HP Enterprise Systems Library (ESL) G3 Tape Library

Managing Media

The LMC provides you with commands for:

• Importing and exporting cartridges

• Moving media from one storage location to another

• Loading and unloading drives

• Taking inventory

The following sections provide instructions for performing these tasks.

NOTE:

Unless the situation requires it, use the host application to move, load, unload, import, or export cartridges instead of doing so through the LMC. Using the host to move media makes sure that the host view of the library remains in sync with the actual library configuration.

Importing Cartridges Into Partitions

When you first start using your library, open the door and manually insert, directly into storage slots, as many cartridges as you plan to use. The cartridges will not go back all the way if they are inserted incorrectly.

After your library begins operation, use the Import Media dialog box to add cartridges without interrupting library operations. Place cartridges in the I/E station. The scanner automatically reads the barcodes on the new cartridges.

To import cartridges into partitions:

1.

Make sure that you are viewing the partition into which you want to import a data cartridge.

From the View menu, click the name of the appropriate partition.

2.

Insert a data cartridge into an appropriate I/E station. You can insert multiple cartridges up to the maximum number of slots in your I/E station.

3.

To see which I/E stations are associated with a particular partition, click Monitor > I/E Station.

4.

Click Operations > Import or click the Import button on the toolbar.

If the partition is not offline, you receive a message that asks you whether you want to take it offline.

5.

Click Yes.

The Import Media dialog box displays a list of cartridges in the I/E station.

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Table 33

describes the elements in the Import Media dialog box.

Table 33 Import Media Dialog Box

Element

Barcode

Slot

I/E Station

Magazine

Results

Description

The volume serial number of the cartridge.

The slot number in the I/E station magazine. To understand the location designation, see

Understanding Location Coordinates

.

The module number.

The magazine number (section) where the slot is located, numbered from the top down.

“Imported” or “Failed”.

6.

Click a cartridge to highlight it, and then click Import.

The picker automatically moves the cartridge from the I/E station to the first available empty slot in that partition. You cannot manually specify the slot.

Exporting Cartridges From Partitions

When partitions are created, specific I/E station slots are associated with that partition. When you export cartridges in a library with partitions, cartridges are exported to the partition I/E station slots.

You can only export cartridges if I/E station slots for that partition are empty.

To export cartridges from partitions:

1.

Make sure that you are viewing the partition from which you want to export a data cartridge.

From the View menu, click the name of the appropriate partition

2.

Click Operations > Export or click the Export button on the toolbar.

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NOTE:

The physical library must be online.

If the partition is not offline, you will receive a message that asks you whether you want to take it offline. Click Yes.

The Export Media dialog box displays a list of cartridges in the partition.

3.

If you want to display one or more media IDs that match a particular pattern, type a media filter in the Media Filter text box, and then click Filter.

Filter performs a search for media IDs that match a particular pattern. For example, the media filter might be set to capture media IDs beginning with the string J00.

4.

Select the corresponding check box in the leftmost column for each cartridge that you want to export.

The maximum number of slots that are available in the I/E station partition appears at the top of the table.

5.

Click OK.

All designated cartridges are exported to the I/E station slots that are associated with the partition.

After the operation completes, the library automatically refreshes information in the table.

Loading Drives

The Load Drives dialog box enables you to load drives with cartridges from the current partition.

To load drives:

1.

Make sure that you are viewing the partition from which you want to load drives. From the View menu, click the name of the appropriate partition.

2.

Click Operations > Drives > Load.

The Load Drives dialog box appears.

3.

If you want to display one or more media IDs that match a particular pattern, type a media filter in the Media ID text box, and then click Filter.

Filter performs a search for media IDs that match a particular pattern. For example, the media filter might be set to capture media IDs beginning with the string J00.

4.

Click the data cartridge to load into the drive to highlight it.

NOTE:

You can load only one cartridge at a time.

