically queries the tape storage device (160) to learn the current tape position, and concludes the transaction when the tape storage device has written past the calculated position.

Abstract: Transaction-based data storage is provided by a host server (130) for a tape storage device (160). Data associated with a transaction is received from a client (105, 110, 115) at the host server (130) and provided to a cache (164) of the tape storage device (160), for writing to the tape medium (168). To confirm that data has been actually written to the tape medium (168) and is not still in the cache (164), a tape medium position corresponding to an amount of tape medium needed to store the data from a transaction is calculated by the host server (130) when it receives the data based on the amount of data and the data capacity of storage blocks of the tape (168). The host server (130) periodically queries the tape storage device (160) to learn the current tape position, and concludes the transaction when the tape storage device has written past the calculated position.