Tape or tape libraries

This topic includes requirements for tape devices or tape libraries.

If you use tape for your installation, you need to determine which tape unit to use for the alternate IPL. The tape unit for the alternate IPL is either an internal or an external tape unit attached to a storage IOA on system bus 1. If you have only one tape unit, use it as the tape unit for the alternate IPL. If you do not know which tape unit to use, contact your marketing representative or authorized service provider.

Note: You can use a tape image catalog and a virtual tape device to install PTF fixes or to install single licensed programs. You cannot use virtual tape to install or upgrade an i5/OS™ release.

To help prevent media errors, be sure to clean the heads on your alternate IPL tape drive before you begin the installation process. Refer to your tape drive reference guide if you need more information on how to clean the heads. If you receive a media error message during your installation process, see Troubleshooting software installation problems for recovery information.

Sharing a tape device

If you have an alternate installation tape device that you are sharing, make sure other users do not assign or try to use the tape drive during the installation because the installation process might fail.

Setting up your tape library for installation

When you install a release using a tape library device, do not use the device in library mode or random mode. The 3494 tape library should use standalone mode. The 3490 and 35xx tape libraries should use either automatic, sequential, or manual mode. Refer to the operator's guide for the media library device for information on setting up and using the correct mode.