IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, Version 7.1

Shared libraries

Shared libraries are logical libraries that are represented physically by SCSI, 349X, or ACSLS libraries. The Tivoli® Storage Manager server is configured as a library manager and controls the physical library. Tivoli Storage Manager servers using the SHARED library type are library clients to the library manager server.

The library client contacts the library manager, when the library manager starts and the storage device initializes, or after a library manager is defined to a library client. The library client confirms that the contacted server is the library manager for the named library device. The library client also compares drive definitions with the library manager for consistency. The library client contacts the library manager for each of the following operations:

Volume Mount: A library client sends a request to the library manager for access to a particular volume in the shared library device. For a scratch volume, the library client does not specify a volume name. If the library manager cannot access the requested volume, or if scratch volumes are not available, the library manager denies the mount request. If the mount is successful, the library manager returns the name of the drive where the volume is mounted.
Volume Release (free to scratch): When a library client no longer needs to access a volume, it notifies the library manager that the volume should be returned to scratch. The library manager's database is updated with the volume's new location. The volume is deleted from the volume inventory of the library client.

Table 1 shows the interaction between library clients and the library manager in processing Tivoli Storage Manager operations.

Table 1. How SAN-enabled servers process Tivoli Storage Manager operations
Operation (Command)	Library Manager	Library Client
Query library volumes (QUERY LIBVOLUME)	Displays the volumes that are checked into the library. For private volumes, the owner server is also displayed.	Not applicable.
Check in and check out library volumes (CHECKIN LIBVOLUME, CHECKOUT LIBVOLUME)	Performs the commands to the library device.	Not applicable. When a checkin operation must be performed because of a client restore, a request is sent to the library manager server.
Audit library inventory (AUDIT LIBRARY)	Performs the inventory synchronization with the library device.	Performs the inventory synchronization with the library manager server.
Label a library volume (LABEL LIBVOLUME)	Performs the labeling and checkin of media.	Not applicable.
Dismount a volume (DISMOUNT VOLUME)	Sends the request to the library device.	Requests that the library manager server perform the operation.
Query a volume (QUERY VOLUME)	Checks whether the volume is owned by the requesting library client server and checks whether the volume is in the library device.	Requests that the library manager server perform the operation.

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