Modifying Partitions

You can modify partition settings any time after a partition is created. For example, you can modify the name, emulation type, barcode format, cleaning interval, and number of assigned tape drives and slots.

The library automatically takes the partition offline before modifying it and places it back online after it has been modified.

Before deleting a tape drive from a partition, verify that it is unloaded. For information on unloading tape drives, see Unloading Tape Drives.

NOTE: This operation should not be performed concurrently by multiple administrators logged in from different locations. You can access the appropriate screens, but you cannot apply changes while another administrator is performing the same operation.

You need administrator privileges to modify partitions.

1. From the Setup menu, select Partitions.

   The Setup - Partitions screen displays.

2. Select a partition to modify and click Modify.

   The Modify Partition - Basic Settings Name screen displays. The current settings of the partition appear in the Current Settings column.

3. Modify any of the following settings:
   • Partition name — Type a new partition name in the Name text box.

   • NOTE: Partition names are limited to 12 lower-case alphanumeric characters and underscores (_).

   • Number of slots — Type the number of cartridge slots you want to assign to the partition in the Number of Slots text box.

     NOTE: The number in parentheses indicates the number of slots available for use in the partition. For standard partitions, the number equals the number of licensed slots available, and the default equals the total number of available slots. Since EDLM partitions can contain both unlicensed and licensed slots (using all unlicensed slots before using licensed slots), the number in parentheses equals the total number of licensed and unlicensed slots, and the default equals the number of unlicensed slots available. You can configure EDLM partitions to use zero slots if desired.

   • Emulation type — If desired, select a new emulation type from the Emulation Type drop-down list. The default is ADIC Scalar i500. This setting allows the partition to appear as a different library type to the host. In most cases, you can ignore this setting and just use the default. However, if your host application does not support the default and cannot recognize the partition using the default setting, you can choose a library type that your host has previously qualified. This makes the partition appear to the host as the selected library type and should allow the host to communicate.
   • Media barcode reporting format — Select a new barcode reporting format from the Set Media Barcode Format drop-down list. The supported formats are:
     • Standard (default) — Five to 16 characters total, including a barcode number and optional two-character media ID. If a media ID is included, the label must have a five to 14 character barcode number followed by a media ID; for example, “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL4”. If a media ID is not included, the label must have a five to 16 character barcode number; for example, “XXXXX” or “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”. Only the barcode number is reported to the host.
     • Standard Six — Six character barcode number with or without a two-character media ID; for example, “XXXXXXL4” or ”XXXXXX”. Only the six character barcode number is reported to the host.
     • Plus Six — Six character barcode number followed by a two-character media ID; for example, “XXXXXXL4”. The six character barcode and media ID are reported to the host.
     • Extended — Five to 16 characters total, including a barcode number and optional two-character media ID. All characters are reported to the host, regardless of the barcode label having a media ID or not. If a media ID is included, the label must have a five to 14 character barcode followed by a media ID; for example, “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL4”. If a media ID is not included, the label must have a five to 16 character barcode number; for example, “XXXXX” or “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”.
     • Media ID Last — Five to 14 character barcode number followed by a two-character media ID, for example, “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL4”. The media ID is reported to the host last, as in “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL4”.
     • Media ID First — Five to 14 character barcode number followed by a two-character media ID, for example, “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL4”. The media ID is reported to the host first, as in “L4XXXXXXXXXXXXXX”.

     NOTE: The library supports barcodes up to 16 characters on tape cartridge labels. However, a 16-character barcode label length may not be printable according to the Code 39 label specifications for the tape cartridge area to which the label is attached. The effective tape cartridge barcode label length, including any media ID, may be limited to a maximum of 12 characters.

