As tape libraries grow, it becomes increasingly costly to store all tape Volumes in robotically controlled devices. It may also be undesirable to store tapes which are critical or subject to litigation within an environment where they could potentially be overwritten.

Having a Library Management standard in place will ensure that tapes can be easily and reliably located should they be required.

Conceptually, two Library Management methodologies exist today:

1. Arbitrary Library Management: this is where the tape librarian puts a tape in a specific location and records the location within the tape management database.
2. Allocation Library Management: this is where the system assigns a location for a tape to be stored and the tape librarian confirms with the system that the tape has been placed in that location.

Each of these two methodologies have advantages and disadvantages, with the former requiring a less complex tape management system and a higher dependency on process and the latter requiring a more capable tape management system that provides instructions and confirmation of compliance.

• That the system records the current location of a tape, and in the event that it is moving, also the target location.
• That the system records the location of a tape down to an individual single tape slot.
• That a Barcode or RFID reader confirms the storage of each tape.
• That the slotting design avoids large numbers that can be forgotten or confused during tape handling.

• Number of tapes found to be in the wrong location.
• Number of tapes which can be accurately picked and pulled per minute.
• Time spent in double handling tapes.
• Regularity of physical audits.
• Time spent in correcting errors found during physical audits.
• Number of tapes considered permanently lost.
• Number of tapes that cannot be located but are not considered permanently lost.