Abstract:
A method of controlling access to an automated media library receives a request or access to the library from an individual having an identity. Access may include importing media to the library, exporting media from the library, and opening a locked door to a cabinet containing the library.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/116,801, filed May 7, 2008, and titled Method of and System for Controlling Access to an Automated Media Library. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates in general to the field of physical security of computer storage media, and more particularly to a method of and system for controlling access to an automated media library. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Automated media libraries provide a convenient and efficient means of storing and accessing large amounts of data. The data are stored on movable media, such as magnetic tape cartridges. The movable media are stored in racks or slots in a cabinet. A robotic media handler moves the media back and forth between the racks and slots and one or more media drives in the cabinet. The media drives are connected to a network. 
     Media can be imported to or exported from the automated media library through an import/export station. The robotic media handler moves media back and forth between the library and the import export station. Additionally, doors are provided in the cabinet so that service or maintenance technicians can have access to the various mechanical and electrical components within the library cabinet. 
     Automated media libraries are typically located in rooms that provide various levels of physical access control. At smaller installations, the media library may be located in a normal office. At larger installations, media libraries may be located in special dedicated rooms. The special dedicated rooms are typically locked and require a badge or the like to enter the room. Some organizations require that people requesting access to a media library be accompanied by a guard or other security personnel. 
     Despite the security measures currently in place, there still is a possibility that persons having access to media libraries may take media without proper authority. For example, a person may have authority to enter a media library room for certain purposes. However, once in the room, the person may improperly take media from a library and the room. 
     Data theft is a serious issue. It poses a risk for the intellectual property of the company. Additionally, organizations are required by law to protect certain employee records. Financial, product, business plans, trade secrets, and other confidential data must be protected from falling into unauthorized hands. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method of and a system for controlling access to an automated media library. The method receives a request for access to the library from an individual having an identity. Access may include importing media to the library, exporting media from the library, and opening a locked door to a cabinet containing the library. If the access includes the importing media, the method moves a robotic media handler to a locked import/export station. If the access includes exporting media, the method moves the requested media to the locked import/export station. If the access includes the opening the door, the method takes a first inventory of the media in the library. The method authenticates the identity of the individual and determines an access level associated with the individual. If the access level is insufficient for the requested access, the method denies the requested access and issues an alert. If the access level is sufficient for the requested access, the method determines if the requested access requires a second authentication. If a second authentication is required, the method prompts the individual to perform the second authentication. If the second authentication is verified, the method logs the access by the individual and grants the access. If the access is granted and the access is importing or exporting media, the method unlocks the import/export station. If the access is granted and the access is opening the door, the method unlocks the door. The method closes and locks the import/export station a predetermined length of time after unlocking the import/export station. The method locks the door a predetermined length of time after unlocking the door and takes a second inventory of the media. The method issues an alert if the second inventory differs from the first inventory. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an automated media library according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of automated media library access control system according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A-FIG .  3 C comprise a flow chart an embodiment of automated media library access control processing according to the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 4A-FIG .  3 C comprises a flow chart of an embodiment of automated media library access control authentication processing according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to drawings, and first to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an automated media library according to the present invention is designated generally by the numeral  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, media library  100  is an automated tape library; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that media library  100  may be adapted for use with other media. 
     Media library  100  is housed in a cabinet  101 . Cabinet  101  is accessible from the outside through a front door  103  and the back door  105 . Front door  103  is normally secured by an electronically operated lock  107 . Similarly, back door  105  is normally secured by an electronically operated lock  109 . 
