Tape apparatus and control device

• US 9,799,371 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hirashima, Nobuyuki, Murayama, Takashi, Kurihara, Takuya, Yamato, Takaaki, Enohara, Katsuo, Hirabayashi, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habermehl, James L
• Application Number:
  US15/499,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20170330594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 180 Days
• Field of Search: 360 31, 360 48, 360 53, 360 55, 360 69, 360 71, 360 7802
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1202 with longitudinal tracks only
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1886 with tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/183 wherein at least one additional attempt is made to read or write the data when a first attempt is unsuccessful
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1893 using linear replacement to relocate data from a defective block to a non-contiguous spare area, e.g. with a secondary defect list [SDL]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00821 using stationary heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/09 Digital recording

Abstract

A tape apparatus includes a tape drive and a processor. The tape drive is configured to perform data reading and data writing on a magnetic tape in which a plurality of tracks are formed. The processor is configured to control the tape drive to perform data reading and data writing on the plurality of tracks in a first segment among a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the magnetic tape in a running direction. The processor is configured to reserve a first track of the plurality of tracks as a copy target upon determining that an abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track. The processor is configured to instruct the tape drive to copy data recorded in the first segment on the first track to a second segment on the first track at a predetermined timing. The second segment is adjacent to the first segment.

Claims

1. A tape apparatus, comprising:

a tape drive configured to

perform data reading and data writing on a magnetic tape in which a plurality of tracks are formed; and

a processor configured to

control the tape drive to perform data reading and data writing on the plurality of tracks in a first segment among a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the magnetic tape in a running direction,

reserve a first track of the plurality of tracks as a copy target upon determining that an abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track, and

instruct the tape drive to copy data recorded in the first segment on the first track to a second segment on the first track at a predetermined timing, the second segment being one of the plurality of segments and adjacent to the first segment.

2. The tape apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to

determine whether the abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track on basis of a read retry count or a write retry count for the first segment on the first track, the read retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data reading, the write retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data writing.

3. The tape apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined timing is a timing at which an unmount instruction is received, the unmount instruction instructing to unmount the magnetic tape from the tape drive.

4. The tape apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to

instruct, after the copy, the tape drive to start appending data in the second segment on the first track,

instruct the tape drive to reverse a write direction after writing data in the second segment on the first track, the write direction being a forward direction or a reverse direction which is a reverse of the forward direction, and

instruct the tape drive to write data in the second segment on a second track of the plurality of tracks, the second track being next to the first track.

5. A control device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to

control a tape drive to perform data reading and data writing on a plurality of tracks formed in a magnetic tape in a first segment among a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the magnetic tape in a running direction,

reserve a first track of the plurality of tracks as a copy target upon determining that an abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track, and

instruct the tape drive to copy data recorded in the first segment on the first track to a second segment on the first track at a predetermined timing, the second segment being one of the plurality of segments and adjacent to the first segment.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein

the processor is configured to

determine whether the abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track on basis of a read retry count or a write retry count for the first segment on the first track, the read retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data reading, the write retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data writing.

7. The control device according to claim 5, wherein

the predetermined timing is a timing at which an unmount instruction is received, the unmount instruction instructing to unmount the magnetic tape from the tape drive.

8. The control device according to claim 5, wherein

the processor is configured to

instruct, after the copy, the tape drive to start appending data in the second segment on the first track,

instruct the tape drive to reverse a write direction after writing data in the second segment on the first track, the write direction being a forward direction or a reverse direction which is a reverse of the forward direction, and

instruct the tape drive to write data in the second segment on a second track of the plurality of tracks, the second track being next to the first track.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

controlling a tape drive to perform data reading and data writing on a plurality of tracks formed in a magnetic tape in a first segment among a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the magnetic tape in a running direction;

reserving a first track of the plurality of tracks as a copy target upon determining that an abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track; and

instructing the tape drive to copy data recorded in the first segment on the first track to a second segment on the first track at a predetermined timing, the second segment being one of the plurality of segments and adjacent to the first segment.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, the process comprising:

determining whether the abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track on basis of a read retry count or a write retry count for the first segment on the first track, the read retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data reading, the write retry count being an accumulated number of retries which occur during performing data writing.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein

the predetermined timing is a timing at which an unmount instruction is received, the unmount instruction instructing to unmount the magnetic tape from the tape drive.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, the process comprising:

instructing, after the copy, the tape drive to start appending data in the second segment on the first track;

instructing the tape drive to reverse a write direction after writing data in the second segment on the first track, the write direction being a forward direction or a reverse direction which is a reverse of the forward direction; and

instructing the tape drive to write data in the second segment on a second track of the plurality of tracks, the second track being next to the first track.