Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to shutdown a library manager while the library system remains in a partially online state. A message module is included to send a suspend message to a host such that the host stops sending library manager commands, a shutdown module is included to shutdown a library manager while a data storage device remains coupled to the host in an online state, a startup module is included to restart the library manager in response to a completed library manager maintenance operation, and a resume module is included to send a resume message to the host that the library manager is available for library manager commands.

Abstract: Upgrades are made to the available capacity of cache disk storage without adding drawer(s) or blade(s) when the upgrade is requested. A cache control is configured to respond to a requested capacity upgrade, establishing a capacity restriction applicable to a filesystem providing active perceived available capacity spanning the disk drive subunits, such as drawers, blades or disk drives. The active perceived available data storage capacity and unused capacity of the filesystem are spread across the disk drive subunits. The capacity restriction is related to the requested upgrade adjustment, and the capacity restriction controls rates of data transfer with respect to the filesystem. The capacity restriction may comprise a freespace threshold for throttling of a fill rate of resident data pending premigration from the cache disk storage filesystem, and a premigration threshold for increasing drain rate of premigration data from the cache disk storage filesystem.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to recover a construct definition associated with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system following a disaster situation involving a library manager database. The method and apparatus re-establish the association between a logical volume or data file or block and a construct definition or volume attribute that assigns certain actions that may be taken on the logical volumes. Such actions and constructs may be defined by a client processor or by the VTS system in order to provide quality storage media management. The constructs may be uploaded to or reconstructed within the library manager database in combination with the host or virtual tape server and consequently made available to the system. In particular, the method and apparatus are configured to recover one or more of a storage group construct, a management class construct, a storage class construct, and a data class construct associated with a logical volume within a VTS system.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for copying a virtual volume to multiple physical volumes within a virtual tape system. The virtual tape system may include a virtual tape server (VTS), a library manager, and a plurality of tape drive units into which cartridges may be individually mounted. The virtual tape system stores virtual volumes, each of which represents a physical volume, although one or more virtual volumes are actually stored on a real physical volume. The library manager contains a volume database with a plurality of constructs and associated storage management actions. The constructs are received from a host computer connected to the VTS, but the storage management actions may be entered directly into the library manager, independently of the host. The library manager reads the management action associated with one or more constructs of a virtual volume and, along with the VTS, determines whether multiple physical copies of the virtual volume are to be made.

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: 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: A method and system for efficiently importing/exporting a removable storage volume having a number of data files from a first virtual storage system to a second virtual storage system. The method includes writing a table of contents to the end of the removable storage volume in the first virtual storage system. The table of contents uniquely identifies the data files residing in the removable storage volume. Next, the removable storage volume is transferred to the second virtual storage system. Upon receipt of the removable storage volume, the second virtual storage system updates a database in the second virtual storage system utilizing the information contained in the table of contents without having to read each of the data files in the removable storage volume. In a related embodiment, for each of the data file in the removable storage volume, the table of contents includes a filename, starting record on the removable storage volume and number of records in the data file.

Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and an article of manufacture for maintaining data accessible by a host in two storage devices, wherein the data is comprised of a plurality of data sets. A determination is made of a percentage of uncopied data at the first storage device, wherein uncopied data comprises data sets to be copied from the first storage device to the second storage device. If the calculated percentage is greater than a threshold amount, a rate at which uncopied data sets are transferred from the first storage device to the second storage device is increased.

Abstract: A plurality of processing entities of a computer processing system employ messages for communicating with each other, and are updatable to newer versions at each of the processing entities by an initialization process. To maintain continuous availability, compatibility for the messages is established between the processing entities by maintaining, for message types, at each processing entity, identification values of the maximum and of the minimum versions of the message type supported at the entity. An initializing processing entity requests the maximum and minimum version identification values for the message types from other processing entities of the system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system, method, and an article of manufacture for preferentially keeping an uncopied data set in one of two storage devices in a peer-to-peer environment when data needs to be removed from the storage devices. Each time a data set is modified or newly created, flags are used to denote whether the data set needs to be copied from one storage device to the other. The preferred embodiments modify the timestamp for each uncopied data set by adding a period of time, and thus give preference to the uncopied data set when the data from the storage device is removed based on the least recently used as denoted by timestamp of each data set. Once the data set is copied, the timestamp is set back to normal by subtracting the same period of time added on when the data set was flagged as needing to be copied.

Abstract: A method and system utilizing data fragments for efficiently importing/exporting a removable storage volume having a number of data files from a first virtual storage system to a second virtual storage system. The method includes writing data fragments to the end of the removable storage volume in the first virtual storage system. In an advantageous embodiment, the data fragments are written to the end of the removable storage volume when the removable storage volume is closed. The data fragments contain information, such as data file headers, that uniquely identifies the data files residing in the removable storage volume. Next, the removable storage volume is transferred to the second virtual storage system. Upon receipt of the removable storage volume, the second virtual storage system updates a tape volume cache in the second virtual storage system utilizing the information contained in the data fragments without having to read each of the data files.

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: A method and apparatus to recover a construct definition associated with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system following a disaster situation involving a library manager database. The method and apparatus re-establish the association between a logical volume or data file or block and a construct definition or volume attribute that assigns certain actions that may be taken on the logical volumes. Such actions and constructs may be defined by a client processor or by the VTS system in order to provide quality storage media management. The constructs may be uploaded to or reconstructed within the library manager database in combination with the host or virtual tape server and consequently made available to the system. In particular, the method and apparatus are configured to recover one or more of a storage group construct, a management class construct, a storage class construct, and a data class construct associated with a logical volume within a VTS system.

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 system, method, and apparatus are provided for copying a virtual volume to multiple physical volumes within a virtual tape system. The virtual tape system may include a virtual tape server (VTS), a library manager, and a plurality of tape drive units into which cartridges may be individually mounted. The virtual tape system stores virtual volumes, each of which represents a physical volume, although one or more virtual volumes are actually stored on a real physical volume. The library manager contains a volume database with a plurality of constructs and associated storage management actions. The constructs are received from a host computer connected to the VTS, but the storage management actions may be entered directly into the library manager, independently of the host. The library manager reads the management action associated with one or more constructs of a virtual volume and, along with the VTS, determines whether multiple physical copies of the virtual volume are to be made.

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: An automated data storage library, method, and a computer program product manage categories of physical media volumes, which may store stacked logical volumes, in partitions of the library. A media sensor senses the VOLSER identifier of thee physical media volumes at an input station. A library manager is provided, having a computer processor. Upon receipt of a physical media volume at the input station, the library manager receives the sensed VOLSER of the physical media volume; places the physical media volume in an “UNASSIGNED” category of an inventory; and sends a message at an interface to a host system, the message identifying the sensed VOLSER and indicating that the physical media volume has transitioned to the “UNASSIGNED” category.

Abstract: Disclosed are a data storage library and library computer processor implemented methods for expiring logical volumes in response to expiration selection from a host. A library server maintains a mapping database which identifies each logical volume and maps the logical volumes to data storage media. A library manager classifies the host selected expired logical volume in a category of logical volumes having a “SCRATCH” attribute, which may have an expiration delay, and identifies the selected logical volume in a searchable database as comprising the category having the “SCRATCH” attribute, and may calculate an expiration time for the selected logical volume from the delay. The library manager subsequently searches the searchable database for logical volumes identified as comprising a category having the “SCRATCH” attribute, and whose expiration time has passed, providing an indication to the library server that the searched identified logical volumes are expired.

Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and an article of manufacture for maintaining data accessible by a host in two storage devices, wherein the data is comprised of a plurality of data sets. A determination is made of a percentage of uncopied data at the first storage device, wherein uncopied data comprises data sets to be copied from the first storage device to the second storage device. If the calculated percentage is greater than a threshold amount, a rate at which uncopied data sets are transferred from the first storage device to the second storage device is increased.