ISMF makes it possible to monitor and maintain information associated with the tape configuration database, the source control data set, and the tape volumes that reside in automated and manual tape libraries.
The ISMF Library Management option allows you to generate lists of tape libraries and volumes, display the attributes of a tape library, alter definitions that were originally defined, add new definitions, audit tape libraries and tape volumes, and eject tape volumes from the tape library.
This section discusses the effects of some typical configuration maintenance tasks. See Using ISMF panels to define and monitor your configuration for information concerning the use of ISMF with tape libraries, and see z/OS DFSMS Using the Interactive Storage Management Facility for detailed information about using ISMF.
The first time a tape library is defined, the storage administrator enters all the appropriate attribute definitions associated with the tape library being defined on the ISMF define panels. Once all the information is entered, an entry containing that information is added to the tape configuration database (TCDB). Also, a tape library definition is added to the specified source control data set (SCDS). For more detail concerning defining tape libraries using ISMF, see Defining a tape library.
When you attempt changes to the attribute definitions of an existing tape library, the information residing in the TCDB associated with the tape library is displayed through a Redefine panel. Changing any of the attributes previously defined results in an update to the TCDB and to the specified SCDS. For more information on redefining tape libraries, see Redefining a tape library.
Altering a tape library definition results in an update to the corresponding library record in the TCDB and the SCDS. For more information on altering a tape library, see Altering a tape library.
The ISMF Library Management function also assists in the maintenance and verification of the tape volumes within the tape library dataservers through the use of the Mountable Tape Volume Application available from the Tape Library Application Selection panel (option 1—LIST).
For more detail on the use of the Mountable Tape Volume Application, see ISMF mountable tape volume application.
The AUDIT function in an ATLDS helps you verify the physical location of tape volumes within the library. It verifies whether or not a library volume resides in the location listed for that volume in the library manager inventory. The volume records in the TCDB identify the libraries where the volumes reside. If the TCDB records do not match the library manager inventory when an audit is performed, the TCDB records, the inventory, or both, must be corrected. The AUDIT function does not perform any corrective actions; messages are issued and the volume error status field in each tape volume record is updated, but the purpose of the audit is verification only. For more information concerning auditing tape volumes with ISMF, see Auditing volumes in an automated tape library.
ISMF allows you to alter the use attribute, storage group, shelf location, and owner information of a single tape volume or a list of tape volumes through the use of the ALTER line operator or the ISMF ALTER command. These commands are used from the Mountable Tape Volume List panel (see Figure 1). For more detail regarding the ISMF alter commands, see Altering the volume record.
The EJECT line operator is used to eject a single library-resident volume from a tape library with the option of keeping or purging the associated tape volume record within the TCDB. The EJECT line operator command is used from the Mountable Tape Volume List application of ISMF. For more information concerning this line operator and the Mountable Tape Volume List, see Ejecting a volume from a tape library and Figure 1.