Check Out Volume

Remove scratch and private tape volumes from server inventory for an automated library or from a tape-based storage pool.

IBM Spectrum Protect uses a library volume inventory to track scratch and private volumes that are available in an automated library. The Check Out volume action is used to check out one or more sequential access tape volumes from the library or tape-based storage pool. Only volumes that are already checked into the library or storage pool are available for check-out processing.

You might want to remove a tape volume from an automated library in the following instances:

  • The volumes in the library are full, and you want to create space for new volumes that can be used to store more data
  • You exported data to a tape volume in the library and want to take it to another system
Tip: You can check out tape volumes by using the CHECKOUT LIBVOLUME command or by using the Operations Center. For more information about using IBM Spectrum Protect commands, see the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.

The following items are available on this page:

Remove
Specify whether you want to remove the tape volume from the library and move it to an entry/exit port or I/O station of the library. Possible values are Bulk and No. For SCSI and 349X type libraries, the following table describes how the server responds for different settings of the Remove field.
Table 1. Server responses for Remove value setting for SCSI and 349X libraries.
Remove value SCSI library 349X libraries
Bulk For SCSI libraries, the default value is Bulk.

If the library does not have an entry/exit port, IBM Spectrum Protect, the server leaves the tape cartridge in its current slot within the library and specifies the slot address in a message.

For SCSI libraries with multiple entry/exit ports, the server ejects the volume from the library volume inventory and moves it to the next available entry/exit port or I/O station.

If the library has entry/exit ports, but no ports are available, the server waits for an entry/exit port to be made available.

The 3494 Library Manager ejects the tape volume to the high-capacity output facility.
No The server does not eject the volume. The volume remains in its current slot in the library for use by other applications. The 3494 Library Manager does not eject the volume.

The volume remains in the library in the INSERT category for use by other applications.

If you check out a tape volume that is defined to a specific storage pool, the server might attempt to access it later to read or write data. If this happens, the server requests that the volume be checked in.

Check Label
For tape libraries that support label checking, tape volumes must be labeled before the server can use them. You can specify whether you want this label to be verified before check-out. If you select Yes, when you check out a volume from the library, the server mounts the volume and reads the media label to verify that the correct volume is being checked out. When the label is verified, the server removes the volume from the library volume inventory, then moves it to the entry/exit port or I/O station.

Optionally, you can select the Ignore errors reading label checkbox to specify that if an error occurs when the server reads the media label of the volume, that the error is ignored. The server will continue to check out the volume despite the error.

The volumes table shows the tape volumes to be removed from the server inventory for the automated library. Information about each volume, such as its current media state and access mode is shown.
Tip: To export data from the volumes table, click the Export to CSV icon .