StorageTek Nearline Automated Cartridge System

The CA VM:Tape interface to the Host Software Component (HSC), which controls the StorageTek Nearline Automated Cartridge System (ACS), includes these features:

Support for the HSC with minimum release 2.0.0
Support for CA VM:Tape scratch pools
Site control of tape drive allocation inside and outside the ACS. This is achieved by MOUNT command options and the ALLOCATE user exit.
Note: For format information about the MOUNT command, see the Command Reference Guide. For format information about the ALLOCATE user exit, see ALLOCATE User Exit.
Automatic notification by the SCRATCH command or the REFRESH command when a volume has been scratched
An operator command for controlling the interface if a situation occurs for which an operator needs to intervene
Standard CA VM:Tape drive ordering is applied to ACS drives to achieve uniform drive usage. This means that CA VM:Tape uses the list of drives provided by the HSC as the basis for applying standard drive ordering in each ACS location, ensuring drives in each library storage module (LSM) are used in a round-robin fashion.
Ability to eject tapes from the ACS.

This section contains the following topics:

Setting Up an Automated Tape Environment With the ACS

Recommendations and Considerations

Scratch Pools

Drive Allocation With the HSC Interface Configured

Selecting ACS Drives

Scratching Tapes

What the Operator Can Do