Abstract: A data library system with managed device access comprises at least one partition, a plurality of data transfer elements each of the data transfer elements assigned to a partition, a plurality of data storage element slots, each of the slots assigned to a partition, a library controller comprising a virtual controller for each partition, the virtual controller directing movement of the media to and from the slots assigned to a same partition and to and from the data transfer elements assigned to the same partition, and at least one bridge operatively disposed between at least one user and the library, each of the bridges present the data transfer elements and the virtual controllers of each partition to the users as logical components beginning at a same designation for each partition.

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 method for providing a peripheral device virtual functionality overlay for a data library comprises intercepting commands to a library data transfer element within a bridge disposed between a command initiator and the library, passing through commands that can be carried out by the data transfer element to the data transfer element, and executing, with the bridge, commands addressed to the data transfer element that cannot be carried out by the data transfer element.

Abstract: A storage area network associated data library partitioning system comprises a plurality of storage element slots 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, 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, and a library controller that assigns a different logical element designation to a virtual controller for each of the partitions, the virtual controllers directing movement of the media to and from one of the set of slots assigned to a same of the partitions.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for intermediating communication, with a moveable media library, utilizing partitions, wherein the moveable media library comprises an internal controller that is, in part, operable to control a robotics subsystem in response to commands received via a control interface. Such a system comprises: a bridge unit that is operable to pass library commands to an external controller, wherein the bridge unit is operable to associate a plurality of logic units (LUNs) with the external controller. The external controller is operable to process library commands from the bridge unit, wherein the external controller associates each partition of a plurality of partitions with a respective LUN of the plurality of LUNs, and the external controller is further operable to translate received commands from the bridge unit for communication to the internal controller according to the plurality of partitions.

Abstract: A data library comprising a plurality of partitions, at least one data transfer element, each of the data transfer elements assigned to one of the partitions and assigned an internally unique element address, a plurality of data storage element slots, each of the slots assigned to a partition and assigned an internally unique element address, at least one media transport element shared by the partitions to move media between the slots and the at least one data transfer elements, the transport assigned an internally unique element address, and a library controller that assigns a different logical unit designation to each of the partitions and that assigns external element addresses to the transport, the data transfer elements, and the slots for each of the partitions and maps the internally unique addresses to the external addresses, the controller restricting movement of media to and from the slots assigned to a same of the partitions.

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: There is disclosed a method and components for managing admission of new user accounts onto a computer entity, for example a headless computer entity, by predicting future utilization of functionality by each of a plurality of existing user accounts on the computer entity, as well as predicting a utilization of any new user accounts requested to be admitted to the computer entity. Various warnings are displayed to an administrator, and an administrator can modify and override automatically generated limit parameters for admitting or rejecting new user accounts. The method and apparatus automatically manage entry and rejection of new users onto the computer entity, without the need for administrator intervention at every admission of a new user account.

Abstract: A headless computer entity is provided with a base license key data stored on a raw disk sector separate from a system disk and a data disk. The license key data is used to control the available data storage capacity within the headless computer entity, and protect the computer entity from unauthorized upgrade to a higher product specification. Upgrades in capacity of the computer entity can be achieved without replacement of data disk, by altering an upgrade license key data to allow use of spare data storage capacity on the data disk.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of managing backed up data storage region of a plurality of client computers, enforced by a client side agent, and based upon a total of files stored within a client back up data storage region A total file size of current files stored at the client computer is compared to a first soft back up quota limit, at which a warning message is displayed, and a second, hard back up limit, at which back up of client files to a back up computer is prohibited. Quota limits can be set centrally from a back up computer, and deployed to each of the plurality of client computers served by a back up computer. Elimination of backed up file duplication is made at the back up computer, by use of a database and pointers to common files for a plurality of computers.

Abstract: A group of headless computer entities is formed via a local area network connection by means of an aggregation service application, operated on a headless computer entity selected as a master entity, which propagates configuration settings for time zone, application settings, security settings and the like across individual slave computer entities within the group. A human operator can change configuration settings globally at group level via a user interface display on a conventional computer having a user console, which interacts with the master headless computer entity via a web administration interface. Addition and subtraction of computer entities from a group are handled by an aggregation service application, and interlocks and error checking is applied throughout the group to ensure that no changes to a slave computer entity are made, unless those changes conform to global configuration settings enforced by the master headless computer entity.

