BRMS Tape Library drive failure - will not select another drive

We've had two tape drive failures within the last month where a BRMS process failed because the drive it selected had an issue.
There were 3 other drives available, but once i5/OS requests a drive, it will not switch to another drive, if unsuccessful.
In both cases, BRMS needed to unload the tape in the drive, and mount a different volume.
There were 3 other drives available, but BRMS (or i5/OS) will not switch to another drive.
In one case, the required volume was actually loaded in another drive, however, BRMS does not know this.
Per IBM support,
BRMS does not load or unload the tapes. BRMS does not select the drives to use. BRMS issues the command to save an item and then recommends the volume to use. The operating system selects the drive to use based attributes of the save and an internal drive selection algorithm.

Here's the summary, I'm in the process of requesting a DCR.

Forwarded the PAL data on to Development for their review. From the collective set of PALs they have been able to piece together what is occurring.

The drive is signaling a "load/unload" error on the mount of the required volume. Current design treats this as a media issue and tries another cartridge. Which then exhausts the list of available
media and then fails as BRMS runs out of media.

In this case the drive is the issue and any cartridge will fail as the error is specifically an issue with unloading the present cartridge.

The scenario will be taken under consideration for a potential future change. But at this point, there will be no commitment to a date for the change.

Thank You
_____
Paul Steinmetz
IBM i Systems Administrator

Pencor Services, Inc.
462 Delaware Ave
Palmerton Pa 18071

610-826-9117 work
610-826-9188 fax
610-349-0913 cell
610-377-6012 home

psteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pencor.com/