Abstract: A data storage facility comprising a plurality of data storage media, an automated data storage library comprising a first plurality of storage cells, one or more data storage devices in communication with the controller, and a controller in communication with one or more host computers, a vault comprising a second plurality of storage cells, wherein the vault does not comprise any data storage devices, and a robotic accessor in communication with the controller, wherein the accessor comprises a gripper mechanism, and wherein the robotic accessor can bidirectionally transport each of the plurality of portable data storage media between the first plurality of storage cells and the one or more data storage devices.

Abstract: Data for deduplication is received. The received data is deduplicated if selected conditions corresponding to the deduplication are satisfied, wherein the selected conditions include a deduplication ratio, a data deduplication threshold, and a data quiescence measure. Deduplication of the received data is discontinued if the selected conditions corresponding to the deduplication are not satisfied.

Abstract: An approach for managing a data package is provided. Network utilization is determined to exceed a threshold. A sender computer determines a hash digest of the data package by using a hash function selected based on central processing unit utilization. If the hash digest is in a sender hash table, then without sending the data package, the sender computer sends the hash digest and an index referring to the hash digest so that a recipient computer can use the index to locate a matching hash digest and the data package in a recipient hash table. If the hash digest is not in the sender hash table, then the sender computer adds the data package and the hash digest to the sender hash table and sends the data package and the hash digest to the second computer to check the integrity of the data package based on the hash digest.

Abstract: A data storage facility comprising a plurality of data storage media, an automated data storage library comprising a first plurality of storage cells, one or more data storage devices in communication with the controller, and a controller in communication with one or more host computers, a vault comprising a second plurality of storage cells, wherein the vault does not comprise any data storage devices, and a robotic accessor in communication with the controller, wherein the accessor comprises a gripper mechanism, and wherein the robotic accessor can bidirectionally transport each of the plurality of portable data storage media between the first plurality of storage cells and the one or more data storage devices.

Abstract: A data storage facility comprising a plurality of data storage media, an automated data storage library comprising a first plurality of storage cells, one or more data storage devices in communication with the controller, and a controller in communication with one or more host computers, a vault comprising a second plurality of storage cells, wherein the vault does not comprise any data storage devices, and a robotic accessor in communication with the controller, wherein the accessor comprises a gripper mechanism, and wherein the robotic accessor can bidirectionally transport each of the plurality of portable data storage media between the first plurality of storage cells and the one or more data storage devices.

Abstract: A method to sequentially deduplicate data, wherein the method receives a plurality of computer files, wherein each of the plurality of computer files comprises a label comprising a file name, a file type, a version number, and file size, and stores that plurality of computer files in a deduplication queue. The method then identifies a subset of the plurality of computer files, wherein each file of the subset comprises the same file name but a different version number, and wherein the subset comprises a maximum count of version numbers, and wherein the subset comprises a portion of the plurality of computer files. The method deduplicates the subset using a hash algorithm, and removes the subset from said deduplication queue. During the deduplicating, the method receives new computer files comprising the same file name, stores those new computer files to the deduplication queue, but does not add those new computer files to the subset.

Abstract: Various embodiments for optimized power savings in a storage virtualization system are provided. First meta data for physical resources which describes a power status of a storage resource in one of a powered-on/read-write, powered-on/read only, and powered-off power state is created. Second meta data for each of the physical storage resources which determines an actual performance of the physical storage resources and which supports optimization of a powering-on and a powering-off of the physical storage resources is created. A write request from one of a host and application to logical and virtual storage resource is executed.

Abstract: Various embodiments for differentiating between data and stubs pointing to a parent copy of deduplicated data are provided. Undeduplicated data is stored with a checksum of an initial value as a first cyclic redundancy check (CRC) seed. A stub pointing to the parent copy of the deduplicated data is stored with an additional checksum of a differing, additional initial value as a second CRC seed.

Abstract: Various embodiments for an Input/Output (I/O) path selection based on workload types are provided. A port workload controller is adapted to control the workload types of ports for accessing a storage device. A storage access command is received by the port workload controller from an application being executed on a virtual server on a physical server. The workload types related to the storage access command are determined. Storage access paths between the application and the storage device having the same workload types as the determined workload types related to the storage access command are determined. Storage access paths mapping data that is controlled by the port workload controller is used. A selected storage access path is selected out of the determined storage access paths having the least utilization. The storage device is accessed via the selected one of the plurality of storage access paths.

Abstract: A method, computer management apparatus, and computer program product are provided for processing data stored on a sequential storage media within a computational computing environment. A block reference table and most often read blocks are loaded from a modified tape format of a sequential storage media into an internal memory of a sequential storage media device. During write command processing, a data deduplication procedure is performed using a modified block reference table. It is determined if entries from the block reference table must be deleted and responsive to this identifying and deleting host block and device block entries from the block reference table.

