
Managing Tape Volumes
12-2 User Reference
Connectivity Systems, Inc.—Copyright © 2006
Use Pursuant to Company Instructions
Tape Utilities and Commands
Tape Control and Protection Utilities
Tape Volume
Serial Numbers
Every tape volume used to write a BIM-EPIC-controlled dataset must
have a unique volume serial number. Even unlabeled tapes must be
identified with their own volume serial numbers. This identification is
essential for tape volume control.
Volume serial numbers can be any six-character combination of
alphanumeric characters. Groups of volume serial numbers do not need to
be consecutive; any unique volume serial number is valid. Tape pools are
defined within volume serial number ranges. Therefore, it can be helpful
to initialize pooled tape volumes with consecutive volume serial numbers.
Recognizing
and Controlling
Tape Volumes
When a tape volume is brought under BIM-EPIC control, BIM-EPIC
gives the tape volume a special VOL1 label which identifies the volume
as BIM-EPIC controlled and protects it against accidental overwrites.
BIM-EPIC looks for a controlled tape volume when performing
Automatic Volume Recognition (AVR). First, BIM-EPIC looks for the
special VOL1 label. If BIM-EPIC does not find the label, BIM-EPIC
checks the DSN Catalog to see if the tape was created by CA-EPIC for
CMS. If the tape was created by CA-EPIC for CMS, the volume is
accepted. If the tape was not created by CA-EPIC for CMS, BIM-EPIC
prompts the operator to specify a tape drive and requests the operator to
verify the volume serial number of the tape on that drive.
Unlabeled tapes do not have this special VOL1 label. As a result,
BIM-EPIC requires the operator to specify the drive containing the
volume and to verify the volume serial number every time unlabeled
processing is requested.
If an uncontrolled tape volume has a HDR1 label that has expired,
BIM-EPIC can use the tape, but prompts the operator to verify the volume
serial number. If that volume serial number duplicates a volume serial
number already in the DSN Catalog, the operator is asked to enter a new
volume serial number.
HDR1 Labels
and Retention
BIM-EPIC writes an expiration date of 99365, indicating permanent
retention on every HDR1 label created under BIM-EPIC control. This
helps to protect the tape from being overwritten when EPIC is not active.
BIM-EPIC uses the DSN Catalog, not the HDR1 label, to determine the
volume status of each tape as active or scratch.
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