Abstract: A group of headless computer entities is formed via a local area network connection by means of an aggregation service application, operated on a headless computer entity selected as a master entity, which propagates configuration settings for time zone, application settings, security settings and the like across individual slave computer entities within the group. A human operator can change configuration settings globally at group level via a user interface display on a conventional computer having a user console, which interacts with the master headless computer entity via a web administration interface. Addition and subtraction of computer entities from a group are handled by an aggregation service application, and interlocks and error checking is applied throughout the group to ensure that no changes to a slave computer entity are made, unless those changes conform to global configuration settings enforced by the master headless computer entity.

Abstract: A headless computer entity is provided with a license key data stored on a raw disk sector separate from a system disk and a data disk. The license key data is used to control the available data storage capacity within the headless computer entity, and protect the computer entity from unauthorized upgrade to a higher product specification. The license key data is encrypted and protected from hacking via software updates introduced on an external data carrier such as CD ROM.

Abstract: A method of reading data from a primary storage medium uses a reader moveable relative to the primary storage medium. The method includes sorting a list of files into an order which reduces the movement of the reader relative to the primary storage medium for the reading of the files and reading the files from the primary storage medium in that order.

Abstract: A headless computer entity comprises a RAID array data storage device. The headless computer entity contains a management application, capable of configuring said RAID data storage device from a blank unformatted condition into a plurality of RAID volumes, and maintaining said RAID data storage device when in operation under error conditions, and reconfiguring said RAID data storage device under conditions of replacement of a physical data storage component of said RAID array.

Abstract: A method of installing an operating system into a computer entity comprising at least one data storage device, a primary operating system and an emergency operating system, the method characterized by comprising the steps of: creating a copy of the primary operating system on an operating system back-up area of the data storage device of the computer entity; operating the computer entity using the emergency operating system; storing data of the computer entity on a user settings archive of the data storage device; replacing the primary operating system with the copy of the primary operating system; automatically checking for corrupted data on the user settings archive; restoring settings data of the computer entity from the user settings archive. In the event of a failure involving data corruption, application data may be deleted and recreated in a known good default state.

Abstract: A headless computer entity having a plurality of disk drives operates to self restore to a known state, upon failure of either a system disk drive containing an operating system of the computer entity, or failure of a data disk drive containing application data. Depending upon whether the system disk and/or the data disk are replaced by a replacement disk, the computer entity configures itself with either deletion of application data on the data disk, or with deletion of application data on both the system disk and the data disk. The computer entity determines whether a new replacement disk has been installed by comparing a signature of the system disk with a signature of the data disk. If a replacement disk is detected, then the digital signatures are set by the computer entity such that the system disk and data disk have a self consistent set of hardware specific digital signatures. Application data is returned to a known good state after deletion.

Abstract: A computer entity, particularly but not exclusively a headless computer entity, has operating systems stored on a non-volatile data storage device e.g. a hard disk drive, and has a back-up data storage device. Operating system backup's are taken from an uncorrupted copy of an operating system stored in a separate partition on the data storage device to the primary operating system which is actually used to run the device, thereby ensuring that if the primary operating system of the computer entity becomes corrupted either gradually or catastrophically, the back-up copy which is stored on a back-up media is not effected. Under failure conditions of the computer entity, a pristine copy of the operating system can be reloaded from the back-up tape data storage media and the computer entity rebooted from the pristine operating system back-up copy.

Abstract: A bulk data repository 201 for remote storage of bulk data from a plurality of computer networks 200-207 is accessed over a plurality of communications links, e.g., the internet 202. Each computer network is provided with a gateway appliance 200, which acts as a virtual filing system for a plurality of computer entities on a computer network. Gateway appliance emulates a file system, for example Windows NT™ or Novell NetWare™ by packaging data files to be stored in files for transmission over the communications linked to the data repository, each data file having appended a meta data header, which designates an address of the gateway appliance and a type of file system which the gateway appliance is emulating. The data repository, receives the data file with the meta data header, and stores the met data header locally in a local database prior to filing the data file. In a block of data reserved for the gateway appliance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to storage systems for computer data and relates particularly to diagnosis of errors and status monitoring of such a system. The invention provides a system for storing computer data in which different error messages are generated according to how many times a specified low-level error has occurred. In the particular embodiment, different combinations of error messages are generated according to how many times a particular low-level error has occurred.