System and method for storing data with host configuration of storage media
First Claim
1. A method for storing and retrieving data on a magnetic tape having a tape length and a tape width and a predetermined number of sections arranged sequentially along the tape length from a beginning of tape (BOT) to an end of tape (EOT) accessed by a tape drive having an associated tape drive processor in communication with a host computer having an associated host processor, the method comprising:
- reading or writing data in at least one partition within a logical volume, the logical volume having an associated number of sections designated by the host computer from the predetermined number of sections associated with the magnetic tape between the BOT and the EOT, wherein each partition extends across one section, the magnetic tape including a predetermined number of partitions sequentially arranged across the tape width within each section; and
receiving a mask from the host computer that designates writable partitions on the magnetic tape, wherein writing data includes writing data only to partitions designated by the mask received from the host computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for storing and retrieving data on a magnetic tape accessed by a tape drive having an associated tape drive processor in communication with a host computer having an associated host processor include writing data to at least one partition within a logical volume having an associated number of sections designated by the host computer from a predetermined number of sections associated with the magnetic tape, wherein each partition extends across one section.
27 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for storing and retrieving data on a magnetic tape having a tape length and a tape width and a predetermined number of sections arranged sequentially along the tape length from a beginning of tape (BOT) to an end of tape (EOT) accessed by a tape drive having an associated tape drive processor in communication with a host computer having an associated host processor, the method comprising:
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reading or writing data in at least one partition within a logical volume, the logical volume having an associated number of sections designated by the host computer from the predetermined number of sections associated with the magnetic tape between the BOT and the EOT, wherein each partition extends across one section, the magnetic tape including a predetermined number of partitions sequentially arranged across the tape width within each section; and receiving a mask from the host computer that designates writable partitions on the magnetic tape, wherein writing data includes writing data only to partitions designated by the mask received from the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for archiving data from a host computer to one of a plurality of magnetic tapes loadable into a tape drive in communication with the host computer, the method comprising:
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communicating information from the host computer to the tape drive to enable host computer configuration of an associated magnetic tape; dividing a data area of the associated magnetic tape into a plurality of sections each spanning a width of the magnetic tape and sequentially arranged along a tape length between a beginning of tape (BOT) and an end of tape (EOT), each section having a plurality of partitions, each partition extending substantially entirely across an associated section, the partitions within a section arranged generally across a width of the magnetic tape; associating at least one of the plurality of sections with a logical data volume designated by the host computer; communicating a writable partition mask from the host computer to the tape drive; and writing data from the logical data volume to the partitions based on the partition mask within the at least one associated section using a tape drive processor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer data storage system comprising:
a tape drive having an associated processor and memory for writing and reading data on an associated magnetic tape having a tape length and tape width, the tape drive receiving information from a host computer to enable host computer configuration of the magnetic tape, allocating a data area of the magnetic tape to a plurality of sections, each section along a portion of the tape length and substantially entirely across the tape width and having a plurality of partitions, each partition extending substantially entirely across the portion of the tape length of an associated section, and the partitions within a section arranged generally across the width of the magnetic tape, wherein the tape drive writes data received from the host computer to at least one section associated with a logical volume designated by the host computer, wherein the tape drive processor reverses tape direction at section boundaries of a logical volume to read or write data in a serpentine fashion within the at least one section associated with the logical volume designated by the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
Specification