Tape library use without a media management application

While a media management application greatly simplifies and extends a tape library's capabilities, you can perform many tape functions in an iSeries™ environment with commands included in i5/OS™.

The following table shows the typical setup and operational tasks and associated CL commands for the tape library.

You need to use these commands if you do not use a media management application such as BRMS.

Task Command
Creating a tape library device description Auto-configured or use Create Device Description (Media Library) (CRTDEVMLB)
Displaying RS232/LAN resource/description Display Hardware Resources (DSPHDWRSC)
Configuring the 3494 communication (RS232/LAN/TCP) Configure Device Media Library (CFGDEVMLB)
Display LAN information for 3494 Add LAN Host Display LAN Media Library (DSPLANMLB)
Removing a tape library device description Delete Device Description (DLTDEVD)
Changing the tape library device description Change Device Desc (Media Library) (CHGDEVMLB)
Changing the tape library device attributes for a job Change Job MLB Attributes (CHGJOBMLBA) command or Change Job MLB Attributes (QTACJMA) API
Displaying the tape library device attributes for a job Display Job (DSPJOB) OPTION(*MLBA) or Work with Job (WRKJOB) OPTION(*MLBA)
Retrieving the tape library device attributes for a job Retrieve Job MLB Attributes (QTARJMA) API
Display tape library information Display Tape Status (DSPTAPSTS)
Checking the status of the tape library Work with Media Library Status (WRKMLBSTS)
Creating user categories. Create Tape Category (CRTTAPCGY)
Mounting a category Set Tape Category (SETTAPCGY) OPTION(*MOUNTED)
Demounting a category Set Tape Category (SETTAPCGY) OPTION(*DEMOUNTED)
Assigning a mounted category to a different job Set Tape Category (SETTAPCGY) OPTION(*ASSIGN)
Releasing a mounted category from a job Set Tape Category (SETTAPCGY) OPTION(*RELEASE)
Deleting a user category. Remove all the cartridges from the category. Use the Delete Tape Category (DLTTAPCGY ) command
Listing all user or system categories Display Tape Category (DSPTAPCGY)
Changing the category for cartridges Change Tape Cartridge (CHGTAPCTG) or Work with Tape Cartridges (WRKTAPCTG), option 2
Inserting cartridges Add Tape Cartridge (ADDTAPCTG) or Work with Tape Cartridges (WRKTAPCTG), option 1
Ejecting cartridges Remove Tape Cartridge (RMVTAPCTG) or Work with Tape Cartridges (WRKTAPCTG), option 4
Mounting cartridges for output or input commands Specify the tape library device and cartridge identifier with the commands
Demounting a cartridge Demounting is implicit with ENDOPT(*UNLOAD), a demount of a category, or a new mount request
Working with a list (or subset) of cartridges within a tape library Work with Tape Cartridges (WRKTAPCTG)
Displaying information about a cartridge Display Tape Cartridge (DSPTAPCTG) or Work with Tape Cartridges (WRKTAPCTG), option 5
Working with the tape library resource manager queue Work with MLB Resource Queue (WRKMLBRSCQ)
Retrieving the capabilities for a tape library device or resource Retrieve Device Capabilities (QTARDCAP) API
Retrieve the status for a tape library device or resource Retrieve Device Status (QTARDSTS) API
Retrieving the information for a tape library Retrieve Device Information (QTARDINF) API
Note: An end-of-tape option of *UNLOAD for any of the tape commands causes the cartridge to be returned to a storage cell when the tape operation has completed processing. It might not be returned to its original storage cell. When using *REWIND the cartridge remains in the drive after the tape operation has completed. However, this cartridge is unloaded if another cartridge has been requested. When using *LEAVE the cartridge remains in the drive after the tape operation has completed.
Related information
Control language (CL)