TapeTrack Documentation

Because there is more to tape management than you ever realized

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primer:introduction

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primer:introduction [2021/03/04 06:47] – [Why do you need TapeTrack?] Gerard Nicolprimer:introduction [2025/01/21 22:07] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 ===== Why do you need TapeTrack? ===== ===== Why do you need TapeTrack? =====
  
-Tape has been in use for many decades and each enterprise has developed tape management processes that are unique, but generally speaking, you need TapeTrack because each of the components involved in the tape management process only provide very narrow functionality:+Each enterprise has unique tape infrastructure, and has developed unique tape management processes, but generally speaking, you need TapeTrack because each of the components involved in the tape management process only provide very narrow functionality:
  
   - [[definitions:backup_software|Backup software]] focusses on writing data to tapes and only keeps an inventory of tapes that it knows about.   - [[definitions:backup_software|Backup software]] focusses on writing data to tapes and only keeps an inventory of tapes that it knows about.
   - [[defintions:robotic_library|Robotic Libraries]] only know about the tapes in their slots, and don't know which tapes are expected to be in the library.   - [[defintions:robotic_library|Robotic Libraries]] only know about the tapes in their slots, and don't know which tapes are expected to be in the library.
-  - Tapes that are outside robotic libraries have no software at all to keep track of them in racking units.+  - Tapes that are outside [[defintions:robotic_library|Robotic Libraries]] have no software at all to keep track of them in racking units.
   - [[definitions:offsite_vendors|Off-site vendors]] know about the tapes they have (ideally) and sometimes they make mistakes.   - [[definitions:offsite_vendors|Off-site vendors]] know about the tapes they have (ideally) and sometimes they make mistakes.
   - When ejecting tapes, sometimes the library misses tapes, or ejects tapes that aren't part of the batches that are being sent off-site.   - When ejecting tapes, sometimes the library misses tapes, or ejects tapes that aren't part of the batches that are being sent off-site.
   - There is no way of tracking unbarcoded tapes before they are used.   - There is no way of tracking unbarcoded tapes before they are used.
-  - There is no one list of every tape owned (or ever owned) by the enterprise. +  - There is no one list of every ever tape owned by the enterprise. 
-  - There is no history of the movements of each tape that includes which operators touched them.+  - There is no history of the movements of each tape that includes which [[dictionary:operators|operators]] touched them.
   - There is no way to ensure that each robotic library (or [[dictionary:virtual_library|virtual library]]) has enough [[dictionary:scratch_tape|scratch tapes]] to get through the backup workload.   - There is no way to ensure that each robotic library (or [[dictionary:virtual_library|virtual library]]) has enough [[dictionary:scratch_tape|scratch tapes]] to get through the backup workload.
 ===== What is the TapeTrack Workflow ===== ===== What is the TapeTrack Workflow =====
primer/introduction.1614840445.txt.gz · Last modified: 2025/01/21 22:07 (external edit)