Robotic storage library with queued move instructions and method of queing such instructions

• US 8,666,537 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectra Logic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spectra Logic Corporation
• Inventors: Starr, Matthew Thomas, Goberis, Michael Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US12/262,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/218, 700/228
• US Class Current: 700/228
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6835 the cassettes being transferred to a fixed recorder or player using a moving carriage
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/225 wherein the disks are transferred from a fixed magazine to a fixed playing unit using a moving carriage

Abstract

A robotic tape library which queues two or more move instructions is described. Generally, the robotic system receives a first move instruction which commands a first robot to move a first tape cartridge from a shelf to a first tape drive to be loaded therein. Though the first move has not actually taken place, the library replies to the host computer that the first tape drive has been loaded with the first tape cartridge, at least to an acceptable level of engagement, at which point, the first move instruction is queued. After receiving a second move instruction from the host to move a second tape cartridge from the shelf to a second tape drive, the library reorganizes and physically carries out the move instructions with potentially different hardware in a preferred order.

Claims

1. A method for a robotic storage library possessing a single robot, said method comprising:

a) receiving a first move instruction from a host computer directing said robot to move a first storage element from a shelf to a first drive, said robot is identified by said host computer;

b) in reference to said first move instruction, responding to said host that said first drive is in possession of said first storage element in a minimal acceptable engaged relationship in anticipation of a second move instruction regardless of whether, in actuality, said first drive possesses said first storage element;

c) receiving a second move instruction from said host computer said robot to move a second storage element from said shelf to a second drive;

d) in reference to said second move instruction, responding to said host that said second drive is in possession of said second storage element in a minimal acceptable engaged relationship regardless of whether, in actuality, said second drive possesses said second storage element;

e) queuing said first and said second move instructions;

f) reorganizing said first and said second move instructions in a preferred order; and

g) carrying out said preferred order via said robot contained within said robotic storage library.

2. A robotic storage system comprising:

a communication interface adapted to receive a first load instruction from a host to load a first mobile storage element in a first drive via a robotic transporter and said communication interface adapted to communicate to said host that said first load instruction is carried out prior to actually carrying out said first load instruction, said host has knowledge of said robotic transporter;

a queue system adapted to retain said first load instruction and a second load instruction received after said communication that said first load instruction was carried out wherein said second load instruction pertains to loading a second mobile storage element in a second drive via said robotic transporter and wherein said communication interface is adapted to communicate that said second load instruction is carried out even though said second load instruction is not carried out with said robotic transporter; and

a controller adapted to carry out said first load instruction and said second load instruction via said robotic transporter wherein said first load instruction and said second load instruction from said queue system are reorganized in a preferred order.

3. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said load instructions are received from said host, and wherein said host does not transmit said second load instruction to said robotic storage system until receiving said communication that said first load instruction is carried out.

4. The robotic storage system of claim 2 further comprising a central processing unit adapted to maintain and execute computing instructions that cause said robotic storage system to receive, manage and perform queuing duties by said queue system, said communication interface and said controller.

5. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said preferred order is to complete said second move instruction before completing said first move instruction.

6. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said preferred order is dependent on which one of said mobile storage elements said robotic transporter is closest to.

7. The robotic storage system of claim 2 further comprising a means for retaining said first and said second move instructions in said queue system after said robotic storage system is re-energized following an unexpected loss of power before said move instructions have been fully executed.

8. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said queue system includes a table of said instructions maintained by memory disposed within said storage system.

9. The robotic storage system of claim 2 further comprising:

a third drive and a third mobile storage element disposed to said shelf system;

a first partition and a second partition wherein said first and said second drives are associated with said first partition and said third drive is associated with second partition;

a third load instruction received from a second host retained in said queue system wherein said third load instruction includes commands to load said third mobile storage element to said third drive via said robot transporter, and wherein said third load instruction is affirmed to said second host as carried out via said communication interface before said third load instruction is actually carried out; and

said controller further capable of organizing said third instruction with said first and said second instructions in said preferred order.

10. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said first and said second mobile storage elements are selected from a group of mobile storage elements consisting of:

a tape cartridge magazine, a mobile disc drive magazine, a solid state memory device adapted for mobility, and a disc drive adapted for mobility.

11. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said first and said second mobile storage elements are tape cartridges and said robotic storage system is a tape library.

12. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on an urgency to obtain information from one of said mobile storage elements over the other.

13. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on priority of a customer associated with information maintained by one of said mobile storage elements.

14. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said controller reorganizes said load instructions after a predetermined amount of time following when said queue system receives said first load instruction from said host.

15. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said controller reorganizes said load instructions after receiving a predetermined number of load instructions from said host.

16. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said algorithm controller reorganizes said load instructions based upon either a predetermined amount of time after said queue system receives said first load instruction or after said queue system receives a predetermined number of load instructions, whichever occurs earlier.

17. The robotic storage system of claim 2 further comprising:

a shelf system adapted to support said first mobile storage element and said second mobile storage element wherein said robotic transporter is adapted to move said mobile storage elements between said shelf system and said drives.

18. The robotic storage system of claim 17 wherein said robotic transporter carries out said first and said second instructions after said controller reorganizes said first and said second instructions in said preferred order.

19. The robotic storage system of claim 2 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on efficiency of travel of said robotic transporter between said mobile storage elements and said drives.

20. The robotic storage system of claim 19 wherein said efficiency consists essentially of distance of travel.

21. A method comprising:

providing a storage system comprising one robotic transporter, a shelf system supporting a first storage element and a second storage element, a first drive and a second drive;

receiving a first request from a host to load said first storage element in a cooperating relationship with said first drive via said robotic transporter, wherein said host has knowledge of said robotic transporter;

responding to said host that said first storage element has been loaded in said first storage drive prior to actually loading said first storage element in said first storage drive;

queuing said first request in memory;

receiving a second request from said host, after said first request, to load said second storage element in a cooperating relationship with said second drive via said robotic transporter;

responding to said host that said second storage element has been loaded in said second drive prior to actually loading said second storage element in said second storage drive;

computing a strategy that reorganizes said first and said second requests in a desired order; and

carrying out said strategy via said robotic transporter.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising queuing said second request in said memory.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

providing a third storage element and a third drive;

receiving a third request from either said host or a different host to load said third storage element in a cooperating relationship with said third drive via said robotic transporter;

responding to either said host or said different host, from whichever said third request was received, that said third storage element has been loaded in said third drive;

queuing said third request in memory;

computing said strategy to include said third request; and

carrying out said strategy via said robotic transporter.

24. A robotic storage system comprising:

a queue system containing a first move instruction and a second move instruction, received from a host, wherein said first move instruction commands a robotic transporter to move a first mobile storage element from a shelf system to a first drive and load said first mobile storage element into said first drive, said host has knowledge of said robotic transporter, and said second move instruction commands said robotic transporter to move a second mobile storage element from said shelf system to a second drive and load said second mobile storage element into said second drive, said second move instruction received by a host after said storage system makes known to said host that said first mobile storage element has been moved to said first drive and that said first mobile storage element is engaged with said first drive, prior to actually physically completing said first move instruction;

a means for reorganizing said first and said second move instructions in said storage system in a preferred order via said queue system and wherein said robotic transporter physically carries out said first and said second move instructions based on said preferred order.

25. A robotic storage library including:

a plurality of mobile storage elements;

one robotic transporter;

at least one drive adapted to receive one of said mobile storage elements in an at least minimally acceptable operative engagement;

a queue system adapted to receive a first move instruction from a host to move one of said storage elements via said robotic transporter to said at least one drive for operative engagement therewith, said robotic transporter is identified by said host computer, a second move instruction from said host to move a second of said storage elements via said robotic transporter to said at least one drive for operative engagement therewith wherein prior to receiving said second move instruction said host receives communication from said robotic storage library that said first command is complete even though said first command is not physically carried out, said storage library to initially organize said instructions in an order essentially as chronologically received, and to reorganize said instructions according to a pre-established set of conditions.

26. A robotic storage system comprising:

a communication interface adapted to receive a first load instruction from a host to load a first mobile storage element in a first drive via a first robotic transporter and adapted to communicate to said host that said first load instruction is carried out prior to actually carrying out said first load instruction, said first robotic transporter is identifiable by said host;

a queue system adapted to retain said first load instruction and a second load instruction received after said communication that said first load instruction was carried out wherein said second load instruction pertains to loading a second mobile storage element in a second drive via said first robotic transporter; and

a controller adapted to carry out said first load instruction and said second load instruction from said queue system, said first and said second load instructions are reorganized in a preferred order and carried out via first robotic transporter.