Abstract: Disclosed is a method of restoring a client device following failure of the client device, the client being connectable to a network comprising a server device. The method comprises saving to the server device a configuration state of the client device, the saved configuration state comprising client network interface configuration information, and a file of the client device. The method further comprises, following failure of the client computer, recording on a medium bootable on the client device program instructions for configuring the client device according to the saved configuration state, booting the client device from the bootable medium, configuring a network interface of the client device in accordance with the program instructions and the saved configuration state and restoring the file to the client device by copying over the network.

Abstract: A method for securing access to a data medium comprises listing at least one unique identifier of media that a data transfer element is allowed to access in memory storage of the data transfer element, accessing only media having at least one of the listed unique identifiers in media cartridge memory with the data transfer element, and writing a unique identifier associated with the data transfer element to the cartridge memory of the selected medium with the data transfer element in response to no library assigned unique identifier being present in the cartridge memory of the selected medium.

Abstract: A storage area network associated data library partitioning system comprises a plurality of storage slot elements adapted to store data storage media, at least one set of at least one of the slots is assigned to one partition of a plurality of partitions, and a plurality of data transfer elements that are adapted to receive the media and transfer data to and from the media, each of at least one set of at least one of the data transfer elements is assigned to one of the partitions, at least one data transfer element of each of the partitions hosts a logical element designation of a virtual controller for each of the partitions, the virtual controllers restricting movement of the media to between the set of slots and the set of data transfer elements assigned to a same of the partitions.

Abstract: A library for storing and retrieving removable information storage elements such as tape cartridges that uses unique identifiers of the removable information storage elements stored in non-volatile memory in order to generate a cartridge map.

Abstract: A tape library has a library controller that directs an accessor and a tape drive unit to perform the operations required for storage in a non-volatile memory of the tape cartridge of bar code label information that has been optically read from a tape cartridge bar code label. The non-volatile memory can be for example, a predefined storage location on the tape itself or the cartridge memory. One advantage is that bar code label information can be recovered in case the bar code label becomes unreadable or is lost.

Abstract: An automated storage apparatus moves digital data storage units relative to at least one digital data transfer device by recognizing a designated one of the digital data storage units as a reference unit for diagnostic use. The unit has at least one storage portion. A record of data transfer operation occurrences performed relative to the or each storage portion is used to limit the number of data transfer operations performed on the storage portion(s).