We will always try to contact the owner of the data before taking any actions. Below is a brief description of how the mass storage system works and some of the things that should not be done in the mass storage space. Availability of accidentally deleted files in SAM-FS On an ordinary Unix file system, a file s inodes and data are removed upon deletion. This means that any file which has been accidentally deleted, but which has had its inodes backed up and data written to tape, is potentially retrievable. Alternately, should you create a file then delete it prior to the backups, the file is lost.
Recycling is done as needed.
The need is determined by the number of tapes holding SAM-FS data and the number of slots available in the STK tape silo available to hold tapes. We currently have 4000 tape slots available. When we have 3600 slots in use, we will do a recycle after notifying everyone. We believe that any nondeleted file that is on SAM-FS tape will be retrievable for as long as the tape remains readable. Due to the unknown longevity of tape media, ATN cannot guarantee how long tapes will remain readable.