Patent ID: 6041329
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
A method of receiving units of removable data storage media into a data storage subsystem comprising:a library including:multiple data storage media units;multiple storage drives to removably receive and access the data storage media units;a library manager coupled to the storage controller and the storage drives;an input facility to receive media units into the library; anda storage controller coupled to the library;a machine-readable media directory accessible by at least one of the storage controller and the library manager, the media directory including information associating one or more of the media units with predetermined first and second categories;an automated storage administrator coupled to the library manager and the storage controller;said method comprising:the automated storage administrator repeatedly sending requests to the data storage subsystem to enter a first media unit into the media directory under different categories;the automated storage administrator ceasing the repeated sending or requests when a first one of the following occurs: requests have been sent to the subsystem under a predetermined number of categories, or the first media unit is successfully entered in the media directory;if requests have been sent to the subsystem under a predetermined number of categories without successfully entering the first media unit into the media directory, the automated storage administrator sending a request to the catalog to obtain information stored therein representing the first media unit;the subsystem sending the requested information, and in response, the automated storage administrator sending a request to the media directory to enter data including at least some of the requested information representative of the first media unit.