Tape Management Methodology

Robot Save is flexible enough to handle almost any tape management methodology. No matter which method you use, Robot Save minimizes the following common operator errors:

  • Not knowing what tapes to use for restoration.

  • Writing over unexpired tapes.

  • Not having an inventory of active tapes.

  • Mounting tapes in the wrong order for saves.

  • Not knowing where a tape volume is stored.

To use Robot Save’s tape management system, you must decide the tape management methodology you want to use. Some possible methodologies are:

You can also combine tape management methods on your system. Robot Save allows you to use a different tape management methodology for each backup class.

For example, you might use automatic release and manage by volume name just for data set-type backup classes. Tapes used for backup could be managed and stored by backup set rotations.

If You Use a Scratch Pool

A scratch tape pool is a listing of all tape volumes that have expired and do not contain any vital data. Anyone who needs a tape can select a volume from the scratch tape pool from the scratch tape list. Volume labels can be serial numbers or preassigned unique volume names. The tape will have the same volume name for its lifetime.

If you want to use a scratch tape pool, Robot Save gives you unsurpassed tools to manage the scratch tape pool.

When a new tape arrives, Robot Save initializes it. The tape is given a volume name and Robot Save then registers the tape volume in the scratch tape pool list.

When you run a save, tapes can be loaded in any order from the scratch pool as long as they are expired. Robot Save attaches these volumes to the rotation automatically. Thus, a rotation will have a new set of tapes for every save session.

A field on the Backup Class Entry panel allows you to specify the release of its sets’ tape rotations to the scratch pool automatically. If this field is set to Yes, tapes are released in the following situations:

  • If the tape expires before it moves into a move set location that has automatic release selected, it is released when it moves into the location. If the tape expires after moving into a move set location that has automatic release specified, you must run the RBSRLSEXTP command to release it.

  • The command RBSRLSEXTP is executed by a Robot Schedule job or the automatic release menu option is selected by the operator.

If the automatic release field is set to No, tapes are not released to the scratch pool. In this case, you must move the tapes to the scratch pool manually, or you can use the same tapes again the next time the rotation is run.

In addition, you can release expired volumes used in ad hoc operations to the scratch pool. A field on the Media Defaults panel allows you to specify if ad hoc volumes should be released to the scratch pool. If the field is set to Yes, the tapes are released to the scratch pool when a release expired tapes operation is run.

Robot Save’s reports and displays help you manage a scratch tape pool any way you want.