The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 11, 2005
Filed:
Sep. 21, 1999
Timothy John Kuik, Lino Lakes, MN (US);
Renae M. Weber, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Mark A. Bakke, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Timothy John Kuik, Lino Lakes, MN (US);
Renae M. Weber, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Mark A. Bakke, Maple Grove, MN (US);
Storage Technology Corporation, Louisville, CO (US);
Abstract
A method and system for connecting a host to a tape drive for accessing a tape cartridge in a data storage system having a tape library provided with cartridges and tape drives includes the host requesting a desired cartridge to access. In response to the request, a proxy agent queries the library to determine which of the tape drives are available to receive the desired cartridge. The proxy agent then selects a tape drive from the available tape drives to receive the desired cartridge. The desired cartridge is then mounted into the selected tape drive. An access controller then connects a virtual tape drive associated with the host to the selected tape drive to provide the host with access to the desired cartridge. The selected tape drive may be selected as a function of its location with respect to the storage location of the desired cartridge. While the host computer is accessing the desired cartridge, the access controller may simultaneously connect another virtual tape drive associated with a second host to another tape drive to provide the second host with access to a different cartridge.