Apparatus, system, and method for utilizing tape media segmentation

• US 20050050263A1
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kissinger, Stanley Mark, Noel, Michael Ray, Ashton, Lyn Lequam, Dawson, Erika Marianna, Gundy, Lisa Joan
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/95 Serpentine format, wherein a single track or group of tracks traverses the tape plural times from one end to the other
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are presented for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance. A segmented tape storage medium within a tape cartridge having a first and second segment is utilized. A selection module allows a user to select a user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium that is less than the usable capacity of the tape storage medium. The user-defined capacity allows the user to prefer improved data access over tape storage capacity. Data, when written to the tape, is written only within the user-defined capacity. Data may be written exclusively on the first segment or written on both the first segment and second segment allowing data access to be improved. In addition, the user-defined capacity may correspond to the full capacity of the tape storage media.

Claims

1. An apparatus for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance, the apparatus comprising:

a tape storage medium configured to store data;

a segmentation module configured to access a first segment and a second segment on the tape storage medium; and

a selection module configured to allow a user to select a user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium that is less than a usable capacity of the tape storage medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection module is further configured to allow the user to select a user-defined capacity that is substantially equivalent to the capacity of the first segment of the tape storage medium.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection module is further configured to allow the user to select a user-defined capacity that is greater than the capacity of the first segment of the tape storage medium.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection module is further configured to allow the user to select the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium before the data has been stored on the tape storage medium.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection module is further configured to allow the user to select the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium after the data has been stored on the tape storage medium.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mapping module configured to associate the user-defined capacity with a tape storage device on which the tape storage medium is provided.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a write module that is configured to write data to the tape storage medium within the user-defined capacity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an identification module that is configured to identify a tape storage medium as full when a substantial portion of the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium has been used to store the data.

9. A system for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance, the system comprising:

a tape storage device having a tape storage medium that is configured to store data, the tape storage medium having a first segment and a second segment;

a host that is configured to communicate with the tape storage device;

a segmentation module configured to access a first segment and a second segment on the tape storage medium;

a selection module that is configured to allow a user to select a user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium that is less than a usable capacity of the tape storage medium;

a mapping module configured to associate the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium with the tape storage device;

a write module that is configured to write data to the tape storage medium within the user-defined capacity;

an identification module that is configured to identify a tape storage device as full when a substantial portion of the user-defined capacity of the storage medium is used to store the data; and

a read module that is configured to read data from the tape storage medium.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the segmentation module is further configured to use the tape storage medium according to a segmentation layout.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the segmentation layout defines a plurality of segments on the tape storage medium, each segment having a user-defined size.

12. A process for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance, the process comprising:

providing a tape storage device having a tape storage medium;

accessing at least one of a first segment and a second segment on the tape storage medium; and

allowing a user to select a user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium that is less than a usable capacity of the tape storage medium.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein allowing a user to select a user-defined capacity further comprises allowing the user to select a user-defined capacity that is substantially equivalent to the capacity of the first segment of the tape storage medium.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein allowing a user to select a user-defined capacity further comprises allowing the user to select a user-defined capacity that is greater than the capacity of the first segment of the tape storage medium.

15. The process of claim 12, wherein allowing a user to select a user-defined capacity further comprises allowing the user to select the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium before the data has been stored on the tape storage medium.

16. The process of claim 12, wherein allowing a user to select a user-defined capacity further comprises allowing the user to select the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium after the data has been stored on the tape storage medium.

17. The process of claim 12, further comprising associating the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium with the tape storage device.

18. The process of claim 12, further comprising writing data to the tape storage medium within the user-defined capacity.

19. The process of claim 12, further comprising identifying a tape storage device as full when a substantial portion of the user-defined capacity of the tape storage medium is used to store the data.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out the process for utilizing tape storage media segmentation to improve data access performance of claim 12.