Automated tape drive sharing in a heterogeneous server and application environment

• US 8,255,476 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haustein, Nils, Jesionowski, Leonard George, Muelller-Friedt, Wolfgang, Troppens, Ulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US12/413,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 710 4- 6, 710 71- 74
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox

Abstract

A method and system for automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment that includes a first computer and second computer. The first computer receives a message that includes a shared tape drive identifier, a source port identifier of the second computer, and a reservation status change for the tape drive. Based on the tape drive identifier, the first computer determines that the tape drive is connected to the first computer. The source port identifier is determined to not identify any host bus adapter installed in the first computer. In response to the first computer determining that the reservation status change indicates a reservation or a release of the tape drive for the second computer, the first computer sets the tape drive offline or online, respectively, in an application executing in the first computer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment, said method comprising executing program code by a processor of a first computer system, said program code stored in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein said executing program code includes:

said first computer system receiving a first message that includes an identifier of a tape drive shared among a plurality of computer systems in said heterogeneous computing environment, an identifier of a source port of a second computer system, and an indication of a first change in a reservation status of said tape drive, wherein said first computer system and said second computer system are included in said plurality of computer systems;

said first computer system determining said tape drive is connected to said first computer system based on said identifier of said tape drive;

said first computer system extracting said identifier of said source port from said received first message;

said first computer system determining said extracted identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system;

based on said determining said extracted identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, said first computer system determining said indication of said first change indicates a first command from said second computer system that reserves said tape drive for said second computer system; and

responsive to said determining said indication of said first change indicates said first command, said first computer system setting said tape drive offline in a first application executing in said first computer system,

wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving a World Wide Port Name (WWPN) as the identifier of said source port included in said first message, wherein said WWPN identifies a port of said second computer system, wherein said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system includes determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, and wherein said determining said indication of said first change indicates said first command from said second computer system that reserves said tape drive for said second computer system is further based on said determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving said first message from a library reservation agent and by a drive-sharing agent that maintains a database table that includes identifiers of a plurality of tape drives connected to said first computer system and further includes identifiers of host bus adapters connected to the plurality of tape drives, wherein said host bus adapters are installed in the first computer system, wherein said tape drive is included in said plurality of tape drives, wherein said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system includes said drive-sharing agent determining, based on said database table, said identifier of said tape drive included in said first message is not associated with any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, wherein said library reservation agent is a software agent executing in a tape library controller included in a tape library coupled to said plurality of computer systems, and wherein said drive-sharing agent is a software agent executing in said first computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

said drive-sharing agent determining a plurality of serial numbers of said plurality of tape drives;

said drive-sharing agent determining a plurality of World Wide Port Names (WWPNs) of a plurality of Fibre Channel ports at which said plurality of tape drives are attached to said first computer system; and

storing, in said database table, an association between said plurality of serial numbers and said plurality of WWPNs, wherein said determining, based on said database table, said identifier of said tape drive is not associated with any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system includes determining said association between said plurality of serial numbers and said plurality of WWPNs does not include an association between a serial number of said tape drive and said plurality of WWPNs.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said setting said tape drive offline in said first application includes said drive-sharing agent setting said tape drive offline by a command provided by a command line interface of said first application.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said first computer system receiving a second message that includes said identifier of said tape drive, said identifier of said source port of said second computer system, and an indication of a second change in said reservation status of said tape drive;

said first computer system determining said indication of said second change indicates a second command from said second computer system that releases said tape drive from being reserved for said second computer system; and

responsive to said determining said indication of said second change indicates said second command, said first computer system setting said tape drive online in said first application executing in said first computer system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said receiving said second message includes receiving said second message from a library reservation agent and by a first layer of a drive-sharing agent having said first layer and a second layer, wherein said library reservation agent is executing in a tape library controller included in a tape library coupled to said plurality of computer systems, wherein said drive-sharing agent is executing in said first computer system, and wherein said setting said tape drive online in said first application includes said second layer of said drive-sharing agent setting said tape drive online by a command provided by a command line interface of said first application.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable, tangible storage device; and

a computer-readable program code stored on the computer-readable, tangible storage device, said computer-readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a first computer system to implement a method of automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment, said method comprising;

said first computer system receiving a first message that includes an identifier of a tape drive shared among a plurality of computer systems in said heterogeneous computing environment, an identifier of a source port of a second computer system, and an indication of a first change in a reservation status of said tape drive, wherein said first computer system and said second computer system are included in said plurality of computer systems;

said first computer system determining said tape drive is connected to said first computer system based on said identifier of said tape drive;

said first computer system extracting said identifier of said source port from said received first message;

said first computer system determining said extracted identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system;

based on said determining said extracted identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, said first computer system determining said indication of said first change indicates a first command from said second computer system that reserves said tape drive for said second computer system; and

responsive to said determining said indication of said first change indicates said first command, said first computer system setting said tape drive offline in a first application executing in said first computer system,

wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving a World Wide Port Name (WWPN) as the identifier of said source port included in said first message, wherein said WWPN identifies a port of said second computer system, wherein said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system includes determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, and wherein said determining said indication of said first change indicates said first command from said second computer system that reserves said tape drive for said second computer system is further based on said determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein said receiving said first message includes receiving said first message from a library reservation agent and by a drive-sharing agent that maintains a database table that includes identifiers of a plurality of tape drives connected to said first computer system and further includes identifiers of host bus adapters connected to the plurality of tape drives, where said host bus adapters are installed in said first computer system, wherein said tape drive is included in said plurality of tape drives, wherein said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system includes said drive-sharing agent determining, based on said database table, said identifier of said tape drive included in said first message is not associated with any host bus adapter installed in said first computer system, wherein said library reservation agent is a software agent executing in a tape library controller included in a tape library coupled to said plurality of computer systems, and wherein said drive-sharing agent is a software agent executing in said first computer system.

9. A computer-implemented method of automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment, said method comprising executing program code of a library reservation agent by a processor of a computing unit, said program code stored in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein said executing program code includes:

said library reservation agent receiving a first message from said tape drive based on a command received by said tape drive from a first computer system to reserve said tape drive for said first computer system, wherein said library reservation agent is a software agent executing in a tape library controller coupled via a network to a plurality of computer systems in said heterogeneous environment, wherein said first computer system is included in said plurality of computer systems, and wherein each computer system of said plurality of computer systems executes a respective drive-sharing agent included in a plurality of drive-sharing agents;

said library reservation agent determining an identifier of said tape drive from said received first message;

said library reservation agent determining said tape drive is shared among said plurality of computer systems, wherein said determining said tape drive is shared is based on said identifier of said tape drive;

said library reservation agent determining an identifier of a source port of said first computer system of said plurality of computer systems from said received first message;

said library reservation agent sending a plurality of messages to respective drive-sharing agents of said plurality of drive-sharing agents executing in said plurality of computer systems, wherein each message includes said identifier of said tape drive, said identifier of said source port, and an indication of reserving said tape drive for said first computer system; and

said library reservation agent receiving a plurality of confirmations from said plurality of drive-sharing agents, said confirmations confirming receipt of said plurality of messages by said plurality of drive-sharing agents, wherein a first result of said sending said plurality of messages and said receiving said plurality of confirmations is an offline state of said tape drive being set in applications and by drive-sharing agents of said plurality of drive-sharing agents executing in computer systems of said plurality of computer systems that do not include said first computer system,

wherein said sending said plurality of messages includes sending a World Wide Port Name (WWPN) as said identifier of said source port included in a second message included in said plurality of messages,

wherein a second result of said sending said plurality of messages includes a first determination that said tape drive is connected to a second computer system included in said plurality of computer systems based on said identifier of said tape drive,

wherein a third result of said sending said plurality of messages includes an extraction of said identifier of said source port from said second message,

wherein a fourth result of said sending said plurality of messages includes a second determination by said second computer system that said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system, and

wherein a fifth result of said sending said plurality of messages includes a third determination that said indication of reserving said tape drive for said first computer system indicates said command received by said tape drive from said first computer system to reserve said tape drive for said first computer system is based on said second determination that said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising said library reservation agent periodically polling a plurality of tape drives being controlled by said tape library controller to determine if any reservation status of any tape drive of said plurality of tape drives is changed, wherein said tape drive is included in said plurality of tape drives, and wherein said receiving said first message from said tape drive is performed in response to said periodically polling said plurality of tape drives.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said command is a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) command selected from the group consisting of a SCSI reserve command and a SCSI release command.

12. A computer-implemented method of automatically sharing a tape drive in a heterogeneous computing environment, said method comprising executing program code of a reservation-sharing agent by a processor of a computing unit, said program code stored in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein said executing program code includes:

said reservation-sharing agent determining a change in a reservation status of a tape drive based on a command received by said tape drive, wherein said reservation-sharing agent is a software agent executing in a tape library controller coupled via a network to a plurality of computer systems in said heterogeneous environment;

said reservation-sharing agent determining an identifier of said tape drive;

said reservation-sharing agent determining said tape drive is shared among said plurality of computer systems, wherein said determining said tape drive is shared is based on said identifier of said tape drive;

said reservation-sharing agent determining an identifier of a source port of a first computer system of said plurality of computer systems, wherein said command is received by said tape drive from said first computer system;

said reservation-sharing agent determining said tape drive is connected to a second computer system of said plurality of computer systems based on said identifier of said tape drive;

said reservation-sharing agent determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system;

based on said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system, said reservation-sharing agent determining said change in said reservation status includes a reservation of said tape drive for said first computer system by said command; and

responsive to said determining said change in said reservation status includes said reservation of said tape drive, said reservation-sharing agent setting said tape drive offline in an application executing in said second computer system,

wherein said determining said identifier of said source port of said first computer system includes determining a World Wide Port Name (WWPN) as said identifier of said source port,

wherein said determining said identifier of said source port does not identify any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system includes determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system, and

wherein said determining said change in said reservation status includes said reservation of said tape drive for said first computer system by said command is based on said determining said WWPN does not match any WWPN that identifies any host bus adapter installed in said second computer system.