Make cartridges available to the tape library inventory

Before you can use the tape library, it must have media loaded and made available.

If a tape library is empty, open the door and insert all available media into the empty slots. This can be done to save time rather than inserting only a small number at a time through the convent input/output (I/O) station. When the door is closed, the tape library will inventory the contents. Each cartridge ID is noted and recorded in the operating system and Library Manager (if present).

Most tape libraries provide an (I/O) station for adding cartridges without interrupting any automatic operations. An I/O station can have multiple slots or just a single slot. Some tape libraries have no I/O station. For these tape libraries, cartridges are added by stopping the automation and opening the door to access the storage slots.

Tape cartridges that are placed in the 3494 i/o station are moved to a storage slot by the 3494 Library Manager software. For other tape libraries, the tape cartridges remain in the i/o station until you make them available using iSeries™ Navigator. When you make a cartridge available you must specify a category of media. Also, making a cartridge available changes the cartridge status.

To make a cartridge available do the following steps:

In iSeries Navigator, expand My Connections > your iSeries server > Configuration and Service > Hardware > Tape Devices > Tape Libraries > your tape library.
Select Cartridges.
Right-click a cartridge with a status of Inserted that you want to make available and select Make Available. You can select multiple cartridges to add to a category.

You can also use the Add Tape Cartridge (ADDTAPCTG) command to make a cartridge available.