IBM Magstar 3494 Cartridge Placement, Initial Volume Inventory Upload, Host Operation Control

Stacked Volumes

If a Virtual Tape Server is installed, the 3590 High Performance Cartridge Tapes that it will use to store and manage logical volumes cannot be loaded into the library without ®rst:

vPerforming an initial teach of the library.

vSetting up one or more volser ranges that identify the stacked volumes that the Virtual Tape Server will manage. See ªVolser Range for Media Typesº on page 161 for a description of how to enter the volser ranges.

Cartridge Placement

When you place cartridges into the library, performance will be improved if you adhere to the following guidelines:

vOn initial loading of cartridges into the library, cluster cartridges around the tape subsystems they will be used with.

vFor Inventory Update Inserts, place cartridges as near as possible to the tape subsystems on which you intend to issue mounts for those volumes.

v3590 cartridges that will be used as stacked volumes for a particular VTS system should be placed in cells close to those drives associated with the VTS.

Initial Volume Inventory Upload

After the 3494 completes all the initialization operations (including teach and inventory) and enters the Online state for the ®rst time, the host software requests an upload of the volume inventory. The information from the library manager database is uploaded to the attached hosts before host applications can use the 3494.

The process to upload the information requires no operator action.

Host Operation Control

The host operation control of the 3494 is operating-system dependent. Because the 3494 operates under a variety of host operating systems, you must be familiar with the operating system for your library and the required protocol.

For more information about the host operating systems, see the IBM 3494

Introduction and Planning Guide and ªRelated Informationº on page xiv.

Actions to Avoid when Operating a 3494

This section gives two lists of actions to avoid when operating a 3494. The ®rst list (Things you should Never do) is the most important, as these actions can result in serious problems. The second list is also important, but these actions are more readily corrected and will result in problems of a less serious nature.

Chapter 3. Operational Characteristics 59