International Business Machines Corporation

Brian Gerald Goodman

Kenny Nian Gan Qiu

Leonard George Jesionowski

Jose G Miranda Gavillan

Michael Philip McIntosh

Shawn Michael Nave

Kenny N G Qiu

George G Zamora

Gregory J Goodman

Tom Haberman

Glen Alan Jaquette

Icko E T Iben

Ernest Stewart Gale

Robert Beverley Basham

James Mitchell Karp

Frank Krick

Lee Curtis Randall

Bernd Freitag

Ronald Faye Hill, Jr

Robin Daniel Roberts

Erik Rueger

Timothy Keith Pierce

Kenny N Qiu

Jose G Miranda-Gavillan

Daniel James Winarski

Nhan Xuan Bui

Allen Keith Bates

Jason Lee Peipelman

James Arthur Fisher

Paul Merril Greco

Frank David Gallo

Alan A Fennema

Arthur John Colvig

Tim Oswald

Arturo Avila Mojica

Daniel J Moore

Yoshihiro Hirasaka

Julian Lewkowicz

Timothy S Gardner

John E Bish

Lee Jesionowski

Daniel W Fok

Silvio A Cardero

Stephen Jackson

Lenore I Mackey

A data storage library system includes a data storage library, at least one environmental conditioning unit, at least one data storage drive retained within the data storage library, and at least one access door for providing access to an interior portion of the data storage library. The system also includes a library controller, wherein the library controller is configured to initiate a service mode prior to and during a service procedure performed within the data storage library, and further wherein at least one operational state within the at least one data storage drive is changed during the service mode. The change in the at least one operational state may be, for example, an increase in temperature within the at least one data storage drive, or the insertion of a data storage cartridge into the at least one data storage drive during the service mode.

Data storage library with service mode for protecting data storage drives

A computer program product for acclimating at least one electronic data storage library component for insertion or removal from an electronic data storage library, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media. The program instructions include program instructions to insert at least one data storage library component into an acclimation device; to monitor at least one environmental condition within the acclimation device; to determine if the at least one environmental condition within the acclimation device meets a predetermined threshold; to adjust the at least one environmental condition within the acclimation device; and to remove the at least one electronic data storage library component from the acclimation device in response to determining that the at least one environmental condition within the acclimation device meets the predetermined threshold.

Acclimating data storage media and components in a data storage library

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving tracking information which corresponds to an amount that at least one supplemental data storage drive of an automated data storage library was used during a period of time. The automated data storage library in turn includes: one or more primary data storage drives, and one or more robotic accessors physically configured to access each of the one or more primary data storage drives and the at least one supplemental storage drive. Accordingly, the tracking information is used to calculate a usage fee which corresponds to the amount that the at least one supplemental data storage drive was used during the period of time. Furthermore, the usage fee is sent to a user associated with the automated data storage library.

Fee-based provisioning of supplemental drives in automated data storage libraries

A system, method and apparatus to acclimate a data storage component from a first environmental setting to a second environmental setting is disclosed. In one embodiment a system having a data storage library with a plurality of data storage cartridges and at least one media acclimation device having one or more storage locations which are sized to accept one or more data storage cartridges therein is disclosed. The at least one media acclimation device is configured to gradually acclimate the one or more storage locations from an external environmental condition to an internal environmental condition. In another embodiment, a method of acclimating a data storage library component is disclosed. The system, method and apparatus may optionally further include at least one environmental conditioning unit for conditioning the internal environment within the library.

Data storage library with media acclimation device and methods of acclimating data storage media

An enclosure configured to at least partially surround a data storage library, and a system including a data storage library and enclosure(s). The enclosure includes at least one surface configured to surround the at least one library access opening and form a chamber and to permit movement of the movable panel to permit access to the interior of the data storage library, and at least one enclosure access opening in the at least one of the surface to permit access to the interior of the chamber. The enclosure is configured to resist environmental conditions from intruding into the interior of the enclosure, and is further configured to permit exterior environmental conditions from within the interior of the library to intrude into the chamber of the enclosure.

System for providing an access area for a data storage library

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes initiating a creation of a search index for a data storage cartridge, transparently loading the data storage cartridge into a data storage drive of a data storage library, creating the search index, utilizing the data storage cartridge and the data storage drive, and storing the search index.

Creating a search index within a data storage library

An enclosure configured to at least partially surround at least one access opening that permits access to an interior of a data storage library, wherein the enclosure includes at least one side surface configured to surround the at least one access opening to form a chamber and to permit access to the interior of the data storage library. The enclosure also includes at least one access opening in the at least one side surface to permit access to an interior of the chamber, wherein the enclosure is configured to selectively acclimate the chamber between environmental conditions exterior of the enclosure and environmental conditions of the interior of the data storage library.

System for providing an acclimation enclosure for a data storage library

A data storage system that moves and transfers components (e.g., the data storage cartridges, data storage magazines, etc.) utilizing drone systems is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises at least one data storage library for storing, reading, and writing of data to or on a plurality of data storage cartridges and at least one drone vehicle. The system also includes a processing device and a non-transitory, computer-readable memory containing programming instructions. The programming instructions are configured to cause the processing device to receive a request to transfer a data storage component to a destination location, in response to receiving the request, instruct a drone vehicle to perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location, and by the drone vehicle, perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location. In accordance with another embodiment, a drone vehicle for transferring data storage components is disclosed. According to yet another embodiment, a method of transferring data storage components within a data storage system utilizing drones is disclosed.

Methods and systems for transfer of data storage components in an automated data storage system using unmanned aerial vehicles

A system and method of combining move commands of an automated data storage library is disclosed that includes receiving a first command from a host system to remove a first data storage cartridge from a data storage drive of the automated data storage library; maintaining the first data storage cartridge within the data storage drive until receiving a second command from the host system to move a second data storage cartridge into the data storage drive; responding to the host system with a successful move completion status of the first data storage cartridge from the data storage drive, even though the first data storage cartridge is maintained within the data storage drive; and updating a cartridge inventory for the host system to indicate that the first data storage cartridge is located in a requested storage slot location after receiving the first command from the host system to remove the first data storage cartridge from the data storage drive, even though the first data storage cartridge is maintained within the data storage drive.

Combining of move commands to improve the performance of an automated data storage library

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes receiving a search request. Additionally, the method includes transparently loading a data storage cartridge into a data storage drive of a data storage library. Further, the method includes determining search results, utilizing the data storage cartridge and the data storage drive. Further still, the method includes returning the search results.

Performing a search within a data storage library

A system for controlling at least one environmental condition within at least one data storage library. The system may include at least one enclosure surrounding at least a portion of at least one data storage library. The system may also include at least one environmental conditioning unit fluidly connected to the at least one enclosure via at least one duct, wherein the at least one environmental conditioning unit is configured to control at least one environmental condition (e.g., temperature and/or humidity) within the at least one enclosure and within the at least one data storage library.

System for controlling environmental conditions within an automated data storage library

A system, according to one embodiment, includes: an automated data storage library which includes a designated physical mechanism accessible at the automated data storage library, and a memory. The automated data storage library is configured to capture a snapshot of one or more logs in response to the designated physical mechanism being triggered. The automated data storage library is also configured to store the snapshot in the memory. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Log snapshot control on an automated data storage library

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving an input from a designated mechanism of an automated data storage library in response to the designated mechanism being triggered, capturing a snapshot of one or more logs in response to receiving the input from the designated mechanism, and storing the snapshot in memory. Moreover, the designated mechanism is accessible at the automated data storage library. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Log snapshot procedure control on an automated data storage library

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Brian Gerald Goodman