Archive:Loader 3.6

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Loader

Loaders are devices composed of drive(s), a magazine with slots for media and a robotic mechanism that moves media between the slots, drives and a potentially available insert-eject port. In most cases, this insert-eject port is a conveyor belt moving the cassettes into/out of the loader. There is no dependency in SEP sesam to use any manufacturers devices or device types. A list of supported hardware is available at Supported Storage Hardware.

Loading of media is defined as the movement of a cassette from the magazine into a drive, unloading is the opposite. Loaders enable a fully automated backup system during night or weekends.

The menu item Loaders shows the configured loaders and the drives within them and offers the respective tools you will need to configure your loader.


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Properties Loader and New Loader

The configuration (addition) of storage hardware is automatic (local) so long as the newly added hardware is supported and recognized by the operating system (listed in the O/S Device Driver Directory). Adding other loaders (e.g. for Remote Devices) is possible at anytime.


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Attention

Windows requires the Device Label of the SCSI ID. Linux, however, requires the Device File or Data, e.g. /dev/sg2.


Device
SCSI Device Description of the Loader
  • Windows:

The SCSI ID can be entered using the "sesam loader utility" (slu) as long as the Drivers have been properly installed. Use the following command:

<SESAM_BIN>\sesam\slu.exe scan


Now, all attached SCSI Devices will be listed.

Example Output:

ID=0000 other:  WDC WD3000JD-55KLB0 (HardDisk)
ID=3000 other:  TSSTcorp DVD-ROM SH-D162C (CdRom0)
ID=4030 Tape:   Quantum DLT4000         D67E (Tape0)
ID=4031 Loader: Quantum 1x8             E456 (Changer)

The displayed ID must now be entered under "Device (SCSI-ID)".

  • Linux:

The required Data File for Linux can also be determined using the command:

<SESAM_BIN>/sesam/slu scan 

Example Output:

ID=0000 other:   ATA      ST380013AS
ID=1000 other:   TOSHIBA  ODD-DVD SD-M1802
ID=7040 Tape:    Quantum  DLT4000          D67E (/dev/nst0)
ID=7050 Tape:    Quantum  DLT4000          D67E (/dev/nst1)
ID=7060 Loader:  HP       C1194F           1.04 (/dev/sg4)
STATUS=SUCCESS MSG="OK"

When using Linux, in addition to the SCSI ID, you will need to enter the data file into "Device (SCSI-ID)".


Tape Server
Remote Device (Server) where the Loader is installed

The Remote Device or the Remote Device Server refer to the server where the Auto Tape Loader is connected. In smaller environments you would normally install the Auto Loader or Disk array directly to the SEP sesam Server. You will use the Remote Device (Server) in more complex data centers and data backup designs. The backup stream will flow to the Remote Device (Server) instead of to the SEP sesam server (Master Server).

Type
Manufacturer
Ctrl
Loader Control with sesam Loader Utility SLU
Fächer
Number of Slots in the Loader

When inserting a Cleaning Tape, use the last slot in the loader, and reduce the number of slots in the loader by one (or by the number of cleaning tapes loaded).


Barcode
Select yes/no, as the case maybe, if the loader has a barcode reader or not
Automat. Unload Function
Select yes/no

Almost all Autoloaders and Libraries allow explicit commands to transport tapes to and from the loader mechanism. Therefore, you will most often select 'no' in the SEP sesam GUI, and allow the manufacturer's drive settings to perform as designed.


Virtual Loader (VTL)

Backup designs and concepts from DISK to DISK or from DISK to DISK to TAPE necessitate a disk based storage area. This storage area is handled by SEP sesam as a Virtual Tape Libary (VTL). The VTL controls all DISK-HARD Drives. DISK drives on Remote Device Servers are controlled using Loader 0.

A VTL can be created in different storage areas using the available Data Systems ( NFS, NTFS, ext3, ...) Special hardware is not required when displaying multiple Virtual Drives, and can, therefore, allows the installation and use of more lesser cost devices.

