Media library monitoring system and method

• US 8,639,807 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CF DB EZ LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Inventors: Sims, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US13/430,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226, 711/114, 711/154, 711/173, 360/69, 710/3
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/048 Testing of disk drives, e.g. to detect defects or prevent sudden failure
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1816 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1869 Preventing ageing phenomena from causing data loss, e.g. by monitoring the age of record carriers or by recognising wear, and by copying information elsewhere when a record carrier becomes unreliable
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4555 by using a spin-stand, i.e. a spinning disc or simulator

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and systems comprise collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in repository. By collecting data associated with a library or library components and storing the collected data in a repository, the degradation of library components can be monitored and the reliability of library components determined, allowing unreliable components to be bypassed or replaced, enhancing the reliability of the library and preventing data loss.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a media library, comprising:

collecting data, wherein collecting data comprises querying library components of the media library at intervals and receiving returned data, wherein the library components comprise tape drives and a media changer, and wherein querying one or more library components comprises;

sending Log Sense (LS) commands to the media library at intervals; and

sending Read Element Status (RES) commands to the media library at intervals;

storing the collected data in a repository, wherein storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the LS commands or the RES commands in the repository, wherein the collected data in the repository spans a plurality of intervals;

tracking movements of a plurality of tapes within the media library by comparing differences in data returned in response to the RES commands over multiple intervals;

organizing the collected data;

accessing the collected data in the repository based on one or more specifications; and

providing the collected data based on one or more specifications.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming one or more structures containing data returned in response to one or more LS or RES commands.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein organizing the collected data comprises arranging data in a chronological order or purging data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the collected data further comprises displaying data to a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the collected data further comprises providing the collected data to another system for further processing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving a set of derived data from the collected data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

querying library components further comprises sending one or more Inquiry commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the Inquiry commands.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

querying library components further comprises sending one or more additional commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library, wherein the additional commands comprise SCSI commands; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the one or more additional commands.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the collected data based on one or more specifications comprises providing error data for a selected drive for a selected time period spanning multiple intervals and identities of tapes loaded in the selected drive in the selected time period.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating errors at a tape drive to a tape based on the movements of the plurality of tapes within the media library.

11. An system for monitoring a media library comprising multiple components, comprising:

an interface operable to connect to a communications link;

a processor coupled to the interface; and

a non-transitory computer readable media storing computer instructions executable by the processor to;

collect data, wherein collecting data comprises querying library components of the media library at intervals and receiving returned data, wherein the library components comprise tape drives and a media changer, and wherein querying one or more library components comprises;

sending Log Sense (LS) commands to the media library at intervals; and

sending Read Element Status (RES) commands to the media library at intervals;

store the collected data in a repository over a plurality of intervals, wherein storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the LS commands or the RES commands in the repository;

track movements of a plurality of tapes within the media library by comparing differences in data returned in response to the RES commands over multiple intervals;

organize the collected data;

access the collected data in the repository based on one or more specifications; and

provide the collected data based on one or more specifications.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to form one or more structures containing data returned in response to one or more LS or RES commands.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein organizing the collected data comprises arranging data in a chronological order or purging data.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to display data to a user.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein providing the collected data further comprises providing the collected data to another system for further processing.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to derive a set of derived data from the returned data.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

querying one or more library components further comprises sending one or more Inquiry commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the Inquiry commands.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

querying one or more library components further comprises sending one or more additional commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library, wherein the additional commands comprise SCSI commands; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the one or more additional commands.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein providing the collected data based on one or more specifications comprises providing error data for a selected drive for a selected time period spanning multiple intervals and identities of tapes loaded in the selected drive in the selected time period.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer instructions are further executable by the processor to correlate errors at a tape drive to a tape based on the movements of the plurality of tapes within the media library.

21. A software product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of computer instructions, the computer instructions comprising instructions executable to:

collect data, wherein collecting data comprises querying one or more library components of the media library at intervals and receiving returned data, wherein the one or more library components comprise a tape drives and a media changer, and wherein querying one or more library components comprises;

sending Log Sense (LS) commands to a media library at intervals; and

sending Read Element Status (RES) commands to the media library at intervals;

store the collected data in a repository over a plurality of intervals, wherein storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the LS commands or the RES commands in the repository;

track movements of a plurality of tapes within the media library by comparing differences in data returned in response to the RES commands over multiple intervals;

organize the collected data;

access the collected data in the repository based on one or more specifications; and

provide the collected data based on one or more specifications.

22. The software product of claim 21, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to form one or more structures containing data returned in response to one or more LS or RES commands.

23. The software product of claim 21, wherein organizing the collected data comprises arranging data in a chronological order or purging data.

24. The software product of claim 21, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to display data to a user.

25. The software product of claim 21, wherein the computer instructions are further executable to derive a set of derived data from the returned data.

26. The software product of claim 21, wherein providing the collected data further comprises providing the collected data to another system for further processing.

27. The software product of claim 21, wherein:

querying one or more library components further comprises sending one or more Inquiry commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the Inquiry commands.

28. The software product of claim 21, wherein:

querying one or more library components further comprises sending one or more additional commands to the tape drives or the media changer of the media library, wherein the additional commands comprise SCSI commands; and

storing the collected data in the repository comprises storing data returned in response to the one or more additional commands.

29. The software product of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to correlate errors of the plurality of tapes based on the movements of the plurality of tapes within the media library.

30. The software product of claim 21, wherein providing the collected data based on one or more specifications comprises providing error data for a selected drive for a selected time period spanning multiple intervals and identities of tapes loaded in the selected drive in the selected time period.