How BRMS Uses Containers

This document describes how BRMS uses containers.

Using containers in BRMS can be set up in a couple of different ways as follows:

Option 1: One set of containers. When movement is run, the first available container available will be used.

Option 2: Use different container classes and associate the different media classes to the specific container class. When movement is run, it will use a container associated with that container class. With this method, you would need to have media in different media classes that are associated with each container class.

A volume is associated with a container when all of the following criteria are met:

1.	A container is at the location the volume is currently at.
2.	The container is open.
3.	The container class that the container belongs to does the following: o Allows the media class of the volume(s). o Allows the volume with the current expiration date.
4.	Move policy of volume matches the move policy of the other volumes within the container; unless it is the first volume being moved into the container.

Containers get their move policies from the first volume being added to the container. If no container is available at the location, message BRM1366 - Volume &1 not assigned to container will be posted when BRMS movement is run. If a valid container is available at the next location and movement is run again, the volume will be associated with a container at that time.

Notes:

1. Containers in BRMS are logical. BRMS has no way to verify if a cartridge is in a container or not.
2. Different systems media can be in the same container.
3. Containers need to be logically moved into a tape media library location in order for BRMS to associate them with the container immediately. When they get back to the tape library, BRMS can be set up to automatically unpack the containers when they return to the home location, as defined in the move policy.

Example
WRKCNRBRM

                          Work with Containers                        
                                                                             
Position to . . . . . .               Starting characters                    
                                                                             
Type options, press Enter.                                                    
  1=Add    2=Change  4=Remove  5=Display  6=Work with media                  
  8=Move   9=Open    10=Close  11=Unpack                                      
                                                                             
                           Container  Volume   Storage       Move   Expiration
Opt Container   Status       Class     Count   Location      Date      Date  
                                                                             
    CONT01      *OPEN      CONTAINER       3   *HOME        3/13/12   3/12/12 
                                                                             
WRKCLSBRM *CNR > Select Option 5=Display next to CONTAINER

                           Display Container Class
                                                 
Container class . . . . . . . . . :   CONTAINER  
Text  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :              
                                                 
Container capacity  . . . . . . . :   10          
Media classes . . . . . . . . . . :   *ANY        
                                                                                                   
                                                 
Different expiration dates  . . . :   *YES        
Automatic unpack  . . . . . . . . :   *YES       

WRKPCYBRM *MOV > Select Option 5=Display next to CONTAINER

                             Display Move Policy        
                                                       
Move policy . . . . . . . . . . : CONTAINER            
Home location . . . . . . . . . : TAPMLB01              
Use container . . . . . . . . . : *YES                  
Verify moves  . . . . . . . . . : *NO                  
Calendar for working days . . . : *ALLDAYS              
Calendar for move days  . . . . : *ALLDAYS              
Text  . . . . . . . . . . . . . :                      
                                                       
       Seq    Location      Duration    Container Action
        10    VAULT         *EXP        *CLOSE                       

With the above setup, BRMS will move the volumes into a container when movement is run and move the container to the location of VAULT and close it. When all the volumes in the container expire and movement is run, BRMS will move the container back to TAPMLB01 and unpack it.