Automated message processing system configured for automated tape device management
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring allocation of storage drives in a data storage subsystem that includes:
- a storage controller;
a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media, said library including multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller; and
an automated storage administrator coupled to the library manager and the storage controller, said automated storage administrator including;
a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs), each ELF performing predetermined actions responsive to each message routed thereto;
a message director to receive input messages from the storage controller and library manager and route each of the received input messages to at least one ELF;
a command generator to receive output messages from the ELFs, place the output messages into a predetermined format and dispatch the formatted output messages to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager;
wherein said method comprises;
allocating the drives between the storage controller and the library manager;
the automated storage administrator receiving a message including a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and the library manager;
the message director routing the received message to a first one of the ELFs;
the first ELF, in response to the routed message, performing the predetermined actions associated with the ELF, said predetermined actions including generation of an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager;
the command generator modifying the output message into a predetermined format to create a formatted output message;
selecting a destination in the data storage subsystem from a group including;
the library manager and the storage controller; and
the command generator dispatching the formatted output message to the selected destination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Replacing a human operator, an automated message processing system communicates with a data storage subsystem that includes a tape library and a storage controller. The automated message processing system receives messages from a data storage subsystem concerning the availability of tape drives in the tape library. Such messages are selectively routed to one of many specialized expert local facilities (ELFs) for performance of a designated function, such as generation of an appropriate output messages. The ELFs receive input messages and transmit output to the data storage subsystem in order to oversee allocation and use of data storage drives in the data storage subsystem.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring allocation of storage drives in a data storage subsystem that includes:
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a storage controller; a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media, said library including multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller; and an automated storage administrator coupled to the library manager and the storage controller, said automated storage administrator including; a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs), each ELF performing predetermined actions responsive to each message routed thereto; a message director to receive input messages from the storage controller and library manager and route each of the received input messages to at least one ELF; a command generator to receive output messages from the ELFs, place the output messages into a predetermined format and dispatch the formatted output messages to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager; wherein said method comprises; allocating the drives between the storage controller and the library manager; the automated storage administrator receiving a message including a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; the message director routing the received message to a first one of the ELFs; the first ELF, in response to the routed message, performing the predetermined actions associated with the ELF, said predetermined actions including generation of an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; the command generator modifying the output message into a predetermined format to create a formatted output message; selecting a destination in the data storage subsystem from a group including;
the library manager and the storage controller; andthe command generator dispatching the formatted output message to the selected destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for monitoring allocation of storage drives in a data storage subsystem that includes a storage controller, a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media and multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller, and an automated storage administrator coupled to the library manager and the storage controller, said automated storage administrator including:
- a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs), each ELF performing predetermined actions responsive to each messages routed thereto, a message director to receive input messages from the storage controller and library manager and route each of the received input messages to one or more ELFs, a command generator to receive output messages from the ELFs, place the output messages into a predetermined format, and dispatch the formatted output messages to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager,
said method for monitoring allocation of storage drives comprising; allocating the drives between the storage controller and the library manager; the automated storage administrator receiving a message including a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; the message director routing the received message to a first one of the ELFs; the first ELF, in response to the routed message, performing the predetermined actions associated with the ELF, said predetermined actions including generation of an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; the command generator modifying the output message into a predetermined format to create a formatted output message; selecting a destination in the data storage subsystem from a group including;
the library manager and the storage controller; andthe command generator dispatching the formatted output message to the selected destination. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs), each ELF performing predetermined actions responsive to each messages routed thereto, a message director to receive input messages from the storage controller and library manager and route each of the received input messages to one or more ELFs, a command generator to receive output messages from the ELFs, place the output messages into a predetermined format, and dispatch the formatted output messages to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager,
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18. An automated storage administration apparatus for monitoring allocation of removable media drives in a data storage subsystem that includes a storage controller, a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media and multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller, said drives being allocated between the storage controller and the library manager, said automated storage admininstration apparatus comprising:
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a message director, programmed to receive a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and library manager and to route the received message to a first one of a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs); the plurality of ELFs, each programmed to perform predetermined actions in response to each message routed thereto, the first ELF programmed to generate an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; and a command generator programmed to receive the output message from the first ELF means, place the output message in a predetermined format, and dispatch the formatted output message to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An automated storage administration apparatus for monitoring allocation of removable media drives in a data storage subsystem that includes a storage controller, a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media and multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller, said drives being allocated between the storage controller and the library manager, said automated storage administration apparatus comprising:
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a message directing means for receiving a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and library manager and for routing the received message to a first one of a plurality of expert local facility (ELF) means; the plurality of ELF means each for performing predetermined actions in response to each message routed thereto, the first ELF means for generating an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; and a command generating means for receiving the output message from the first ELF means, placing the output message in a predetermined format, and dispatching the formatted output message to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager.
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26. A data storage subsystem, comprising:
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a data storage facility, comprising; a storage controller; and a library including multiple storage drives to access removable media and multiple items of said removable media and a library manager coupled to the storage controller; and an automated storage administrator coupled to the library manager and the storage controller, to monitor allocation of removable media drives in the data storage facility, the automated storage administrator comprising; a message director, programmed to receive a request to re-allocate the drives among the storage controller and library manager and to route the received message to a first one of a plurality of expert local facilities (ELFs); the plurality of ELFs, each programmed to perform predetermined actions in response to each message routed thereto, the first ELF programmed to generate an output message summarizing the requested re-allocation of the drives among the storage controller and the library manager; and a command generator programmed to receive the output message from the first ELF means, place the output message in a predetermined format, and dispatch the formatted output message to a destination including at least one of the storage controller and the library manager. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification