Patent ID: 7263596
Filing Date: 2007-08-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A data storage system for storing data for multiple host computers, the data storage system comprising: a set of multiple data storage drives each having a physical drive address; a set of multiple data storage media slots wherein each data storage media slot is configured to receive a removable tape cartridge or removable disk cartridge, and wherein each data storage media slot has a physical slot address; at least one robot configured to move a tape or disk cartridge between one of the data storage media slots and one of the data storage drives; at least one library controller coupled to the robot and the data storage drives; at least one library management unit coupled among the multiple host computers and the library controller, wherein the library management unit is configured to: wherein a second logical library is defined under the library management unit as associated with another of the multiple host computers, wherein the first and second logical libraries combined define in one configuration a total number of data storage drives that is equal to the set of multiple data storage drives, and define in another configuration a total number of data storage drives that is greater than the set of multiple data storage drives; wherein the logical drive addresses in the second logical library are not associated with physical drive addresses until a predetermined command is received from the another host computer; another set of multiple data storage drives each having a physical drive address; another robot configured to move a tape or disk cartridge between one of the data storage media slots and one of the data storage drives in the another set; another library controller coupled to the another robot and the another set of data storage drives; a set of import and export data storage media slots shared under the first and second and logical libraries; and a configuration tool coupled to the library management unit, wherein the configuration tool includes a graphical user interface to permit a user to request additional data storage resources and to provide user input to define priorities for use of at least the data storage drives; and wherein the library management unit is further configured to: wherein the library management unit is further configured to: