Library device and library device control method

A control unit refers to a logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from an external device, identifies one of the logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in a physical library unit which has been ordered by the export process command to been ejected from an ejection slot, and correlates, in the identified logical library unit, the ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to the physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-001986, filed on Jan. 9, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a library device and a library device control method and, in particular, relates to a library device which can be shared by a plurality of external devices (such as computers), and to a control method and a control program thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, the amount of data (information) used in executing businesses or the like at enterprises and used in services required for the social life have been increasing. Accordingly, a storage device which is capable of storing such large amount of data and of utilizing the stored data at right time is demanded, for example, at server rooms, data centers and the like.

As an example of such a storage device which includes a plurality of portable cartridges (recording media) is known, wherein each of them contains a recording medium such as a magnetic tape (for details of such library device, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 3630408).

In the library device, a recording medium specified by a command which is received from another external device such as a server device (referred to a “server device” as a representative example in the following description) is conveyed to a drive device by the use of a conveyance mechanism. The drive device writes data into the conveyed recording medium or reads data from the recording medium, and thereby exchanges those pieces of data with the server device.

For example, the library device can be shared by a plurality of server devices.

When sharing the library device, such a plurality of server devices communicate with each other using a communication network (hereafter, referred to also as simply a “network”) in order to avoid a situation where accesses compete with each other (hereafter, the situation is referred to also as simply “access contention”).

As a result, communication traffic between the plurality of server devices increases, and processing load of each server device increases in association with it. Additionally, if one of the server devices is forced to wait as a result of the above-described avoidance of access contention between the server devices, availability of the server is lowered.

In order to deal with such a situation, in a library device shared by a plurality of server devices, a plurality of recording media included in the library device are generally divided into some groups of which includes a predetermined number of medium storage slot so that the process for avoiding access contention does not need to be performed between the server devices. Accordingly, a plurality of physical libraries is created.

In the library device, the logical libraries are correlated on a one-to-one basis with the above-described physical libraries each of which included of the predetermined number of medium storage slot, and the plurality of server devices are correlated on a one-to-one basis with the logical libraries.

Because the library devices have the above-described configuration, it becomes possible to make the situation that each of the server devices have an own library device and can exclusively use the own library device.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122843 discloses a technology of dividing physical libraries included in a library device into a plurality of logical libraries and performing data which is transferred between server devices which are correlated on a one-to-one basis with the plurality of logical libraries which is created by the division.

Specifically, a library device, which is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122843 notifies, in its inside, insertion of a recording medium to a host which is the destination of data transfer, and makes the host which is the destination of data transfer recognize the inserted recording medium. In this way, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122843 discloses a technology for transferring data between hosts in a shorter time than for transferring the data by once ejecting a recording medium outside and inserting it again.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-095812 discloses a technology of performing a process described below when a logical volume recorded in a primary storage means (a disk array device) is copied to a recording medium for secondary storage (a tape library device). The process is that, when a target logical volume is a volume which is ejected outside on the basis of ejection identification information, the volume which is ejected outside is copied to a recording medium for external ejection in parallel with the process of copying the logical volume to a recording medium for secondary storage.

Specifically, there is a problem that, when an ejection request is received from a host, it takes a long time since the reception until all logical volumes designated are copied to a recording medium for secondary storage and ejection of the recording medium for secondary storage after the copying becomes possible. With regard to the problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-095812 discloses a technology which can perform the ejection in a short time by creating a recording medium for external ejection in parallel with copying to a recording medium for secondary storage.

However, the library device mentioned above has a problem described below.

In the library device mentioned above, a recording medium is required for recording new data into it. It is also required to backup data recorded in a recording medium or to store data in a recording medium for a long period of time. Because of these sorts of necessity, operations of inserting the recording medium into the library device from outside and of extracting (ejecting) it from the library device are performed. These operations are usually performed, for example, at a closure of a business or the like, and hence are not frequently performed.

Therefore, in the library device, for example, the number of physical slots from which a recording medium is ejected (ejection slot) is not so large as the number of server devices using the library device (that is, the number of logical libraries created by the division and correlated with the server devices as described above). Accordingly, the physical ejection slots are shared by a plurality of server devices.

Here, the ejection slots are referred to as physical slots within the library device which are used, for example, by an operator to extract a recording medium into which the library device has recorded data, via an extraction opening from which a recording medium can be extracted, in order to eject the recording medium outside the library device for the purpose of, for example, long-term storage of the recording medium at another place. The ejection slots may be able to contain a plurality of recording media.

An application program executed at a server device so as to control the library device issues an instruction (ejection request) to cause the library device to eject a recording medium desired to be ejected, among recording media which are stored in the physical slot constituting a physical library correlated with a logical library related to the server device, to the ejection slots. Here, there may be a case a plurality of server devices each issue such an ejection request simultaneously with the others.

When ejection requests are issued simultaneously from a plurality of applications, as mentioned above, and the shared ejection slots can contain a plurality of recording media, for example, recording media ejected in accordance with the respective ejection requests, each from among recording media which are stored in the physical slot constituting a physical library correlated with a logical library related to the corresponding server device. Therefore, the recording media are mingled with each other at the ejection slots.

Accordingly, there arises a problem in that an operator needs to sort the ejected recording media to identify which logical library is correlated with, and it takes a lot of trouble.

In the library device having the shared ejection slots, until completion of extracting a recording medium from a logical ejection slot assigned to a logical library, no other logical libraries accept a request for ejecting a recording medium. Accordingly, there arises a problem in that server devices controlling the other logical libraries are forced to suspend issuing a request for ejecting a recording medium.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122843 mentioned above gives no consideration for ejecting a recording medium to the outside of the library device. Therefore, the disclosure of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122843 is limited to a technology of, in transferring data by correlating a tape recording medium with a different logical library within a library device having a plurality of logical libraries created by the division described above, determining a logical library whose related tape recording medium is not ejected to be a target logical library to which the data is to be transferred.

In the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-095812 mentioned above, for example, a plurality of hard disk drives included in a disk array device being a primary storage means are divided into groups each consisting of a predetermined number of hard disk drives, and each of the groups of hard disk drives is correlated with a logical library. However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-095812 discloses nothing about correlating the logical libraries, already correlated with the hard disk drive groups, on a one-to-one basis with a plurality of server devices.

SUMMARY

An example of an object of the invention is to provide a library device and a control method thereof which solve the problems described above.

In order to achieve the object, the present invention has the following characteristics.

A library device according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices, and a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of the ejection slots, and logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of the areas, and a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of the logical library units and each of the external devices, and a control unit which correlates the recording medium with the logical library units when each of the physical recording media are ejected. The control unit refers to the logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from the external device, identifies one of the logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in the physical library unit which has been ordered by the export process command to been ejected from the ejection slot, and correlates, in the identified logical library unit, the ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to the physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

A library device control method according to an exemplary aspect of the invention, which is used in a library device, which includes at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices, and a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of the ejection slots, and logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of the areas, and a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of the logical library units and each of the external devices, and a control unit which correlates the recording medium with the logical library units when each of the physical recording media are ejected, includes referring to the logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from the external device, and identifying one of the logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in the physical library unit which has been ordered by the export process command to been ejected from the ejection slot, and correlating, in the identified logical library unit, the ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to the physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

A non-transitory recording computer readable medium for storing a control program according to an exemplary aspect of the invention, which is used in a library device which includes, at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices, and a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of said ejection slots, and logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of said areas, and a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of said logical library units and each of said external devices, and a control unit which correlates the recording medium with said logical library units when each of said physical recording media are ejected, which makes a computer execute a referring processing in which refers to said logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from said external device, and an identifying processing in which identifies one of said logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in said physical library unit which has been ordered by said export process command to been ejected from said ejection slot, and a correlating processing in which correlates, in the identified logical library unit, said ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to said physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to drawings.

Referring toFIG. 1, the present exemplary embodiment includes a library device1, a recording medium7and a plurality of external devices9.

The library device1includes a control unit2, a logical library information storage unit3for storing information about logical libraries, a logical library unit4, an ejection slot5and a physical library unit8.

The recording medium7records a plurality of pieces of data. A computer can record those pieces of data. The recording medium7is ejected from the ejection slot5.

The physical library unit8is a data storage device equipped with a plurality of recording media7. The physical library unit8can divide recording media7into groups, wherein the groups include a predetermined number of the recording media7. Each of these groups of a predetermined number of the recording media7is named “physical sub-library (not illustrated)”.

Then, a plurality of physical sub-libraries are correlated on a one-to-one basis with a plurality of logical sub-libraries (not illustrated) created by dividing the logical library unit4which is a logical storage area.

The plurality of external devices9are connected on a one-to-one basis with the plurality of logical sub-libraries described above, and order an export process. The export process is an operation of ejecting, from the ejection slot5, a recording medium7in the physical sub-libraries correlated on a one-to-one basis with the plurality of logical sub-libraries. The number of the ejection slots5is one or larger, and the ejection slots5are shared by a larger number of external devices9than the ejection slots5.

An operation unit6is used by an operator (not illustrated), who extracts the recording medium7to the outside of the library device1, to designate a logical library unit4(logical sub-library) to which the recording medium7to be extracted is correlated.

That is, the library device1includes at least one ejection slot5which is shared by the plurality of external devices9, and the physical library unit8which contains the plurality of physical recording media7and is divided into a larger number of areas than that of the ejection slots5. The library device1also includes the logical library units4(logical sub-libraries) which are correlated with the respective areas, and the logical library information storage unit3which stores information representing a connection relationship between the logical library units4and the external devices9. Further, the library device1includes the control unit2which controls the physical recording medium7to correlate to the logical library unit4in case of ejecting the physical recording medium7.

The control unit2refers to the logical library information storage unit3in response to a reception of an export process command from an external device9. Accordingly, the control unit2identifies the logical library unit4to which the physical recording medium7, stored in the physical library unit8, whose ejection from the ejection slots5has been ordered by the export process command.

Then, the control unit2correlates the physical recording medium7whose ejection has been ordered with the logical ejection slot, in the logical library unit4.

As a result, the present exemplary embodiment has an effect that it becomes possible to eject, to the ejection slot, only the recording medium stored in the physical library correlated with the logical library which the external device9intends to eject.

It is because: the external device9issues an order of the export process; according to the order, the logical library unit4is identified; only the recording medium7stored in the physical library correlated with the specified logical library unit4is ejected to the ejection slot5; and any recording medium7correlated with the logical library unit4not specified by the external device9through the above-described order is not ejected to the ejection slot5.

The above description has been given of a configuration in which the physical library unit8is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of accessible ejection slots held by the ejection slot5, and the area created by the division represent respective ones of the logical library units4. Here, “divide” can be regarded, if regarding a plurality of recording media7existing physically as a large set, for example, as making the large set into a collection of a plurality of small sets (in other words, separating into groups, grouping or partitioning).

Next, a second exemplary embodiment based on the first exemplary embodiment will be described with reference toFIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

FIG. 2is a block diagram showing the second exemplary embodiment.

Here, the following description will be given mainly of characteristic portions in the present exemplary embodiment and, to the same constituent elements in the present exemplary embodiment as that in the above-described first exemplary embodiment, the respective same signs are given, and duplicated descriptions of such constituent elements will be omitted.

Referring toFIG. 2, the present exemplary embodiment is composed of the external device9and a library device10.

The library device10includes the control unit2, the logical library information storage unit3and the logical library units4. The library device10is connected with the external device9in a manner to enable mutual communication.

Here, the control unit2includes a control section11and interfaces12. The logical library information storage unit3includes a logical library connection information table131and a logical library configuration information table132.

The logical library connection information table131is a table for determining a logical library unit4to which a connection is to be made on the basis of a command given by the external device9.

The logical library configuration information table132is a table representing a relationship between the logical library units4and the physical library unit8(not illustrated inFIG. 2).

The logical library units4include a logical library (#0)18and a logical library (#1)19, and also a logical ejection slot (#0)13and a logical ejection slot (#1)14, which are virtual (logical) ejection slots correlated on a one-to-one basis with the logical library (#0)18and the logical library (#1)19, respectively.

The external device9includes an external device (#0)15and an external device (#1)16. The external device (#0)15and the external device (#1)16each include an interface21.

Here, the external device (#0)15and the external device (#1)16in the present exemplary embodiment correspond to the external devices9described in the first exemplary embodiment. The control section11and the interfaces12collectively correspond to the control unit2in the first exemplary embodiment. The logical library (#0)18, the logical library (#1)19, the logical ejection slot (#0)13and the logical ejection slot (#1)14collectively correspond to the logical library unit4in the first exemplary embodiment.

When discriminating between respective ones of a plurality of logical libraries and between respective ones of a plurality of external devices, signs such as (#0) and (#1) representing numbers of the respective ones may be used. When collectively referring to a plurality of logical libraries and a plurality of external devices, they may be referred to as the logical library unit4and the external device9, respectively.

Although the logical library connection information table131and the logical library configuration information table132are referred to as tables, they may be regarded as information.

Next,FIG. 4is a table conceptually illustrating the logical library connection information table131used in the library device10in the present exemplary embodiment.

The connection information stored in the logical library information storage unit3described in the first exemplary embodiment may be regarded as, for example, information represented by the logical library connection information table131.

The control section11receives a command given by the external device9via the interfaces12. The command given by the external device9is, for example, an export process command which gives the library device10an order for an export process of causing the library device10to eject the recording medium7(not illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4).

Receiving the command, the control section11refers to the logical library connection information table131shown inFIG. 4, and thereby determines with respect to which one of the logical libraries18and19the external device9is ordering the export process.

More specifically, the logical library connection information table131shown inFIG. 4has a logical library number column showing logical libraries created by logical division, a port number column showing port numbers representing the ports provided in the interfaces12, which accept a command from the external device9, a target ID column showing target IDs (abbreviation of “IDentifications”; hereafter, also referred to as “identifiers”) for discriminating between the logical libraries18and19which are logically connected to the ports, and a logical unit number column showing logical unit numbers (also referred to as “LUNs”) held by the logical libraries18and19.

Then, the logical library connection information table131is used, through the use of those numbers and identifiers, for identifying logical library numbers representing the logical library (#0)18and the logical library (#1)19, to which the external devices15and16are correlated and connected on a one-to-one basis.

For example, when, in connection information included in a command given to the library device10, a port number is “0”, a target ID is “1” and an LUN is “0”, the external device9can thereby specify the logical library (#0)18whose logical library number is #0.

Further, the library device10in the present exemplary embodiment updates the logical library configuration information table132when having ejected the recording medium7in accordance with an export process command from the external device9.FIG. 5shows an example of a result of such update.

The left table inFIG. 5represents a state of the logical library configuration information table132before reception of the export process command. The right table inFIG. 5represents a state of the logical library configuration information table132after the reception of the export process command.

In the logical library configuration information table132, the first column is a logical library number column showing logical library numbers to be identified by the use of the logical library connection information table131described above.

In the logical library configuration information table132, the second column is a logical slot number column showing the numbers of logical slots constituting the each logical library.

In the logical library configuration information table132, the third column is a physical slot number column showing numbers of physical slots which physically store recording media7(not illustrated inFIG. 2), in the physical library unit8, correlated on a one-to-one basis with the logical slot numbers.

Then, the logical library configuration information table132before the reception of the export process command, shown in the left area ofFIG. 5, includes slots #0 to #3, a drive #0 and a logical ejection slot in its logical slot number column. Its physical slot number column includes slots #0 to #3 and a drive #0, and has a sign “-” indicating that the slot is an empty one which is correlated to no recording medium7in the field corresponding to the logical ejection slot.

For example, usingFIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a description will be given of operation, in the fields for the logical library #0 in the logical library configuration information table132before the reception of the export process command shown in the left area ofFIG. 5, of virtually moving the recording medium7correlated with the slot #2 in the physical slot number column to a physical slot number field whose logical slot number field is correlated with the logical ejection slot (that is, to the location represented by “-”).

The external device9orders an export process whose content is to move the recording medium7, stored in the physical library unit8, whose physical slot number field is correlated with the slot #2 to the ejection slot5.

In response to the order, the control section11refers to the logical library configuration information table132shown in the left area ofFIG. 5, and accordingly moves the slot #2 (hereafter, referred to as “physical slot #2”) in the physical slot number column to the location represented by “-” in the physical slot number column which corresponds to the logical ejection slot in the logical slot number column. Then, the sign “-” in the physical slot number column corresponding to the logical ejection slot in the logical slot number column is moved to the original location of the slot #2 in the physical slot number column.

Subsequently, in association with the movement described above, the control section11updates the contents of the logical library configuration information table132to that of after the reception of the export process command, which is shown in the right area ofFIG. 5.

In this way, the control section11can make the situation appear to the external device9as if the recording medium7stored into the physical slot #2 correlated with the logical slot #2 has been moved to the ejection slot5(not illustrated inFIG. 2).

In other words, based on the movement of a recording medium which is stored in the physical slot which is correlated with a slot #2 in the logical slot number column (hereafter, referred to as “logical slot #2”, not illustrated inFIG. 2) and is correlated with the physical slot #2 from the logical library (#0)18to the logical ejection slot (#0)13, shown inFIG. 2, the control section11reports to the external device9that the recording medium7correlated with the physical slot #2 has been ejected to the ejection slot5.

That is, the library device10in the present exemplary embodiment can logically move to a logical ejection slot a logical recording medium correlated with a recording medium7whose ejection has been ordered by any one of the external devices15and16.

Accordingly, the present exemplary embodiment has an effect of being efficient because of the fact that, even when ejection of a recording medium7based on an export process command issued from either one of the external devices15and16has not been completed, another export process command issued from the other external device can be accepted.

It is because, in response to an export process command from any one of the external devices, a physical recording medium7whose ejection has been ordered is virtually moved to a logical ejection slot which is comprised in each of the logical libraries correlated on a one-to-one basis with the respective external devices.

Next, a third exemplary embodiment based on the first and second exemplary embodiments will be described with reference toFIGS. 3 to 7.

FIG. 3is a block diagram showing the third exemplary embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 3, the present exemplary embodiment (the third exemplary embodiment) is composed of a library device100and the external device9.

The library device100of the present exemplary embodiment differs in configuration from the library devices of the first and second exemplary embodiments in that it further includes a robot (conveying device)24, a slot unit25and a user interface27(hereafter, also referred to as a “UI27”).

Accordingly, the following description will be given mainly of characteristic portions in the present exemplary embodiment and, to the same constituent elements in the present exemplary embodiment as that in the above-described first and second exemplary embodiments, the respective same signs are given, and duplicated descriptions of such constituent elements will be omitted.

Here, the control section11and the interfaces12in the present exemplary embodiment collectively correspond to the control unit2in the first exemplary embodiment. The slot unit25including an ejection slot253in the present exemplary embodiment collectively corresponds to the ejection slot5and the physical library unit8. The UI27in the present exemplary embodiment collectively corresponds to the operation unit6.

The logical library information storage unit3includes the logical library connection information table131(FIG. 4) and the logical library configuration information table132(FIG. 5). Since the logical library connection information table131and the logical library configuration information table132have been already described in the second exemplary embodiment, their descriptions will be omitted here.

The slot unit25includes drives251, medium storage slots252and the ejection slot253.

The drives251read and write data to conveyed recording media28into the external device9via the control section11.

The medium storage slots252are physical slots capable of containing a plurality of recording media28, and are correlated with physical slot number fields in the logical library configuration information table132.

The ejection slot253is a slot which includes at least one slot element, can contain the recording medium28, and is capable of extracting the recording medium28to the outside of the library device100by opening it.

The ejection slot253can contain one or more recording media28.

In the present exemplary embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the following description will be given of a case where the ejection slot253has only one slot element, for example.

Because the ejection slot253is ordered to do export processes by a plurality of external devices, the ejection slot253may be referred to as a “shared ejection slot”253(the same shall apply hereafter).

As described in the first and second exemplary embodiments, it is premised that the number of logical libraries divided (grouped) into groups described in the first exemplary embodiment, is larger than the number of slot elements of the ejection slot253.

It is also assumed that, for expressing individual logical libraries in the logical library unit4created by logically dividing the logical library unit4, each of the logical libraries is referred to simply as a logical library.

The robot24ejects the recording medium28stored in the slot unit25to the outside of the library device100via the ejection slot253and, conveys (moves) the recording medium28between a drive251and a physical slot being a medium storage slot252within the slot unit25.

Here, for collectively expressing physical slots including the drives251, the medium storage slots252and the ejection slot253in the physical library unit8, they are referred to as a slot unit25. For expressing solely individual physical slots to contain the recording medium28, they each may be referred to as the medium storage slot252.

The UI27is an operation unit which an operator150, described later, can operate when the operator150ejects the recording medium28correlated with a logical ejection slot to the ejection slot253. For example, the UI27includes an entry unit and a display unit, which are not illustrated inFIG. 3. The display unit displays, for example, a plurality of logical libraries created by the above-described grouping in the logical library unit4by the use of a liquid crystal display. From among the plurality of logical libraries displayed, for example, the operator150can select (designate) a logical library with which the recording medium28desired to be ejected is correlated, using buttons or the like at the entry unit.

For example, by designating a position representing the logical library (#0)18displayed on the display unit using a button or the like, the operator150can make ejected the recording medium28correlated with the logical ejection slot (#0)13which is included in the logical library (#0)18to the ejection slot253, using the UI27.

For the purpose of extracting the recording medium28stored in (ejected to) the ejection slot253, the operator150can open the ejection slot253from the outside of the library device100.

An application program (abbreviated as “AP”, hereafter) operating in the external device9issues a command to control the library device100connected via the interfaces21and12, and orders the library device100to execute a process according to the command.

In response to its reception of the command ordered by the external device9, the library device100executes processes such as of conveying (ejecting or moving) the recording medium28stored in the slot unit25using the robot24and acquiring information about the recording medium28(such as the name of the recording medium28, for example).

As already described above, by only designating the logical library number (#0) to which the recording medium28whose ejection is desired by the external device9is correlated, the operator150can make ejected the recording medium28which is correlated to the logical ejection slot and stored in the medium storage slot252, for example, to the ejection slot253. Then, the library device100notifies the external device9of the result.

In the slot unit25shown inFIG. 3, the library device100further includes an insertion slot or the like (not illustrated inFIG. 3) for inserting (charging) the recording medium28into the library device100from the outside. The ejection slot253may function also as such an insertion slot. However, in the present exemplary embodiment, descriptions will be given of a case where the ejection slot253has merely a function to eject the recording medium28.

Next, with respect to the library device100in the present exemplary embodiment, a description will be given of a method of ejecting the recording medium28stored in the medium storage slot252, as an example, using the block diagram and tables shown inFIGS. 3 to 5and flow charts shown inFIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6is a flow chart illustrating a medium movement process performed in the library device100in the present exemplary embodiment on receiving from the external device9a medium movement process command for ordering movement including ejection of the recording medium28.

Because the flow chart shown inFIG. 6is not only for an ejection process on the recording medium28but also for its movement process, a command ordered by the external device9is referred to not as an export process command but as a medium movement process command.

As shown in the flow chart ofFIG. 6, on receiving a medium movement process command from an AP operating in the external device9, the control section11refers to the logical library connection information table131shown inFIG. 4.

Then, on the basis of a combination of values represented respectively by a port number of the interfaces12, a target ID and a LUN being a logical unit number, at the time of the reception of the medium movement process command, the control section11identifies a logical library number which indicates a logical library, in the logical library unit4, with respect to which the medium movement process command has been issued (step S100).

Next, the control section11refers to the logical library number identified in the step S100and the logical library configuration information table132shown in the left area ofFIG. 5. Then, in accordance with the logical library number and the table, the control section11acquires physical slot numbers, in the slot unit25, corresponding respectively to the slot numbers of original and destination slots of the movement which have been received as parameters included in the medium movement process command (not illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6) (step S101).

For example, with respect to the logical library #0, the control section11acquires the physical slot #2 as the physical slot number for the movement origin, and the sign “-” as the physical slot number for the movement destination.

Then, the control section11checks that a recording medium28is present in the original slot of the movement and no recording medium28is present in the destination slot (that is, the slot is empty) (step S102).

Here, as seen in the logical library configuration information table132before the reception of the medium movement process command, shown in the left area ofFIG. 5, there may be a case where there exists no physical slot number corresponding to a certain logical slot number.

It is premised that, in such a case, the sign “-” is given in the corresponding physical slot number field, and the sign “-” is regarded as expressing a state where no recording medium28correlated with the physical slot number field is stored in the slot unit25, for example.

Then, if no recording medium28is stored in the movement origin in the slot unit25, for example, (NO at the step S102), the control section11notifies a code representing a “MEDIUM SOURCE ELEMENT EMPTY” error to the external device9, (not illustrated inFIG. 6), and ends the medium movement process.

Further, if recording medium28is stored in the movement destination in the slot unit25(another case of NO at the step S102), the control section11notifies a code representing a “MEDIUM DESTINATION ELEMENT FULL” error to the external device9, (not illustrated inFIG. 6), and ends the medium movement process.

Here, the medium movement process command ordered by the external device9and the notification of the “MEDIUM SOURCE ELEMENT EMPTY” and “MEDIUM DESTINATION ELEMENT FULL” errors to be received by the external device9, which are described above as examples, are described in detail in Small Computer Serial Interface (hereafter, abbreviated as “SCSI”) Medium Changer Commands-3 (hereafter, abbreviated as “SMC-3”) provided by the INCITS Technical Committee T10 which determines a command standard with respect to the external device9for controlling the library device100.

Accordingly, detail descriptions of the above-mentioned command and notification are omitted here.

INCITS is an abbreviation of the International Committee for Information and Communication Technology Standards. The T10 mentioned above is a technical committee for developing SCSI-related technical standards in INCITS.

Then, if a recording medium28is present in the original slot of the movement in the slot unit25and the destination physical slot of the movement is empty (YES at the step S102), and the designated movement destination is the logical ejection slot in the logical library (YES at a step S103), the control section11executes the medium movement process. The medium movement process does not perform physical movement of a physical recording medium28, but merely changes the correspondence relationship represented in the physical slot number column of the logical library configuration information table132such that the physical slot number for the movement origin and that for the movement destination are exchanged there.

That is, for logically moving a recording medium from the logical slot #2 to the logical ejection slot, in the logical library #0, the control section11performs an update of correlating the physical slot #2 presently correlated to the logical slot #2 to the logical ejection slot and further giving the sign “-” to the physical slot number field corresponding to the logical slot #2 (step S104).

As a result, the logical library configuration information table132before the reception of the medium ejection process command shown in the left area ofFIG. 5becomes in a state where it has been updated into the logical library configuration information table132after the reception of the medium ejection process command shown in the right area ofFIG. 5.

When the movement destination is other than the ejection slot253(that is, such as the drives251or the medium storage slots252), the control section11moves the recording medium28stored in the original slot of the movement in the slot unit25to the movement destination, which is other than the ejection slot253(step S105), and ends the medium movement process.

Then, subsequently to completion of the logical ejection process on the recording medium28by the medium movement process described above, the operator150designates the logical library with which the recording medium28to eject is correlated, using the display unit and the entry unit at the UI27. After that, it becomes possible for the operator150to extract the recording medium28having been moved to and stored into the physical ejection slot, which is a physical ejection outlet, from the ejection slot253, by performing an ejection slot opening operation described below.

FIG. 7shows a flow of the ejection slot opening process performed by the control section11when the operator150operates the UI27to extract the recording medium28.FIG. 7is a flow chart illustrating the ejection slot opening process performed in the library device in the present exemplary embodiment.

First, the operator150designates the logical library to which the recording medium28to extract is correlated, using the UI27.

Accordingly, the control section11refers to the logical library configuration information table132shown inFIG. 5, thereby acquires, for example, a physical slot number (the physical slot #2, for example), in the logical library #0, whose logical slot number corresponds to the logical ejection slot. And then, the control section1and moves the recording medium28, stored in a medium storage slot252, which is represented by the acquired physical slot number, to the ejection slot253(step S200).

That is, only after the operator150designating the logical library at the UI27, physical movement of the recording medium28becomes possible.

Next, the control section11updates the logical library configuration information table132(step S201). Thereby, the correspondence relationship between the physical slot number of the movement origin and that of the movement destination, which have been changed in the above-described medium movement process of moving the recording medium28to the ejection slot253, are returned back to its original state.

More specifically, because the physical slot #2 has been already ejected, the control section11performs an update of the logical library configuration information table132after the reception of the medium ejection process command shown in the left area ofFIG. 5, in which the corresponding physical slot numbers have been changed. Thereby, the corresponding physical slot number field is given the sign “-” similarly to in the logical library configuration information table132before the reception of the medium ejection process command shown in the right area ofFIG. 5.

Then, the operator150opens the ejection slot253(step S202) and ends the ejection slot opening process. In this way, the operator150can extract the recording medium28from the ejection slot253. After extracting the recording medium28, the operator150closes the ejection slot253.

By executing the above-described medium movement process (FIG. 6) and ejection slot opening process (FIG. 7), the control section11in the present library device100can eject only a recording medium28designated by the external device unit9to the outside of the library device100. The control section11can also eject only a recording medium28, in the slot unit25, correlated with a logical library designated by the operator150, to the outside of the library device100.

As a result, the present exemplary embodiment has an effect that there never occurs mixing of a plurality of recording media28ejected from different logical libraries at the ejection slot253.

It is because any recording medium28correlated with a logical library not designated by the external device9is not ejected. It is also because it never occurs that a recording medium28correlated with a logical library not designated by the operator150is ejected.

The present exemplary embodiment has also an effect that it can accept a plurality of medium movement process commands even if they are issued simultaneously from a plurality of external devices, and therefore can perform ejection of recording media28efficiently.

It is because a plurality of recording media28whose ejections are desired by the plurality of external devices are independently correlated with logical ejection slots in respective logical libraries correlated to the external devices. Therefore it never occurs that one of the external devices15and16is forced to suspend ordering a medium movement process command until a recording medium28whose ejection is ordered by the other one of the external devices15and16is ejected to the ejection slot253and then extracted by the operator150.

The configuration of the present exemplary embodiment is based on that of the first and second exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, the present exemplary embodiment has also the same effect as the first and second exemplary embodiments.

Next, a modified example based on the third exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram and tables shown inFIGS. 3 to 5and flow charts shown inFIGS. 13 to 15.

A library device100of the modified example in the present exemplary embodiment is different from the third exemplary embodiment. The differences are in that movement of the recording medium28to the ejection slot253is triggered not by the ejection slot opening process, which is an operation of designating a logical library at the UI27performed by the operator150, but by the medium movement process which moves a logical recording medium from a logical library to a logical ejection slot.

The following description will be given mainly of characteristic portions in the present exemplary embodiment and, to the same constituent elements in the present exemplary embodiment as that in the above-described third exemplary embodiment, the respective same signs are given, and duplicated descriptions of such constituent elements will be omitted.

FIG. 13is a flow chart illustrating a medium movement process of moving the recording medium28when the ejection slot253is empty, in the library device100in the modified example of the third exemplary embodiment.

In the flow chart illustrating the medium movement process shown inFIG. 13, steps S500, S501, S502, S503and S505are the same as the steps S100, S101, S102, S103and S105, respectively, shown in the medium movement process inFIG. 6in the third exemplary embodiment, and accordingly their descriptions will be omitted here.

Because steps after S504shown inFIG. 13are different from the steps in the third exemplary embodiment, their operations will be described below.

If the movement destination of the recording medium28in the slot unit25is a logical ejection slot (YES at the step S503), the control section11in the library device100executes a medium movement process shown inFIG. 14which moves a medium to an ejection slot (step S504).

FIG. 14is a flow chart illustrating the medium movement process, in the library device100in the modified example of the present exemplary embodiment, which moves the recording medium28to the ejection slot253when the ejection slot253is empty.

First, the control section11checks whether or not the recording medium28is present in the ejection slot253, which is a physical ejection slot (that is, the ejection slot253is empty or not) (step S600).

In that step, for example, the control section11may give an order to collect information on the library device100and thereby check whether or not the recording medium28is present in the ejection slot253.

Then, if the ejection slot253is empty (YES at the step S600), the control section11correlates the recording medium28to eject with the ejection slot253, by correlating the physical slot number of the recording medium28with a logical ejection slot present in the logical slot number column of the logical library configuration information table132(step S601).

Then, the control section11moves the recording medium28, in the slot unit25, correlated to the original physical slot of the movement, the physical slot #2, to the destination physical slot of the movement, the ejection slot253(step S602).

On the other hand, if the ejection slot253already contains any recording medium28and therefore is not empty (NO at the step S600), the control section11updates the logical library configuration information table132(step S603).

Operation of the update of the logical library configuration information table132in the step S603is the same as the step S104in the medium movement process shown inFIG. 6in the third exemplary embodiment, and therefore its description will be omitted here.

Subsequently, the recording medium28having been moved to the ejection slot253is extracted from the ejection slot253by the operator150. Operation of an ejection slot opening process in that stage will be described below usingFIG. 15.

FIG. 15is a flow chart illustrating the ejection slot opening process performed when extracting the recording medium28having been moved to the ejection slot253, in the library device100in the modified example of the third exemplary embodiment.

In the ejection slot opening process performed in the library device100of the present modified example, the operator150designates any one of logical libraries in the logical library unit4using the UI27.

Then, the control section11checks whether or not the logical ejection slot in the logical library designated by the operator150is correlated to the ejection slot253, by referring to the logical library configuration information table132(step S700).

If the logical ejection slot is already correlated to the ejection slot253(YES at the step S700) the control section11ends the ejection slot opening process without moving the recording medium28.

Then, the operator150is allowed to open the ejection slot253(step S704).

On the other hand, if the result of checking the logical library configuration information table132indicates that the logical ejection slot in the logical library designated by the operator150has not been correlated to the ejection slot253(NO at the step S700), the control section11performs the following process.

The control section11undoes the correlating of the logical ejection slot with the ejection slot253and the movement of the recording medium28to the ejection slot253, which have been performed in the steps S601and S602in the ejection slot medium movement process shown inFIG. 14.

Then, the control section11performs the same process as that of the step S603also in the ejection slot medium movement process shown inFIG. 14, which is a process of updating the corresponding contents in the logical library configuration information table132performed when the ejection slot253is not empty (if NO at the step S600) (step S701).

That is, the control section11moves the recording medium28stored in the ejection slot253back to the physical slot, in the slot unit25, correlated to the logical library being the origin of the ejection. Then, the control section11undoes the correlating of the logical ejection slot with the ejection slot253. Then, the control section11updates the logical library configuration information table132on the basis of the above-described contents of the change.

After that, the control section11moves the recording medium28correlated with the logical ejection slot in the logical library designated by the operator150to the ejection slot253(step S702).

Then, the control section11updates the logical library configuration information table132(step S703).

After that, the operator150is allowed to open the ejection slot253(step S704).

The processes represented by the steps S702to S704are similar to that of the steps S200to S202in the ejection slot opening process already described usingFIG. 7in the third exemplary embodiment, and therefore their detailed descriptions will be omitted here.

As a result of including the above-described medium movement process (FIG. 13), ejection slot medium movement process (FIG. 14) and ejection slot opening process (FIG. 15), the present modified example has an effect. The effect is the time duration from the start of operation by the operator150for designating a logical library in the ejection slot opening process (FIG. 15) the time to be allowed to open the ejection slot253, can be reduced, when the logical library designated by the operator150is the same as the logical library to which the recording medium28having been moved in advance to the ejection slot253if the ejection slot253was empty is correlated.

It is because, on receiving an order of the medium movement process (FIG. 13), if the ejection slot253is empty, the library device100can move the recording medium28to be ejected directly to the ejection slot253.

In other words, the present modified example has an effect that, a result of ejecting the recording medium28to the ejection slot253in advance, the operator150does not need to wait during the time period since his/her designating the logical library correlated with the recording medium28at the UI27until the robot24conveys the recording medium28to the ejection slot253. Because, it is often the case that the recording medium28whose ejection is ordered by an AP at the external device9is extracted by the operator150from the ejection slot253

The configuration of the present exemplary embodiment is based on that of the first to third exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, the present exemplary embodiment also has the same effect as the first to third exemplary embodiments.

Next, a fourth exemplary embodiment based on the first to third exemplary embodiments will be described with reference toFIGS. 8 to 12.

FIG. 8is a block diagram showing the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 8, the present exemplary embodiment is composed of the external device9and a library device200.

The library device200in the present exemplary embodiment includes, in addition to the constituent elements of the library device100in the third exemplary embodiment, an ejection slot locking control unit26which performs locking and unlocking of a lock used at the time of opening and closing of the ejection slot253, and an ejection slot locking status table233which manages locked and unlocked states of the lock used at the time of opening and closing of the ejection slot253with respect to each of logical libraries in the logical library unit4.

The library device200in the present exemplary embodiment is further different from the library device100in the third exemplary embodiment in that it receives a command for prohibiting or permitting extraction of a recording medium28from the ejection slot253, which is ordered by the external device9and referred to as “PREVENT ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL”.

The following description will be given mainly of characteristic portions in the present exemplary embodiment and, to the same constituent elements in the present exemplary embodiment as that in the above-described first to third exemplary embodiments, the respective same signs are given, and duplicated descriptions of such constituent elements will be omitted.

The control section11in the present exemplary embodiment locks and unlocks the lock used at the time of opening and closing of the ejection slot253, by controlling the ejection slot locking control unit26on the basis of the above-described “PREVENT ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL” command ordered by the external device9.

The above-described “PREVENT ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL” command issued by the external device9is described in detail in “SMC-3” mentioned in the third exemplary embodiment. Accordingly, a detailed description of the command will be omitted here.

Then, it is premised that, in its ordinary state (that is, in the state other than when opening the ejection slot253in order to extract a recording medium28), the library device200in the present exemplary embodiment is operated with the ejection slot253closed and with the lock of the ejection slot253locked, so as to prevent careless extraction of a recording medium28by the operator150from the outside, for example.

The following description will be given of operation for extracting a recording medium28from the ejection slot253using the ejection slot locking control unit26.

