Patent ID: 6889285

Claim:
A method to maintain information using a plurality of storage attributes, comprising steps of: forming a dataset; assigning four storage construct names to said dataset; providing a virtual tape system comprising a library inventory; providing said dataset and said four storage construct names to said virtual tape system; forming a logical volume comprising said dataset; assigning four storage attributes to said logical volume, wherein said four storage attributes comprise a storage class attribute, a data class attribute, a management class attribute, and a storage group attribute; including a storage class attribute field in said library inventory; including a data class attribute field in said library inventory; including a management class attribute field in said library inventory; including a storage group attribute field in said library inventory; storing at a first time said assigned storage attributes in said library inventory; retrieving at a second time said assigned storage attributes from said library inventory; selecting storage management actions for said logical volume based upon said assigned storage attributes.