Patent ID: 6973369
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
1. A tape library comprising: a front-end portion adapted for use with a data protection application, said front-end portion being visible to an end-user, the data protection application for importing and exporting tapes from said front-end portion; a back-end portion for storing tapes exported by the front-end portion, said back-end portion being invisible to an end-user and the data protection application; wherein tapes may be automatically exported from the front-end portion to the back-end portion, and may be automatically imported back into the front-end portion without manual intervention; an agent for determining the availability of tapes and tape slots in the front-end and back-end portions and for managing the transfer of tapes between the front-end and back-end portions, the agent functionally disposed between the data protection application and the end-user and configured to intercept requests made by the data protection application for manual importing and exporting of tapes into and out-of the front-end portion; and whereby if the agent intercepts a message from the data protection application requesting the end-user to manually import a tape to the front-end portion, the agent automatically determines whether the tape is in the back-end portion and, if so, the agent automatically transfers the tape form-the back-end portion to the front-end portion.