“Missing” Media

Media must be in a library storage cell or drive at the time of a data collection in order for it to be detected (see “Collecting Library Configuration Data” for a description of the data collection process). Media in a “transient” location is not detected by a data collection. Transient locations are defined as any of the following:

The STA application includes logic to handle these transient movements — media that has unexpectedly “disappeared” is kept on the STA screens in anticipation of detecting it again within a specific short period of time. STA removes the media from the screens only if it still does not detect the media within that time period. Although this is a rare occurrence, you are most likely to observe it in an SL8500 complex, where media cartridges are frequently transferred from one library to another through pass-thru ports (PTPs).

If you cannot find a volume serial number (VSN or volser) that you expect to see on the Media – Overview screen, it is recommended that you do the following: