A category is a logical grouping of cartridges. A
category allows you to refer to a group of cartridges by category name instead
of the individual cartridge identifiers.
Categories are intended for tape libraries like the 3494 where there is
a library manager function that uses categories to provide security and special
functions.
Categories are as follows:
- Inserted
- The cartridge has been moved into the tape library device and has been
placed in the Inserted category. The cartridge is not available until you
add it to a usable category.
- Not shared
- The cartridge has been assigned to a category that is only available to
the server defined as the primary owner. Only tape library devices with Library
Manager software that contains category information (3494, for example) and
has access to multiple systems can ensure that the cartridge is used only
by the primary owning system.
- Shared
- The cartridge has been assigned to a category that is available to all iSeries™ servers
attached to the tape library device.
- Ejected
- The cartridge has been removed from the inventory and is waiting for physical
removal or waiting for the convenience station or high capacity output area
to be cleared.
- Convenience
- The cartridge has been assigned to the convenience category. The convenience
category is designed for the user who just needs to use a tape quickly and
get it out of the tape library device. A tape in the convenience category
will be ejected (removed) after it has been mounted and then unloaded. The
ejecting process takes place when a user specifies the end option (ENDOPT)
parameter of *UNLOAD. The cartridge is not ejected when i5/OS™ unloads
the tape resource for another request.
- Alternate restart
- The cartridge has been assigned to the alternate restart category. This
category is provided by i5/OS for tape cartridges that can be used for a load
source (D-mode) IPL. The tapes in this category must be maintained by the
user. i5/OS does
not guarantee or verify that the tape cartridges have the appropriate data
on them.
- Non-labeled
- The cartridge has been assigned to the non-labeled category. Tapes in
this category must be non-labeled tapes. A non-labeled tape is a tape volume
with no logical volume identifier.
- System generated
- The cartridge is assigned to the system-generated category. All cartridge
identifiers are assigned to this category when the tape library device description
has the GENCTGID parameter set to *SYSGEN. This function allows tape library
devices with no bar code reader to bypass all system category checks on the
cartridge for fast use of cartridges. Cartridges cannot be added or changed
to this category.
- User-defined
Note: If you are using BRMS, you should not attempt to use user-defined
categories.
User-defined categories can be created and deleted. These
categories allow users to create their own logical groupings of tape cartridges.
The Create Tape Category (CRTTAPCGY) and Delete Tape Category (DLTTAPCGY)
commands are used for this function. The Display Tape Category (DSPTAPCGY)
command displays a list of user-defined and system-defined categories on a
given system.
Categories and the system name
Category names are
of the form name sysname, where the name is
the category name and sysname is name of the system that
owns the category. If you change the system name, the cartridges in the associated
categories and the not shared category are unavailable until you create a
category with the previous system name. It is highly recommended that you
remove all cartridges from the tape library or change them to the shared category
prior to changing the system name. See Cartridge assignment when the iSeries system
name changes for more information about changing the system name.
Categories for tape libraries without a library manager
For
tape libraries without a library manager, categories have a limited purpose.
The security that the tape library manager provides does not exist. Cartridges
that are added to a category on one system are not necessarily in the same
category on other attached systems. Therefore, when you operate tape libraries
that do not have a library manager, only the following categories apply:
- Inserted
- Ejected
- Convenience
- Shared
The not-shared category does not prevent other systems from accessing
the cartridges. The remaining categories do not apply for tape libraries without
library managers. Categories that are created for nonlibrary manager tape
libraries are only known to the system where they are created and not across
all attaching systems. For these types of tape libraries, the cartridges must
be added to each system and then managed across all the systems by the tape
management software.