How to inventory a 3581

I started using my 3581 tape drives as MLBs.

What is the generally accepted way of 'inventorying' what tapes are in the
drive?  For example, I can't just put a tape in slot 1 of the drive and have
it work for BRMS activity.  It tells me that *INSERT is not a valid
category.  The only thing I know to do is WRKMLMBRM and tell it to option
8=Mount.  This seems kludgy for some reason.  It feels like I should be able
to just put it in the slot and go.

At 2 pm BRMS does it's daily maintenance, expiring tape(s).  That report
tells the operator which tape to load that night.  The backup is unattended
at 4am, so it's critical an expired tape is loaded and ready.  I believe
that CHKEXPBRM will test this for me, but it doesn't work unless I 'mount'
the tape first.

-- 
Jeff Crosby
Dilgard Frozen Foods, Inc.
P.O. Box 13369
Ft. Wayne, IN 46868-3369
260-422-7531

The opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the opinion of my
company.  Unless I say so.