Data storage device and method for storing information using alternate information storage architectures

• US 6,868,487 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lyman, Joel Kenneth, Beeston, Ralph Thomas, Dahman, Kirby Grant, Grunow, Christopher Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami, Nasser
• Application Number:
  US09/968,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 711/4, 711/149, 711170-173, 370/395.7, 365/230.03, 345/533
• US Class Current: 711/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0682 Tape device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox

Abstract

A data storage device having a fixed device architecture capable of operating in a first capacity mode or in a second capacity mode, and capable of switching between that first capacity mode and that second capacity mode. In certain embodiments, the first capacity mode utilizes a 22 bit blockid format and the second capacity mode utilizes a 32 bit blockid format. In other embodiments, the first capacity mode utilizes a 32 bit blockid format and the second capacity mode utilizes a 22 bit blockid format.

A data storage device comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for recording information in alternative information storage architectures. A data storage and retrieval system which includes one or more of Applicants'"'"' data storage devices.

A computer code product comprising a data management system which supports the capability to record information on a data storage medium using alternative information storage architectures.

Claims

1. A data storage and retrieval system, comprising:

a data storage device having a fixed device architecture, wherein said data storage device is capable of operating in a default capacity mode or in an extended capacity mode, and wherein said data storage device is capable of switching between said default capacity mode and said extended capacity mode;

an operating system, wherein said operating system comprises a capability indicator and a status indicator, wherein said capability indicator indicates that said data storage device is capable of operation in said default capacity mode and/or in said extended capacity mode, and wherein said status indicator indicates whether said data storage device is operating in said default capacity mode or in said extended capacity mode.

2. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein said operating system further comprises a unit control block extension comprising a UCBCX_BLKPTR_SWITCH attribute, wherein said UCBCX_BLKPTR_SWITCH attribute is set to ON if said data storage device can be switched between said default capacity mode and said extended capacity mode.

3. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein said operating system further comprises a unit control block extension comprising a UCBCX_—

32BIT_INUSE attribute, wherein storage device is operating in said extended capacity mode if said UCBCX_—

32BIT_INUSE attribute is set to ON.

4. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein said operating system further comprises Device Control Pages for said data storage device, wherein said Device Control Pages include an APPLY MODE LAW OFFICE OF DEFAULTS attribute.

5. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 4, wherein said APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute is set to OFF.

6. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 4, wherein said APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute is set to ON.

7. A method to record information on a data storage medium, comprising the steps of:

providing a data storage device having a fixed device architecture, wherein said data storage device is capable of operating in a first capacity mode or in an second capacity mode, wherein said data storage device is capable of switching between said first capacity mode and said second capacity mode;

providing a designated data storage medium;

providing designated information;

removeably disposing said designated data storage medium in said data storage device;

receiving a request to record said designated information on said designated data storage media using said second capacity mode;

switching said data storage device to said second capacity mode; and

recording said designated information on said designated data storage medium using said second capacity mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of switching said data storage device to said first capacity mode from said second capacity mode after recording said designated information on said designated storage media.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of data storage media;

sequentially removeably disposing each of said plurality of data storage media in said data storage device;

recording said information on said plurality of data storage media; and

ensuring that second capacity mode is maintained while recording said information on said plurality of data storage media.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of configuring said data storage device to permit use of said first capacity mode and said second capacity mode.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said data storage device is capable of second capacity mode operation; and

setting a capability indicator to indicate whether said data storage device is capable of using said second capacity mode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of issuing a READ DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS command.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of issuing a READ MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS command.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

issuing a command to switch said data storage device from said first capacity mode to said second capacity mode;

determining if said data storage device was switched from said first capacity mode to said second mode capacity;

providing an error message in the event said data storage device was not switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity; and

setting a status indicator in the event said data storage device was switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity.

17. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of issuing a MEDIUM SENSE command.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein said designated data storage medium comprises a Volume Control Region and Medium Flags stored in said Volume Control Region, said method further comprises the step of reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information to said designated data storage medium.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein said designated data storage medium is housed in a cassette comprising a memory device and Medium Flags stored in said memory device, said method further comprising the step of reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information to said designated data storage medium.

20. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of determining the Volume Maximum Logical Block Count for said designated data storage medium.

21. A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for storing designated information on a designated data storage medium using alternative information storage architectures, wherein said data storage and retrieval system includes an on-line host computer, an operating system, and a data storage device having a fixed device architecture, wherein said data storage device is capable of operating in a first capacity mode or in an second capacity mode, wherein said data storage device is capable of switching between said first capacity mode and said second capacity mode, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving said designated information;

removeably disposing said designated data storage medium in said data storage device;

receiving a request to record said designated information on said designated data storage media using said second capacity mode; and

placing said data storage device in said second capacity mode.

22. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format.

23. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format.

24. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect switching said data storage device to said first capacity mode from said second capacity mode after recording said designated information on said designated storage media.

25. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

sequentially removeably disposing each of a plurality of data storage media in said data storage device;

recording said designated information on said plurality of data storage media; and

ensuring that second capacity mode is maintained while recording said information on said plurality of data storage media.

26. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 25, wherein said operating system further comprises an APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute, further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect setting said APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute to OFF.

27. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect configuring said data storage device to permit use of said second capacity mode.

28. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

determining whether said data storage device is capable of second capacity mode operation; and

setting a capability indicator in said operating system to indicate whether said data storage device is capable of using said second capacity mode.

29. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said operating system includes a READ DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS command, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect issuing said READ DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS command.

30. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said operating system includes a READ MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS command, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect issuing said READ MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS command.

31. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

determining if said data storage device was switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity,

providing an error message in the event said data storage device was not switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity; and

setting a status indicator in the event said data storage device was switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity.

32. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said operating system comprises a MEDIUM SENSE command, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect issuing said MEDIUM SENSE command.

33. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said designated data storage medium comprises a Volume Control Region and Medium Flags stored in said Volume Control Region, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information on said designated data storage medium.

34. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said designated data storage medium is housed in a cassette comprising a memory device and Medium Flags stored in said memory device, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information to said designated data storage medium.

35. The data storage and retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect determining the Volume Maximum Logical Block Count for said designated data storage medium.

36. A computer program product comprising a data management system usable with one or more computer processors disposed in a data storage and retrieval system, said computer program product having computer readable program code embodied therein for recording designated information on a designated data storage medium, and wherein said data storage and retrieval system includes a data storage device having a fixed device architecture, and wherein said data storage device is capable of operating in a first capacity mode or in an second capacity mode, wherein said data storage device is capable of switching between said first capacity mode and said second capacity mode, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to provide designated information to said data storage device;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to removeably dispose said designated data storage medium in said data storage device;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to receive a request to record said designated information on said data storage media using said second capacity mode;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to switch said data storage device to said second capacity mode from said first capacity mode; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to record said designated information on said data storage medium using said second capacity mode.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format.

38. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said first capacity mode uses a 32 bit block-id format, and wherein said second capacity mode uses a 22 bit block-id format.

39. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to switch said data storage device to said first capacity mode from said second capacity mode after said data storage device records said designated information on said designated data storage medium.

40. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to sequentially removeably dispose each of a plurality of data storage media in said data storage device; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to ensure that second capacity mode is maintained while said information is being recorded on said plurality of data storage media.

41. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

an APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to set said APPLY MODE DEFAULTS attribute to OFF.

42. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to configure said data storage device to permit use of said second capacity mode.

43. The computer program product of claim 41, further comprising:

a unit control block extension;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to determine whether said data storage device is capable of second capacity mode operation; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to set a capability indicator in said unit control block extension to indicate whether said data storage device is capable of using said second capacity mode.

44. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

a READ DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS command; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to issue said READ DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS command.

45. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

a READ MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS command; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to issue said READ MEDIUM CHARACTERISTICS command.

46. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to determine if said data storage device was switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity;

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to provide an error message in the event said data storage device was not switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to set a status indicator in the event said data storage device was switched from said first mode capacity to said second mode capacity.

47. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising:

a MEDIUM SENSE command; and

computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to effect issuing said MEDIUM SENSE command.

48. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said designated data storage medium comprises a Volume Control Region, and Medium Flags stored in said Volume Control Region, further comprising computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to effect reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information to said designated data storage medium.

49. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said designated data storage medium is housed in a cassette comprising a memory device and Medium Flags stored in said memory device, further comprising computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to effect reading said Medium Flags to determine the capacity mode previously used to write information to said designated data storage medium.

50. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising computer readable program code which causes one of said one or more computer processors to effect determining the Volume Maximum Logical Block Count for said designated data storage medium.