     Cabinet  101  houses the mechanical and electrical components of media library  100  as well as the media itself. Media library  100  includes a plurality of tape drives  111 . Media library  100  also includes storage slots for tape cartridges, such as tape cartridge  113 . A robot  115  is mounted for movement inside cabinet  101  to transport tape cartridges back and forth between the storage slots and the tape drives. Robot  115  may also include a barcode reader (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for inventorying tape cartridges in the library. Robot  115  is also operable to move tape cartridges back and forth between an import/export station  117  positioned in front door  103 . Import/export station is normally secured by an electronically operated lock (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
     Embodiments of the present invention control access to the interior of cabinet  101  by authenticating the identity of persons seeking access. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , authentication may be provided through a combination of user ID and password authentication and biometric authentication. A touch screen  119  is positioned in front door  103 . Touch screen  119  is adapted to display prompts and soft keys, or the like, to receive user input. A person seeking access to the interior of cabinet  101  may be prompted to enter a user ID, or the like, and password using touch screen  119 . In the illustrated embodiment, the biometric authentication devices include an iris or retina scanner  121  and the hand or fingerprint scanner  123 . Processing and control of media library  100  is performed by a controller  125 , which may be a personal computer. 
     The embodiment of the access control system of  FIG. 1  is illustrated a block diagram form in  FIG. 2 . Media handling robot  115 , cabinet front door lock  107 , touch screen  119 , and cabinet back door lock  109  are all in communication with controller  125 . In some embodiments, communication may be over a network based on Ethernet and the TCP/IP protocol within automated media library  100 . The access control system also includes an electronically operated import/export station lock  201  in communication with controller  125 . A barcode reader  203  is also in communication with controller  125 . Iris/retina scanner  121  and hand/fingerprint scanner  123  are coupled to a multimodal biometric engine  205 , which is in communication with controller  125 . Multimodal biometric engine  125  may be a software component of controller  125 . 
     Controller  125  is in communication with an administrator computer  207 . Communication between controller  125  and administrator computer  207  may be over a network. Administrator computer  207  may be located in an office or the like separated from automated media library  100 . Administrator computer  207  is adapted to receive access log information and alerts from controller  125 . 
       FIG. 3A-FIG .  3 C comprise a flow chart of an embodiment of access control processing according to the present invention. Controller  125  waits for user input, as indicated at block  301 . The user specifies the operation which might be an import, export or open door request. The user input might be initiated by the user via administrative computer  207  or via the touch screen  119  of the automated library  101 . If as determined at decision block  303 , the user input is import, controller  125  actuates robot  115  to move to import/export station  117 , as indicated at block  305 . If, as determined at decision block  307 , the user input is export, controller  125  prompts the user to identify the media to be exported, as indicated at block  309 . The identification of the tape cartridge is based on the volume serial number which uniquely identifies each tape cartridge in an automated library. The prompts and identification of media may be made using touch screen  119  or via administrative computer  207  depending from where the request in step  301  came. After user has identified the media, controller  125  actuates robot  115  to move the identified media to import/export station  117 , as indicated at block  311 . If, as determined at decision block  313 , the user input is open a door, controller  125  actuates robot  115  and barcode reader  203  to inventory the media in the library, as indicated at block  315 . If the user input is other than import, export, or open door, controller  125  performs other processing, as indicated generally at block  317  and subsequently the process ends. 
     After determining the type of access requested, controller  125  loads the systems authentication policy, as indicated at block  319 . The authentication policy provides access authority and authentication levels for various registered users. For example, some requesters (users), such as delivery or mailroom personnel, may have authority to import media to, but not to export media from, the library. Others, such as service or maintenance technicians, may have authority to open the doors of the library cabinet but not to remove media from the library. Also, requesters requesting certain actions may be required to provide higher levels of authentication. After loading the authentication policy, controller  125  performs authentication, as indicated generally at block  321 , and described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 4A-4C . Referring to  FIG. 3B , after authentication, controller  125  determines, at decision block  323  if access is granted. If not, processing ends. If access is granted, controller  125  determines, at decision block  325 , if the requested access is import or export. If not, the requested access is to unlock a door and processing continues on  FIG. 3C . If the requested access is import or export, controller  125  actuates lock  201  to unlock import/export station  117 , as indicated at block  327 . 
     Controller  125  also starts a timer, as indicated at block  327 . Then, controller  125  waits for import/export station  117  to be closed, as determined at block decision block  329 , or the timer to time out, as determined at decision block  331 . If the timer times out before station  117  is closed, controller  125  issues an alert, as indicated at block  333 , and actuates lock  201  to lock import/export station  117 , as indicated at block  335 . Then controller  125  logs access completed, as indicated at block  337 . The determination whether the import/export station is opened or closed may be done through sensors associated with the import/export station (not shown). 
     Referring to  FIG. 3C , if access has been granted to open the door, controller  125  operates a door lock  107  and/or  109 , thereby allowing door  103  and/or door  105  to be opened, and starts a timer, as indicated at block  339 . Then, controller  125  waits for the door to be closed, as determined at block decision block  341 , or the timer to time out, as determined at decision block  343 . If the timer times out before the door is closed, controller  125  issues an alert, as indicated at block  345 , and actuates locks  107  and/or  109  to lock the door or doors, as indicated at block  347 . The determination whether the door is opened or closed may be done through sensors associated with the door (not shown). 
     After locking the door or doors, controller  125  actuates robot  115  and barcode reader  203  to perform a second inventory of the media library, as indicated at block  349 . Then, controller  125  compares the starting inventory to the ending inventory, as indicated at block  351 . If, as determined at decision block  353 , starting inventory is not equal to the ending inventory, controller  125  issues an alert, as indicated at block  355 , and logs access complete and the inventory difference, at block  357 . If, as determined at decision block  353 , the starting inventory equals the ending inventory, controller  125  logs access complete, at block  359 , and processing ends. 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  comprise a flow chart of an embodiment of authentication according to the present invention. Controller  125  receives a first authentication key, as indicated at block  401 . First authentication key may be a user ID and password provided by the user from administrative computer  207  or touch panel  119  of library  101 . Controller  125  determines, at decision block  403 , if the first authentication key is verified. If not, controller  125  increments an unauthorized access counter, as indicated at block  405 . If, as determined at decision block  407 , the count is less than or equal to a maximum number of retries, controller  125  prompts the requester (user) to retry, as indicated at block  409 , and the process returns to decision block  403 . If the count is greater than the maximum number of retries, the process proceeds to  FIG. 4B , where the process logs the date, time, name and requested access, as indicated at block  425 , sends an alert, at block  427 , and zeros the unauthorized access counter, at block  429 . Then, the process returns access denied. The alert sent at block  427  may be an audio or visual alarm, a text message or the like to an administrator or security official, or any other alert. 
     Returning to decision block  403 , if the first authentication key is verified, controller  125  compares the requested access to the access-security level from the authentication policy, as indicated at block  411 . If, as determined at decision block  413 , the requested access is not authorized to the requester, processing proceeds to  FIG. 4B . If access is authorized, controller  125  determines, at decision block  415 , if a second key is required. If not, processing proceeds to  FIG. 4C  where controller  125  logs the date, time, name, and requested access, at block  431 , and zeros the unauthorized access counter, at block  433 . The process then returns access granted. 
     If, as determined at decision block  415 , a second key is required, controller  125  prompts the requester to enter the second key, as indicated at block  417 . The second key may be one or more biometric identifiers. If, as determined at decision block  419 , the second key is verified, processing proceeds to  FIG. 4C . If the second key is not verified, controller  125  increments the unauthorized access counter, as indicated at block  421 . If, as determined at decision block  423 , the count is less than or equal to a maximum number of retries, controller  125  prompts the requester to retry, as indicated at block  424 , and the process returns to decision block  419 . If the count is greater than the maximum number of retries, the process proceeds to  FIG. 4B . 
     From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that systems and methods according to the present invention are well adapted to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. While the present invention has been described with reference to presently preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the foregoing description, will recognize alternative embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.