Device         SCSI device identification of loader (./bin/sesam/sm_slu scan shows the descriptions to use)
Tape Server    Client, where the loader is SCSI-connected
Type           Manufacturer identification
Ctrl           Loader-control using Sesam Loader Utility SLU
Slots          number of slots in the magazine
Barcode        select yes/no depending on whether the loader has a bar code reader
Autom.Unload   The drives of the loader unload automatically, when robot moves the media.
               If not, then the drive must be opened with a special command (depends on the loader type) before   
               the robot's movement 


The loader 0 has a special designation, it is the so-called virtual loader, i.e. it does not exist physically but is used exclusively for the "'movement"' of virtual DISK-media. Since DISK_HARD-media are virtual ( directories on disks ), they do need a virtual loader.

Button Contents

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This view shows a symbolic representation of the loader, it is updated with every cycle, so that it always shows the current status. On the left you see the Cassette with slots, next to it is the Arm or selecting device (changer), above is the drive (s), and finally, at the bottom is the exit port. Most often only a portion of the autoloader media will be changed, i.e. for very large Tape Libraries only a portion of the media will be reserved for SEP sesam. The user/administrator has the option to limit the Archive Adjustment (Cassette Adjustment, Library Sync) to specific loader areas or regions. If the media have bar code labels, it will be noted and taken into account for the backup process. A direct verification of the media label is possible.

The Archive Adjustment (Cassette Adjustment, Library Sync) can also occur at the same time an inventory of the loader's tapes is initiated. The user, thus, obtains an overview of the tapes within the load, without regard to which Pool (Storage Pool) they have been assigned/reassigned.

Functions
Legend
key for the VTL color coding
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Change Views
changes Icon size for the selected cassettes in the slots


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Barcode as Label
Instead of the Cassette written label the bar code label is used, if available.
Archive Adjustment
Cassette Adjustment, Library Sync between a loader magazine and the SEP sesam database or (Media Archive)

Select Archive Adjustment

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Mediapool
Select a Mediapool where you want to perform the Library Sync - All media will be shown regardless of the pool selected
Drive Group
The Drive Group is automatically defined via the Media Pool
Drive (opt.)
optional input of a single drive
First Slot, Last Slot
Offers the possibility to limit the synchronization to a portion of the Autoloader
Automatic New Media
In the event unknown media (without sesam Label) are found within the loader, these unidentified media will be added to the specified mediapool
Media Type
Entry of Media Type for Automatic New Media entry
Handling of unrecognized SEP sesam Media
  • Enter without initialization - foreign sesam Media, e.g. from another SEP sesam server will be entered into the new Mediapool

- Note: any Media from a competitive manufacturer will be entered into the target mediapool and will be overwritten! In other words, any media not recognized by the SEP sesam server will be overwritten and a new Media Pool Label is written to the tape.

Check Label
Every tape label will be newly read, and verified. The bar code information will be ignored.

Select Loader Action

Selecting Loader Action is the simplest (limited) way to achieve direct access to Disk and Loader controls. The import or export (load/unload) of single media can be initialized within the SEP GUI, as well as the sorting from media within the library. The use of Port Slots will be dependent upon the hardware installed.

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Action
Import
transport of tape cartridge through the input/output port into the magazine
Export
transport of tape cartridge from the magazine through the input/output port - exit from loader
Load from slot
move tape cartridge from the specified magazine slot into the specified drive
Load via label
move tape cartridge with certain ID (e.g. S00001) into the specified drive
Unload
move tape cartridge from the specified drive back into its slot
Loader Number
selection of a defined loader
Drive Number
selection of a defined drive (within that loader)
Slot
defines the number of the slot receiving the tape cartridge, or from which it must be loaded
Label
In case of "'Load via Label"' instead of slot number
Start
of the corresponding action
Cancel
closes the entry mask without an action