The parameters used to define a cartridge are media ID (barcode) and location. Location is defined as a series of coordinates representing the aisle, module, rack, section, column, and row where a cartridge is located. See

Understanding Location Coordinates .

The Select Media area shows the full slots.

5.

Click the destination drive to receive the media to highlight it. The Select Drive area is populated with empty drives.

You can select only one drive at a time.

6.

To load the data cartridge into the selected drive, click OK.

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Unloading Drives

The Unload Drives dialog box enables you to rewind the cartridge in the drive, eject it, and return it to storage.

To unload drives:

1.

Make sure that you are viewing the partition from which you want to unload drives. From the

View menu, click the name of the appropriate partition.

2.

Click Operations > Drives > Unload.

The Unload Drives dialog box appears.

3.

If you want to display media IDs by media type, click the appropriate media type from the Media

Type drop-down list.

4.

Click the drive you want to unload to highlight it. You can only unload one drive at a time.

The parameters used to define a cartridge are media ID (volume serial number) and location.

Location is defined as a series of coordinates representing the aisle, module, rack, section, column, and row where a cartridge is located. See

Understanding Location Coordinates

.

5.

Click OK.

The library rewinds the data cartridge, unloads it from the drive, and returns it to storage.

Moving Media

The Move Media dialog box enables you to move media from one location to another within a partition.

NOTE:

Only one cartridge can be moved at a time.

To move media:

1.

Make sure that you are viewing the partition within which you want to move media. From the

View menu, click the name of the appropriate partition.

2.

Click Operations > Move Media.

The Move Media dialog box appears.

The table in the Select Source area lists slot locations with cartridges, and the table in the Select

Target area lists slot locations without cartridges.

You can limit the cartridges that are listed in the Select Source table in the following ways:

• To list cartridges by location, click the arrows next to the location coordinate boxes at the top of the Select Source area, click the appropriate numbers or All, and then click Show. For information about location coordinates, see

Understanding Location Coordinates

.

• To list a particular cartridge by media ID, type the volume serial number of the cartridge in the Media ID text box, and then click Show. You also can type a partial volume serial number, such as K00, to list all cartridges within the specified location coordinates that have a volume serial number containing the specified string of characters.

• You also can limit the slot locations that are listed in the Select Target table by device type.

From the Device Type drop-down list, click I/E Station, Storage, or Drive.

3.

In the Select Source table, click the media ID for the cartridge that you want to move to highlight it. If necessary, you can use the scroll bar to display additional media IDs for cartridges that are in drives or I/E stations.

196 Working with Cartridges and Barcodes

4.

In the Select Target table, click the destination for the cartridge that you want to move to highlight it. If necessary, you can use the scroll bar to display additional slot locations.

5.

Click OK.

The media moves to the new location.

Inventory

The Inventory command causes the library to scan all storage locations, drives, and I/E stations. The library automatically performs an inventory when doors are closed or the library’s configuration information is changed in any way. You can configure inventories to automatically occur whenever the power is cycled, or you can initiate an inventory immediately by clicking Operations > Inventory.

To perform an inventory:

1.

Log on as an administrator.

2.

You can perform this procedure while either viewing the physical library or a partition. From the

View menu, click the name of the physical library or the appropriate partition.

3.

Click Operations > Inventory.

NOTE:

If you want to perform an inventory of the physical library, and it is not offline, you will receive a message that asks you whether you want to take it offline. Click Yes.

If you want to perform an inventory of a partition, and if the physical library is offline, you will receive a message that asks you whether you want to take the physical library online. Click Yes.

Also, if the partition is online, you will receive a message that asks you whether you want to take it offline. Click Yes.

The Inventory dialog box appears.

This dialog box shows the total number of slots and the number of occupied slots in the physical library or the partition, depending on the view you chose.

4.

To perform an inventory, click OK.

The inventory process take a few minutes to complete.

5.

When the Inventory completed successfully message appears, click OK.

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