Abstract: Various embodiments for differentiating between data and stubs pointing to a parent copy of deduplicated data are provided. Undeduplicated data is stored with a first cyclic redundancy check (CRC) seed. A stub pointing to the parent copy of the deduplicated data is stored with a second CRC seed. Subsequent to reading the deduplicated data, the first CRC seed is associated with the undeduplicated data, and the second CRC seed is associated with the stub. A CRC check is performed using one of the first and second CRC seeds. If the CRC check is positive, an I/O operation is allowed to proceed. If the CRC check is negative, an additional CRC check is performed using another one of the first and second CRC seeds.

Abstract: An approach for automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment that includes a first computer and second computer is presented. The first computer receives a message that includes a shared tape drive identifier, a source port identifier of the second computer, and a reservation status change for the tape drive. Based on the tape drive identifier, the first computer determines that the tape drive is connected to the first computer. The source port identifier is determined to not identify any host bus adapter installed in the first computer. In response to the first computer determining that the reservation status change indicates a reservation or a release of the tape drive for the second computer, the first computer sets the tape drive offline or online, respectively, in an application executing in the first computer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a cartridge that includes slots for storing biosample capillary tubes. The cartridge has the same form factor as data tape cartridges to allow the cartridge to be handled by the same robotic mechanisms that handle data cartridges in an automated tape library. One aspect of the disclosure concerns a cartridge comprising an enclosure that includes a movable door to provide access to a tube holder in the enclosure. The tube holder includes cylindrical holes or slots for receiving capillary tubes which contain biosamples scanned and analyzed an automated tape library.

Abstract: A method to store data is disclosed. The method provides a plurality of data storage media, an automated data library comprising one or more data storage devices, a first plurality of storage cells, and a robotic accessor. The method further provides a storage vault comprising a second plurality of storage cells but no data storage devices. The method selects the (i)th data storage medium and sets the (i)th data state, where that (i)th data state is selected from the group consisting of online, offline, and vault. If the method sets the (i)th data state is set to online, then the method mounts that (i)th data storage medium in one of the data storage devices. If the method sets the (i)th data state to offline, then the method removeably places the (i)th data storage medium in one of the first plurality of storage cells. If the method sets the (i)th data state is set to vault, then the method places the (i)th data storage medium in one of the second plurality of storage cells.

Abstract: An approach for automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment that includes a first computer and second computer is presented. The first computer receives a message that includes a shared tape drive identifier, a source port identifier of the second computer, and a reservation status change for the tape drive. Based on the tape drive identifier, the first computer determines that the tape drive is connected to the first computer. The source port identifier is determined to not identify any host bus adapter installed in the first computer. In response to the first computer determining that the reservation status change indicates a reservation or a release of the tape drive for the second computer, the first computer sets the tape drive offline or online, respectively, in an application executing in the first computer.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment that includes a first computer and second computer. The first computer receives a message that includes a shared tape drive identifier, a source port identifier of the second computer, and a reservation status change for the tape drive. Based on the tape drive identifier, the first computer determines that the tape drive is connected to the first computer. The source port identifier is determined to not identify any host bus adapter installed in the first computer. In response to the first computer determining that the reservation status change indicates a reservation or a release of the tape drive for the second computer, the first computer sets the tape drive offline or online, respectively, in an application executing in the first computer.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a data storage array configured for de-duplication of duplicate data therein by: identification of a plurality of portions of data; a comparison of each portion of the data to identify duplicate data and identification of a link associated with each duplicate data; a determination of whether a Hamming link-separation-distance of the identified link is greater than twice a Hamming radius of an error correction code in the data storage system; and replacement of the duplicate data with the identified link when it is determined that the Hamming link-separation-distance is greater than twice the Hamming radius.

Abstract: A method to select a deduplication protocol for a data storage library comprising a plurality of data storage devices configured as a RAID array, by establishing a normal deduplication protocol, a RAID failure deduplication protocol, and a multiple storage device failure deduplication protocol. The method receives host data comprising a plurality of interleaved data blocks. If the system is operating without any storage device failures, then the method processes the host data using the normal deduplication protocol. If the system is operating with a storage device failure, then the method processes the host data using the RAID failure deduplication protocol. If the system is operating with multiple storage device failures, then the method processes the host data using the multiple storage device failure deduplication protocol.

Abstract: Various embodiments for optimized power savings in a storage virtualization system are provided. First meta data for physical resources which describes a power status of a storage resource in one of a powered-on/read-write, powered-on/read only, and powered-off power state is created. Second meta data for each of the physical storage resources which determines an actual performance of the physical storage resources and which supports optimization of a powering-on and a powering-off of the physical storage resources is created. A write request from one of a host and application to logical and virtual storage resource is executed.

Abstract: Various embodiments for managing a virtual tape library cluster are provided. A virtual tape library system is enhanced by representing virtual tape resources in cluster nodes with a unique serial number. A least utilized cluster node is determined. One of the virtual tape resources represented within the least utilized cluster node is selected.