FIG. 9is a sequence diagram illustrating contents ordered by the external device9and the operator150to the library device200when ejecting a recording medium28stored in the library device200in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 9, the external device9orders the library device200to move a recording medium28stored in the slot unit25to the ejection slot253(step S10).

Then, in order to enable extraction of the recording medium28having been moved to the ejection slot253to the outside of the library device200, the external device9issues an order to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253(step S20).

Then, the control section11in the library device200controls the ejection slot locking control unit26to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253(not illustrated inFIG. 9).

Then, the operator150opens the ejection slot253(step S30) and extracts the recording medium28stored in the ejection slot253to the outside of the library device200(step S40). After the extraction of the ejected recording medium28, the operator150closes the ejection slot253(step S50).

Then, the external device9issues an order to lock the ejection slot253(step S60). Accordingly, the library device200locks again the ejection slot253(not illustrated inFIG. 9) and ends the ejection process on the recording medium28.

Next, a description will be given of a process of unlocking the lock of the ejection slot253and then extracting the ejected recording medium28, using a table shown inFIG. 10and flow charts shown inFIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 10is a table conceptually showing an ejection slot locking status table in the library device200in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11is a flow chart illustrating a process of unlocking the ejection slot253in the library device200in the present exemplary embodiment.

That is,FIG. 11shows a flow of a process of unlocking the ejection slot253which is performed by the control section11on receiving from the external device9a “PREVENT ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL” command being an order to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253.

Referring toFIG. 11, the control section11receives from the external device9a “PREVENT ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL” command being an order to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253(hereafter, referred to as “ejection slot unlocking command”). Then, from the port number through which the ejection slot unlocking command has been received, the target ID and the LUN, the control section11identifies a logical library, in the logical library unit4, with respect to which the command has been issued, by referring to the logical library connection information table131shown inFIG. 4(step S300).

Then, the control section11refers to the ejection slot locking status table233(FIG. 10), and thereby checks whether or not there is any logical library, among logical libraries other than the one with respect to which the ejection slot unlocking command has been received, for which the lock for opening the ejection slot253is already unlocked (step S301).

Here, a description will be given of the ejection slot locking status table233. In the ejection slot locking status table233, the first column is a logical library number column showing logical library numbers. The second column is an ejection slot locking status column showing a locking status of each ejection slot. The ejection slot locking status represents, for each logical library number, whether the lock for opening a shared ejection slot253is in the locked state or in the unlocked state. The ejection slot locking status table233is a table representing the states.

If there is no other logical library for which the lock for opening the ejection slot253is already unlocked (NO at the step S301), the control section11updates the ejection slot locking status table233such that the logical library with respect to which the ejection slot unlocking command has been accepted is given the unlocked state (step S302).

Then, the control section11controls the ejection slot locking control unit26to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253(step S303) and ends the process.

If there is any logical library for which the lock for opening the ejection slot253is already unlocked (YES at the step S301), the control section11reports a BUSY status (not illustrated inFIG. 11) to the external device9, and ends the ejection slot unlocking process.

Next,FIG. 12is a flow chart illustrating an ejection slot opening process performed in the library device200in the present exemplary embodiment.

That is,FIG. 12is a diagram illustrating a flow of an ejection slot opening process which is performed by the control section11when the operator150opens the ejection slot253in order to extract a recording medium28.

In the ejection slot opening process shown inFIG. 12, when the operator150has performed operation of opening the ejection slot253by manual, for example, using such as a mechanical system, the control section11in the library device200checks whether or not there is any logical library given the unlocked state, by referring to the ejection slot locking status table233(step S400).

If there is any logical library given the unlocked state (YES at the step400), the control section11determines that a recording medium28correlated to the logical library is desired to be ejected, and moves to the ejection slot253a recording medium28, in the slot unit25, which is correlated to the logical ejection slot in the logical library (step S401).

After that, the control section11updates the logical library configuration information table132(step S402). Then, the operator150is allowed to open the ejection slot253(step S403).

The process in the step S403for opening the ejection slot253is the same as that in the steps S201and S202described in the third exemplary embodiment, and therefore its description will be omitted here.

If, at the step S400, there is no logical library given the unlocked state (NO at the step400), the control section11informs that the lock for opening of the ejection slot253is locked by the external device9to the user by the use of the UI27, for example, (not illustrated inFIG. 12), and ends the ejection slot opening process.

As has been described above, the library device200in the present exemplary embodiment determines whether or not to allow the operator150to open or close the ejection slot253, on the basis of the ejection slot unlocking command received from the external device9.

Accordingly, the library device200is operated such that, for example, it prohibits the operator150from carelessly extracting or inserting a recording medium until the external device9gives an order to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253.

The library device200in the present exemplary embodiment can be applied to a case in which a hardware locking mechanism such as the ejection slot locking control unit26is employed and the external device9uses an AP which gives an order to unlock a lock held by the hardware locking mechanism.

As seen from the above description, the present exemplary embodiment has an effect that, even in the above-mentioned form of operation, the operator150can extract from the ejection slot253a recording medium28having been ejected there by only performing operation of opening the ejection slot253by manual, for example, without designating any logical library in the logical library unit4, and therefore can perform the extraction efficiently.

It is because the control section11identifies a logical library given the unlocked state permitting extraction from the ejection slot253, by referring to the ejection slot locking status table233, and then a recording medium28, in the slot unit25, correlated to the logical library identified is ejected to the ejection slot253.

The configuration of the present exemplary embodiment is based on that of the first to third exemplary embodiments. Therefore, the present exemplary embodiment has also the same effect as the first to third exemplary embodiments.

Next, a fifth exemplary embodiment based on the first to fourth exemplary embodiments will be described with reference toFIG. 16.FIG. 16is a block diagram showing a configuration to implement the functions of the library devices1,10,100and200(inFIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8) in the first to fourth exemplary embodiments by the use of an information processing device900.

A library device according to the present exemplary embodiment is different from that of the first to fourth exemplary embodiments in that the functions and processes in the first to fourth exemplary embodiments are implemented by a central processing unit (hereafter, abbreviated as “CPU”)901and software (abbreviated as “SW”, hereafter) consisting of an operating system (abbreviated as “OS”, hereafter) and an AP in the information processing device900.

Referring toFIG. 16, the information processing device900in the present exemplary embodiment includes the CPU901, a memory902, a shared ejection slot processing program903which is an AP, a nonvolatile storage device904, a recording medium reader/writer905which is used for supplying an AP to the information processing device900, a data bus906, a communication interface907, an input/output controller908, a user interface909, a recording medium910, a logical library management table917and a storage processing program918which is another AP for controlling the information processing device900as a library device.

The logical library management table917includes the logical library connection information table131, the logical library configuration information table132and the ejection slot locking status table233, which are used also in the third and fourth exemplary embodiments.

The hardware resources described in the third and fourth exemplary embodiments such as the robot24, the slot unit25, the UI27and the locking mechanism for opening and closing the ejection slot253in the ejection slot locking control unit26may be arranged, for example, in a physical library device (not illustrated inFIG. 16) which will be described later.

In the information processing device900of the present exemplary embodiment, for example, the functions in the block diagrams shown inFIGS. 3 and 8, the tables shown inFIGS. 4, 5 and 10, and the processes represented by the flow charts or the sequence diagram shown inFIGS. 6, 7, 9 and 13 to 15are implemented by collaborative operation of the CPU901comprised in the information processing device900shown inFIG. 16, the OS which is SW operating in the CPU901, and the shared ejection slot processing program903which is a control program developed in the memory902.

Next, a description will be given of the shared ejection slot processing program903which is used for using the ejection slot253shared in the library device implemented by the information processing device900.

