Re: TS2900 Media Library.

[Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Another small tidbit of advice.  Do not constantly re-initialize tapes 
for daily use.  Use and honor the expiration dates on the tapes and the 
files on the tapes.  BRMS is a great (and inexpensive) way to manage 
recovery/backup and tapes with out pain.  If you allow the tape to be 
initialized once, the system will keep track of the time used, 
read/write errors and all manor of statistics on your tapes.  (you can 
find the stats in SST: STRSST, Option 1, Start a service tool, Option 1, 
Product Activity Log, Option 4 work with removable media lifetime 
statistics )

That way you'll avoid using a worn out tape for a back up and find out 
it won't support a recovery.  A bad thing usually.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 6/24/2011 8:27 AM, Jorge Merino wrote:
> Hi Chuck,
>
> We received 20 tapes with its bar code on them, I'll keep the link, it will be handy on the future.
>
> On the configuration of the library, which are the key parameters that you used?
> Library Mode: Random/Sequential
> Loop: Enabled/Disable
> Autoload: Enable/Disable
> Number of Active Slots: 9+0
> Bar Code Label Length
>
> Thanks Chuck.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx  [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chuck Lewis
> Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 6:42 AM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: RE: TS2900 Media Library.
>
> Hi Jorge,
>
> Here is a link that folks here were kind enough to give me earlier this
> year when I was setting ours up. This will let your print the Bar Code
> labels you will need:
>
> http://tapelabels.librelogiciel.com/
>
> Template should be Avery 6577 and you need those labels.
>
> HTH
>
> Chuck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jorge Merino
> Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 12:03 AM
> To:midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: TS2900 Media Library.
>
> Hi folks!
>
> We got a V7R1 IBMi and it came with a TS2900 Tape autoloader device
> which seems pretty cool, but this is the first time that I have to deal
> with a Media Library device and I do not know how to start using it, I
> already googled but I couldn't find good a good tutorial, and the lack
> of IBM's info on how to use the device for the IBMi disappointed me this
> time.
>
> I already connected the device to the IBMi, loaded the tapes, configured
> the library as Random, configured the IP to access it through the web
> interface.
>
> We also had to get a new cable to interface it to the IBMi server, so
> far, so good. I can see the TAPMLB03 device there and a TAP02 device as
> well.
>
> I found that I have to get familiar with commands like WRKTAPCTG,
> ADDTAPCTG, SETTAPCGY, RMVTAPCTG... does anyone has experience with this
> media library devices and can tell me how to use it? The plan is to use
> it for our daily backups, I loaded 9 tapes.
>
> Any lead will be appreciated, thank you.
>
> Jorge