Configure optical devices

This topic provides information on configuring your CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM devices, and optical medial libraries. iSeries™ servers come with a rack-mounted CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

As an option, you can order a DVD-RAM drive as a feature to replace your internal drive or to have it in addition to your internal drive. All optical drives are multi-user devices that multiple users can access concurrently.

Directly attached optical media libraries are attached to the iSeries system through the small computer system interface (SCSI). On i5/OS™, multiple users can access data on optical media libraries concurrently. These interfaces are available to access the data on the CD and DVD devices and optical media libraries:

• Save and restore interface
• Hierarchical file system (HFS)
• Application programming interface (API)
• Integrated file system interfaces
• Optical commands and utility displays

• Configure your optical drive
  Depending on the model of iSeries server, you can position the CD-ROM or DVD drive either horizontally or vertically in the system.
• Configure directly attached optical media libraries
  To create a device description for an optical media library device, use the Create Device Description (Media Library) (CRTDEVMLB) command. Specify device class *OPT. For example:
• Label optical cartridges
  Each optical disk cartridge contains two sides. Each side corresponds to an optical volume. There are two techniques to associate a volume ID label with the correct side of the optical cartridge. This is important to know when you set the write-protect switch.
• Get started with optical cartridges and volumes
  This topic introduces you to some of the optical support functions and familiarizes you with using optical cartridges and volumes.