The description will be given of, as an example, a control program used in the case the library device200in the fourth exemplary embodiment based on the first to third exemplary embodiments is implemented by the information processing device900, in the present exemplary embodiment.

However, the implementation is not limited to the fourth exemplary embodiment, and by appropriately modifying the shared ejection slot processing program903and the memory processing program918, mentioned above, or the like, the third exemplary embodiment and the modified example of the third exemplary embodiment also can be implemented by the information processing device900.

The shared ejection slot processing program903includes, as processing functions, a medium movement process911, an ejection slot unlocking process912and an ejection slot opening process913.

Here, the medium movement process911is a process of ejecting from or moving within the library device a recording medium28(not illustrated inFIG. 16) and, in accordance with the result, updating the logical library configuration information table132comprised in the logical library management table917, which has been described usingFIG. 6in the third exemplary embodiment on which the fourth exemplary embodiment is based.

The ejection slot unlocking process912is a process of, according to an order to unlock the lock of the ejection slot253received from the external device9, controlling the ejection slot locking control unit26to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253, which has been described usingFIG. 11in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

The ejection slot opening process913is a process of, in response to the order to unlock the lock for opening the ejection slot253received from the external device9, moving a recording medium28to be ejected, to the ejection slot253whose lock has been unlocked, which has been described usingFIGS. 9 and 12in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

Descriptions of operations for executing the above-described processes have already been given using the respective flow charts in the third and fourth exemplary embodiments, and therefore their detail descriptions will be omitted in the present exemplary embodiment.

The external device9mentioned above is an information processing device, such as a server device, which gives the information processing device900an order to eject or move a recording medium28, or to lock or unlock the lock for opening or closing the ejection slot253.

The logical library management table917shown inFIG. 16may be arranged in the readable/writable nonvolatile storage device904. The logical library management table917may also be arranged in the memory902along with the shared ejection slot processing program903and the storage processing program918.

Also, source programs of the shared ejection slot processing program903and of the storage processing program918may be stored in the nonvolatile storage device904. Then, they may be loaded into the memory902at a start-up of the information processing device900.

As already mentioned, the information processing device900includes the recording medium reader/writer905which reads (and writes) the shared ejection slot processing program903in a form of a file or data from the outside, an input/output controller908which controls input/output operation on various kinds of input/output data or the like used by the information processing device900, through control by the OS in cooperation with the CPU or the like, the data bus906enabling data exchange with the external device9or the like, and the communication interface907enabling the same.

For the data bus906, interfaces, protocols or the like specified by, for example, Fiber Channel (referred to as “FC”, hereafter), Serial Attached SCSI (abbreviated as “SAS”, hereafter), Automation/Drive Interface (abbreviated as “ADI”, hereafter) and the like may be used. However, a type of the data bus906is not limited to those ones.

The library device implemented by the information processing device900can control a physical library device, not illustrated, through the data bus906of one of the interfaces described above. The physical library device includes, for example, the robot24, the slot unit25, the ejection slot locking control unit26and the user interface (UI)27, all of which have been described in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

In that case, the information processing device900may control a server device, for example, corresponding to the external device9and the physical library device mentioned above to cooperate with each other, by executing the storage processing program918.

The physical library device may be arranged outside the information processing device900. The physical library device may also be arranged inside the information processing device900, and in that case, the data bus906shown inFIG. 16, for example, is connected to the physical library device within the information processing device900.

The library device implemented by the information processing device900also includes the user interface909, and can make the user interface909display a logical library to which a recording medium28, not illustrated inFIG. 16, whose ejection has been ordered by the external device9is correlated, the ejection slot253correlated to the logical library, and the locked or unlocked state of the lock for opening the ejection slot253.

The user interface909may be implemented by a display or the like (not illustrated inFIG. 16) capable of displaying and buttons or the like (not illustrated inFIG. 16) enabling input operation.

Then, on the basis of contents displayed at the user interface909, the operator150may perform input operation using the user interface909and thereby extract a recording medium28from the library device.

The user interface909may also display, for example, statuses of the server device corresponding to the external device9, logical ejection slots in the logical library unit4and physical slots in the physical library unit8, along with their connection information, slot numbers and the like.

For example, as described in the third exemplary embodiment, the operator150may cause the user interface909to display a screen showing a logical library to which a recording medium28whose ejection has been ordered by the external device9is correlated, and press a button or the like corresponding to a screen display representing the logical library, and thereby designate the logical library.

Accordingly, the operator150can enjoy an effect that he/she can have only a recording medium28correlated to the designated logical library ejected to the ejection slot253.

Further, as described in the fourth exemplary embodiment, the operator150may cause the user interface909to display the locked or unlocked state of the lock for opening the ejection slot253. Further, and after confirming by the screen display that the lock for opening the ejection slot253has been unlocked, the operator150may open the ejection slot253, without performing the operation of designating a logical library correlated with a recording medium28to eject.

Accordingly, the operator150can enjoy an effect that he/she can efficiently extract a recording medium28from the ejection slot253.

In the information processing device900according to the present exemplary embodiment, the blocks in the above-described library devices100(FIG. 3) and200(FIG. 8) and the flow charts (FIGS. 6, 7, and 11 to 15) illustrating their control are provided as a control program capable of implementing them, that is, the shared ejection slot processing program903.

Then, using the control program, the shared ejection slot processing program903, as a means for controlling the library device implemented by the information processing device900, by reading it into the memory902and executing it by the use of the CPU901with the OS in cooperation, the operations of the library devices100and200described in the third and fourth exemplary embodiments is achieved.

As a method for supplying the above-described control program to the information processing device900, a method of installing the program into the information processing device900using the recording medium reader/writer905via various kinds of computer-readable recording media910including disk media, such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk and a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), and memory media, such as a Universal Serial Bus (abbreviated as “USB”) memory, may be employed.

In such a case, the present exemplary embodiment can be regarded as implemented by program code constituting the control program or by the computer-readable recording medium910in which the program cord is recorded.

Further, as another method for supplying the above-described control program to the information processing device900, today's conventional procedures such as a method of installing the program from the external device9via the data bus906and a method of downloading the program from an external device (not illustrated inFIG. 16) via a wire or wireless communication line, such as the internet, enabling communication using the communication interface907may be employed.

Accordingly, the present exemplary embodiment has an effect that the library devices in the first to fourth exemplary embodiment described above can be implemented by the use of the information processing device900.

It is because the collaborative operation of the CPU, the OS and the AP in the information processing device900makes possible the implementation of the functions of the first to fourth exemplary embodiments described above.

The configuration of the present exemplary embodiment is based on that of the third and fourth exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, the present exemplary embodiment also has the same effect as the third and fourth exemplary embodiments.

The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and various modifications thereof may be made in implementing the present invention.

Part or the whole of the exemplary embodiment described above can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices;

a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of said ejection slots;

logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of said areas;

a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of said logical library units and each of said external devices; and

a control unit which correlates the recording medium with said logical library units when each of said physical recording media are ejected;

wherein said control unit refers to said logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from said external device, identifies one of said logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in said physical library unit which has been ordered by said export process command to been ejected from said ejection slot, and correlates, in the identified logical library unit, said ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to said physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

(Supplementary note 2) The library device according to supplementary note 1, wherein:

said logical library information storage unit comprises

a logical library connection information table which stores connection information representing a connection relationship between each of said logical library units and said external devices, and

a logical library configuration information table storing logical slot numbers and physical slot numbers which represents a relationship between logical slots including a logical ejection slot, which are comprised in said logical library unit, and physical slots in said physical library unit; and

said control unit,

in response to a reception of said export process command from said external device, refers to said logical library connection information table, and thereby identifies said logical library unit connected to said external device having issued said export processing command, and also refers to said logical library configuration information table, and

thereby logically moves, within the identified logical library unit, said logical recording medium with which said physical recording medium whose ejection has been ordered is correlated, to said logical ejection slot.

(Supplementary note 3) The library device according to supplementary notes 1 or 2, wherein

with respect to the logical ejection of said logical recording medium correlated to said physical recording medium whose ejection has been ordered, said control unit acquires a movement origin physical slot number and a movement destination physical slot number representing respectively a movement origin physical slot and a movement destination physical slot, which are respectively original and destination physical slots of the movement, the movement origin and movement destination physical slot numbers corresponding on a one-to-one basis to movement origin and movement destination logical slot numbers representing respectively original and destination logical slots of the movement,

in case said physical recording medium is present in said physical slot correlated to said physical slot number corresponding to said movement origin logical slot number and no said physical recording medium is present in said physical slot correlated to said physical slot number corresponding to said movement destination logical slot number:

if said movement destination logical slot number indicates said logical ejection slot, said control unit does not execute the movement of said physical recording medium and performs an update in said logical library configuration information table such that said movement origin physical slot number correlated to said physical slot containing said physical recording medium and said movement destination physical slot number corresponding to said movement destination logical slot number indicating said logical ejection slot are exchanged with each other; and

if said movement destination logical slot number does not indicate said logical ejection slot, said control unit moves said physical recording medium in said physical library unit from said movement origin physical slot to said movement destination physical slot.

(Supplementary note 4) The library device according to supplementary notes 2 or 3 further comprising

an operation unit which is operated when ejecting said physical recording medium,

wherein said control unit:

refers to said logical library configuration information table, in response to designation made at said operation unit of a logical library unit, from among said logical library units, to which said physical recording medium whose ejection from said ejection slot has been ordered by said export process command is correlated;

acquires said physical slot number of said physical slot corresponding to said logical ejection slot comprised in said designated logical library unit, and moves said physical recording medium stored in said physical library unit correlated to the physical slot number, to said ejection slot; and

performs an update, in said logical library configuration information table, of returning a changed correspondence relationship between said logical slot and said physical slot back to its original state.

(Supplementary note 5) The library device according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 4, wherein

with respect to the logical ejection of said logical recording medium correlated to said physical recording medium whose ejection has been ordered by said export process command, said control unit acquires physical slot numbers representing movement origin and movement destination physical slots corresponding on a one-to-one basis to movement origin and movement destination logical slot numbers representing respectively original and destination logical slots of the movement,

in case said physical recording medium is present in said physical slot, in said physical library unit, correlated to said physical slot number corresponding to said movement origin logical slot number and no said physical recording medium is present in said physical slot correlated to said physical slot number corresponding to said movement destination logical slot number:

if said movement destination logical slot number indicates said logical ejection slot, said control unit executes an ejection slot medium movement process of moving said physical recording medium to said ejection slot; and

if said movement destination logical slot number does not indicate said logical ejection slot, said control unit moves said physical recording medium in said physical library unit to said physical slot of the movement destination.

(Supplementary note 6) The library device according to supplementary note 5, wherein,

in said ejection slot medium movement process:

said control unit checks whether or not said physical recording medium is present in said ejection slot;

if no physical recording medium is present in said ejection slot, said control unit correlates said ejection slot in said physical library unit to said physical slot number corresponding to said logical slot number of said logical ejection slot in said logical library configuration information table, and moves said physical recording medium whose ejection has been ordered by said export process command to said ejection slot; and

if any physical recording medium is present in said ejection slot, said control unit does not execute the movement of said recording medium whose ejection has been ordered by said export process command, and performs an update, in said logical library configuration information table, of exchanging said movement origin physical slot number and said movement destination physical slot number in said correspondence relationship of physical slot number.

(Supplementary note 7) The library device according to supplementary notes 5 or 6, wherein:

in response to designation, made at said operation unit, of said logical library unit to which said recording medium whose ejection has been ordered by said export process command is correlated, said control unit checks whether or not said logical ejection slot in said designated logical library unit is correlated to said ejection slot;

if said logical ejection slot is correlated to said ejection slot, said control unit does not execute the movement of said recording medium;

if said logical ejection slot is not correlated to said ejection slot, said control unit undoes the correlating, made by said ejection slot medium movement process, of said physical slot number corresponding to said logical slot number of said logical ejection slot with said ejection slot in said physical library, returns said recording medium whose movement has been designated and which has been moved by said ejection slot medium movement process from said ejection slot which is said physical slot of the movement destination back to said physical slot of the movement origin, and performs an update of exchanging said physical slot number of the movement origin and that of the movement destination in said physical slot number column of said logical library configuration information table;

said control unit moves said recording medium, in said physical library unit, correlated with said logical ejection slot in said designated logical library unit to said ejection slot; and

said control unit performs an update of returning said changed correspondence relationship between said logical ejection slot and said recording medium, in said logical library configuration information table, back to its original state.

(Supplementary note 8) The library device according to supplementary notes 1 or 2, further comprising

an ejection slot locking control unit which performs control to unlock a lock for opening said ejection slot, according to an ejection slot unlocking command of unlocking the lock received from said external device, and

an ejection slot locking status table, in said logical library information storage unit, which shows a locked or unlocked state of the lock for opening said ejection slot, with respect to each of said logical library units,

on receiving said ejection slot unlocking command, said control unit identifies said logical library unit, among said logical library units, with respect to which said external device have ordered unlocking of the ejection slot;

referring to said ejection slot locking status information, said control unit checks whether or not there is any said logical library unit, other than said identified logical library unit, with respect to which said lock is in the unlocked state; and

if there is no other said logical library unit in said unlocked state, said control unit updates said ejection slot locking status information such that said logical library unit being the target of said ejection slot unlocking command is put into the unlocked state, and also performs control to unlock said lock at said ejection slot.

(Supplementary note 9) The library device according to supplementary notes 1, 2 or 8, wherein:

in response to designation, made at said operation unit, of said logical library unit to which said recording medium whose ejection has been ordered by said export process command is correlated, said control unit refers to said ejection slot locking status table and thereby checks whether or not there is any said logical library unit in the unlocked state; and

if there is any said logical library unit in said unlocked state, said control unit moves said logical recording medium in said logical ejection slot included in the logical library unit in the unlocked state to said ejection slot, and performs an update of returning a changed correspondence relationship between said logical slot and said physical slot, in said logical library configuration information table, back to its original state.

(Supplementary note 10) A library device control method which is used in a library device comprising:

at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices; a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of said ejection slots; logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of said areas; a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of said logical library units and each of said external devices; and a control unit which correlates the recording medium with said logical library units when each of said physical recording media are ejected, comprising:

referring to said logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from said external device; and

identifying one of said logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in said physical library unit which has been ordered by said export process command to been ejected from said ejection slot; and

correlating, in the identified logical library unit, said ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to said physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

(Supplementary note 11) A non-transitory recording computer readable medium for storing a control program, which is used in a library device comprising:

at least an ejection slot which is shared by a plurality of external devices; a physical library unit which contains a plurality of physical recording media and is divided into a larger number of areas than the number of said ejection slots; logical library units each of which contains a plurality of logical recording media and are logically correlated with each of said areas; a logical library information storage unit which stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between each of said logical library units and each of said external devices; and a control unit which correlates the recording medium with said logical library units when each of said physical recording media are ejected, which makes a computer execute:

a referring processing in which refers to said logical library information storage unit in response to a reception of an export process command from said external device; and

an identifying processing in which identifies one of said logical library units which is correlated with a physical recording medium in said physical library unit which has been ordered by said export process command to been ejected from said ejection slot; and

a correlating processing in which correlates, in the identified logical library unit, said ejection slot to a logical recording medium which is correlated to said physical recording medium which has been ordered to been ejected.

The above description of embodiments is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Moreover, various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles and specific examples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without the use of inventive faculty. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope as defined by the limitations of the claims and equivalents.