Catalog Operations, Importing Cartridges, and Exporting Cartridges

The physical addition (import) of cartridges to and removal (export) of cartridges from an automated library enables you to perform several functions, including the following:

• Replacing cartridges.

• Relocating cartridges to offsite storage to use later for disaster recovery purposes.

  Use the chmed -I command to specify additional information, such as the storage location of the cartridge.

When you import and export cartridges, you also update the library catalog.

The library catalog is the central repository of all information that the SAM-QFS environment needs for finding cartridges in an automated library. The library catalog file is a binary UNIX file system (UFS)-resident file. The information in this file includes the following:

• One or more VSNs that are associated with the cartridge stored in the slot

• The capacity and space that remains on that cartridge

• Flags that indicate read-only, write-protect, recycling, and other status information for the cartridge

The SAM-QFS environment treats catalogs based on how the automated library is attached to the server, as follows:

• If the automated library is direct-attached, the library catalog is a one-to-one mapping between library catalog entries and physical slots in the automated library. The first entry in the library catalog is for the first slot in the automated library. When a cartridge is needed, the system consults the library catalog to determine which slot contains the VSN. Then, the system issues a command to load the cartridge from that slot into a drive.

• If the automated library is network-attached, the library catalog is not a direct mapping to the slots. Instead, it is a list of the VSNs that are known to be present in the automated library. When a cartridge is requested, the system sends a request to the vendor's software to load the VSN into a drive. The vendor's software locates the VSN's storage slot.

Each automated library handles cartridge import and export based to system characteristics and the vendor-supplied software. For example, on the ACL 4/52 library, you must issue a move command to move cartridges into the import or export unit before you export cartridges from the automated library.

Network-attached automated libraries import and export cartridges using their own utilities. So, the samimport and samexport commands only update the library catalog entries that are used by the SAM-QFS systems. For information about importing and exporting cartridges on a network-attached library, see Chapter 8, Managing Vendor-Specific Libraries.

Tracking Exported Media - The Historian

The SAM-QFS historian tracks the cartridges that are exported from an automated library or a manually mounted device. The historian acts like a virtual library, but it has no defined hardware devices. It is similar to an automated library in the following ways:

• Is configured in the mcf file

  Use a device type of hy. If you do not configure the historian in the mcf file, it is created as follows:

  historian  n+1  hy  -  on  /var/opt/SUNWsamfs/catalog/historian

  In the preceding entry, n+1 is the last equipment number in the mcf file plus 1. To use a different equipment number or path name for the catalog, define the historian in the mcf.

• Has a catalog that records entries for all cartridges that are associated with it

  The historian library catalog is initialized with 32 entries when the historian first starts. Ensure that the catalog resides on a file system that is large enough to hold the entire catalog. Your site might want to track existing SAM-QFS cartridges that have been exported from the library. In this case, you must build a historian catalog from the existing cartridges as described in build_cat(1M) in Sun QFS and Sun Storage Archive Manager Reference Manual.

  The following configuration directives in the defaults.conf file affect the behavior of the historian:

  • exported_media = unavailable flags any cartridges that are exported from an automated library as unavailable to the historian. Requests for these cartridges generate EIO errors.

  • attended = no declares to the historian that no operator is available to handle load requests. Requests to load cartridges that are not already loaded generate EIO errors.

    For more configuration information, see historian(7) in Sun QFS and Sun Storage Archive Manager Reference Manual and defaults.conf(4) in Sun QFS and Sun Storage Archive Manager Reference Manual.

• Can import and export cartridges

  Importing and exporting practices differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. To determine if specialized procedures are recommended for your equipment, see Chapter 8, Managing Vendor-Specific Libraries.

• Is shown in SAM-QFS Manager as another automated library

About Importing and Exporting From an Automated Library

A mailbox is an area in an automated library for adding and removing cartridges from the automated library. The samimport command moves a cartridge from the mailbox to a storage slot. The samexport command moves the cartridge from a storage slot to the mailbox. For most libraries, when a cartridge is present in the mailbox at SAM-QFS software startup, the software imports the cartridge automatically.

How to Import a Cartridge From a Library With a Mailbox

1. Open the mailbox.

   Use the manufacturer's suggested operation, which is usually a button near the mailbox. Sometimes the mailbox is a one-slot mailbox referred to as a mail slot in the vendor's documentation.

2. Manually place the cartridge in the mailbox.
3. Close the mailbox.
4. Import the cartridge.

   # samimport eq

   eq specifies the equipment number of the library as defined in the mcf file.

   The system moves the cartridge from the mailbox to a storage slot and updates the library catalog for the cartridge.

   You can also perform this task by using the samu command or SAM-QFS Manager.

How to Export a Cartridge From a Library With a Mailbox

• Move a cartridge from a storage slot to the mailbox.

  Use one of the following formats:

  • # samexport eq:slot

  • # samexport media-type.vsn

  
  

  Argument Definition eq Specifies the equipment number of the automated library as defined in the mcf file. slot Specifies the number of the storage slot in the automated library as recognized in the library catalog. media-type Specifies the media type of the cartridge. For a list of valid media types, see mcf(4) in Sun QFS and Sun Storage Archive Manager Reference Manual. vsn Specifies the volume serial name (VSN) assigned to the volume.

  You can also perform this step by using samu or SAM-QFS Manager.

How to Import a Cartridge From a Library Without a Mailbox

1. Unload the cartridge.

   # samcmd unload eq

   eq specifies the equipment number of the library as defined in the mcf file. Wait until the system completes its current task, sets the status to off, and transfers the current active catalog to the historian.

2. Unlock and open the door to the automated library.
3. Load cartridges into the available slots.
4. Close and lock the door to the automated library.

   The automated library reinitializes and scans the cartridges in the library. The SAM-QFS software updates the library catalog by adding the VSNs of the imported cartridges to the catalog. The automated library state is set to on.

How to Export a Cartridge From a Library Without a Mailbox

1. Use the following command:

   # samcmd unload eq

   eq specifies the equipment number of the library being addressed as defined in the mcf file. Wait until the system completes its current task, sets the status to off, and transfers the current active catalog to the historian.

2. Unlock and open the door to the automated library.
3. Remove the cartridges from their respective slots.
4. Close and lock the door to the automated library.

   The automated library reinitializes and scans the cartridges in the automated library. The system updates the library catalog with the VSNs of the cartridges that are currently in library slots. The VSNs of the removed cartridges are removed from the library catalog and are now recorded only in the historian file. The automated library state is set to on.

How to Enable Load Notification

The SAM-QFS software requests cartridges to be loaded regularly to satisfy archiving and staging needs. If the request is for a cartridge that resides inside a library, the request is handled automatically. If the request is for a cartridge that resides outside the library, operator action is required. If enabled, the load_notify.sh script sends email when a cartridge must be obtained from outside the library.

1. Become superuser.
2. Copy the load notification script from its installed location to its operable location.

   For example:

   # cp /opt/SUNWsamfs/examples/load_notify.sh /etc/opt/SUNWsamfs/scripts/load_notify.sh

3. Examine the defaults.conf file.

   Ensure that the following default directives are in the file and have not been changed.

   exported_media=available
   attended=yes

4. Modify the load_notify.sh script to send notices to the operator.

   By default, the script sends email to root, but it can be edited to send email to another person, to dial a pager, or to provide some other means of notification.