Moving Volumes

Moving Volumes between Repositories is one of the single most important tasks in TapeMaster. For this reason, there are several options for Moving Volumes.

When a Volume is moving, it is given a Move Flag and said to be in a Move Status. Volumes move from a Current Repository to a Target Repository. Volumes can be confirmed at a Target Repository in TapeMaster by right-clicking in the Volume List, selecting Special Operations, and then confirm or by using a Barcode scanner in TapeTrack Lite or TapeTrack Checkpoint.

Move Dates indicate when a Volume should move next. Batch processes such as TMSS10ExpireByDate and TMSS10MovePending use these Move Dates to initiate moves for Volumes. If a Volume does not move before its Move Date, the Volume will be flagged as Overdue.

To manually move Volumes between Repositories in the Inventory Administration Tab, select a Volume or group of Volumes in the Volume List and click and drag them to a Repository in the Repository List.

Simple Management Rules can be used in conjunction with other utilities to automate Volume Movements. Here is a step-by-step process of how that is done.

1. Set up Simple Management Rules so that Volumes are given a move date when moved between Repositories. Automation will only function correctly if Volumes move cyclically between Repositories. For example, from Repository A to Repository B to Repository C and back to Repository A, etc.

2. Each Repository must have a Next Repository set in the Options Tab of the Repository Properties Window.

3. Ask your TapeTrack Server Administrator to run the daily script, located in the scripts folder of the TapeTrack Framework Server Install Directory, on a daily basis using Windows Scheduler.

The Daily script includes two applications:

• TMSS10ExpireByDate: Locates Volumes with a Move Date of today or greater and adds a Move Pending Flag.
• TMSS10MovePending: Puts Volumes with a Move Pending Flag into a move status to the Volume's current Repository's Next Repository, as set in the Options Tab of the Repository Properties Window. If the Volume's current Repository has no Next Repository, the Move Pending Flag will be added, but no move will be initiated.

4. In order for automation to continue, each Volume must be confirmed or scanned at each of its Target Repositories.

There are several types of movement errors. Here are the two most common:

• Warning Flag: A Volume will receive a Warning Flag (which appears as a orange highlight in the Volume List and on the Customer Tree) when it is confirmed at its Current Repository before first reaching its Target Repository. In TapeMaster this will evoke the Failed Operations window, displaying the Volume-ID's in error and listed as Update OK but marked for followup. In command line interface, the volumes will be marked in the same way but listed in the stderr output.
• Audit Flag: A Volume will receive an audit Flag when inventory documents between TapeTrack and other software (such as the software for an offsite vendor) do not match-up. For more information, see Certification.