Recording errors in tape drives

• US 7,301,718 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Ballard, Curtis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TZENG, FRED
• Application Number:
  US11/047,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 360/69, 340/10.1, 340/815.4, 711/111, 700/247, 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/689 Control of the cassette changing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0092 involving measures which are linked to media defects or read/write errors
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1826 wherein a defect list or error map is generated
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/652 said memory being attached to the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/655 Memory in cassette [MIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/80 Indexing information stored in optical or magnetic or other strip attached to cassette or disc, e.g. barcodes attached to a recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22

Abstract

Exemplary tape library architectures and methods for recording errors in a tape drive are described. One exemplar method may be implemented in a processor a tape drive controller. The method comprises receiving, in a tape drive controller, an external identifier associated with a tape cartridge, recording the external identifier in a memory location associated with the tape drive controller, and associating, in a subsequent error analysis routine, an error in the tape drive with the external identifier of the tape cartridge in the tape drive.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tape library, comprising:

reading, by a library controller, an external identifier associated with a tape cartridge;

loading the tape cartridge into a tape drive controlled by a drive controller;

transmitting the external identifier to the drive controller;

recording the external identifier in a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge;

in a subsequent error analysis, associating an error in the tape drive with the external identifier of the tape cartridge in the tape drive;

identifying a type of the error; and

storing the type of the error and the external identifier of the tape cartridge to enable a user to identify the type of the error occurring in the tape cartridge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the external identifier to the drive controller comprises executing a small computer system interface (SCSI) command to transfer data from the library controller to the drive controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the external identifier in a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge comprises recording the external identifier in a media auxiliary memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the external identifier in a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge comprises recording the external identifier on a segment of the tape.

5. A tape library, comprising:

a housing for receiving at least one tape cartridge;

a library controller comprising a first processor and a memory communicatively connected to the first processor; and

a tape drive controller comprising a second processor and a memory communicatively connected to the second processor,

wherein the library controller executes logic instructions that cause the first processor to read an external identifier associated with a tape cartridge and to transmit the external identifier to the tape drive controller, and

wherein the tape drive controller records the external identifier in a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge, and when an error occurs, the tape drive controller records (1) the external identifier in a log maintained by the tape drive controller and (2) a type of the error to enable a user to identify the type of the error occurring in the tape cartridge.

6. The tape library of claim 5, wherein:

the external identifier comprises a bar code; and

the library controller executes a command to read the bar code.

7. The tape library of claim 5, wherein the library controller verifies a format of the external identifier.

8. The tape library of claim 5, wherein the library controller executes a small computer system interface (SCSI) command to transfer data from the library controller to the drive controller.

9. The tape library of claim 5, wherein the drive controller records the external identifier in a media auxiliary memory associated with the tape cartridge.

10. The tape library of claim 5, wherein the drive controller records the external identifier on a segment of the tape.

11. The tape library of claim 5, wherein the drive controller creates an event log file and records the external identifier in the event log file.

12. A method of operating a tape library, comprising:

executing a command to read, at a library controller, an external identifier associated with a tape cartridge;

verifying a format of the external identifier;

loading the tape cartridge into a tape drive controlled by a drive controller;

transmitting the external identifier to a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge;

in a subsequent error analysis, associating an error in the tape drive with the external identifier of the tape cartridge in the tape drive;

identifying a type of the error; and

storing the type of the error and the external identifier of the tape cartridge to enable a user to identify the type of the error occurring in the tape cartridge.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the electronic indicia of the external identifier to a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge comprises recording the external identifier in a media auxiliary memory.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the electronic indicia of the external identifier to a memory medium associated with the tape cartridge comprises recording the external identifier on a segment of the tape.