   • Library-initiated Cleaning — Select the options for the partition's cleaning slots as follows:
   • • Number of Cleaning Slots — Displays the number of configured cleaning slots. If the number of cleaning slots needs to be modified, you must change the number of cleaning slots in Setup Cleaning Slot Configuration. See Configuring Cleaning Slots.
     • Automatic Cleaning — Select the check box to enable library-initiated automatic cleaning. If host-based cleaning is enabled on the host, clear the check box.
     • Periodic Interval — Select the appropriate cleaning interval from the drop-down list:

     • • If Automatic Cleaning is enabled for HP drives, you must specify a cleaning interval to ensure the drives are cleaned. Cleaning intervals are specified in motion hours, which is the time in hours that the tape moves over the drive head. HP LTO-4 drives will be cleaned every 100 hours, and HP LTO-5 and higher drives can be cleaned in specified longer intervals.

       • If Automatic Cleaning is enabled for IBM drives, the drives will continue to clean at intervals that are determined by the drive. The selected cleaning interval does not apply to IBM drives.

       • If Automatic Cleaning is enabled for EDLM drives, the drives will be cleaned in the specified number of motion hours, or in the specified number of scans.

   • Tape drive table — Select the check box for each tape drive you want to assign to the partition in the Select Drives section. Clear the check box for each tape drive you want to delete from the partition.

   • NOTE: Before deleting a tape drive from a partition, verify that it is unloaded. For information on unloading tape drives, see Unloading Tape Drives.

     NOTE: The tape drive set as the control path for a particular partition cannot be deleted from that partition. The check box associated with the control path tape drive is grayed out. To change the control path tape drive, see Modifying Control Paths.

4. Click Next.

5. The Modify Partition - EDLM Policy Settings screen appears.

6. If desired, modify  EDLM policies on this partition. The policy choices are explained below. Note that fewer policies are available on EDLM library managed partitions than on standard partitions because EDLM library managed partitions are inaccessible to hosts.
   
   If no EDLM library managed partitions have been created on the library yet, you will not be able to alter any settings on this screen. If this is the case, or if you do not wish to modify EDLM scanning policies on this partition, skip this step.
   
   • Allow concurrent scans — Select the number of tape drives that this partition can use for EDLM scans at any one time. If you have several partitions that will use EDLM scanning drives, you can use this feature to divide the EDLM drive resources so that a single partition with a large number of scans to perform can never monopolize all of the resources and prevent other partitions from performing their scans in a timely manner. Choices are: Unlimited (default), 1, 2, 3, or 4. “Unlimited” means that this partition can use all available EDLM scanning drives concurrently.
   • Report media inaccessible (standard partitions only) —
     
     • When this check box is de-selected (default), if a host requests a tape cartridge that is being scanned, the scan is cancelled and the tape cartridge is moved back to its original location to service the host request. The interrupted scan is not rescheduled. The EDLM report indicates the interruption or cancellation. This ensures that normal operations are not affected by EDLM scanning.
     • When this check box is selected, if a host requests a tape cartridge while it is being scanned, the library responds to the host that the tape cartridge is inaccessible.
       
       NOTE: This feature is currently disabled. The library always reports media accessible to hosts (i.e. the box is de-selected and cannot be selected).
   • Use StorNext Configuration (standard partitions only) — Select whether to use StorNext in conjunction with EDLM to perform certain EDLM operations; and, if so, which StorNext configuration to use. From the drop-down list, select None or select one of the StorNext configurations you set up previously (see Configuring the StorNext Host Settings).
   • Scan upon import — Choose whether to scan data tapes as soon as they are imported into this partition; and, if so, which type of scan to perform. This policy is disabled by default.
     • None (default) — Does not scan upon import.
     • Quick — Does not scan the tape. Evaluates data from the cartridge memory (CM) only. Takes less than one minute per tape. Examples of when to use a quick scan:
       • When you first import previously used scratch tapes into the library.
       • When you import data cartridges that have been used in other backup and archival environments and need to do a quick check to determine whether the tape cartridge is nearing end of life, at end of life, or may have had issues reading or writing.
     • Normal — Evaluates the cartridge memory (CM) and scans selected portions of the tape, focusing on areas most likely to indicate problems. Takes up to 20 minutes per tape. Examples of when to use a normal scan:
       • For tapes in frequent use within the library, with scanning triggered by drive-reported media Tape Alert events.
       • For tapes in frequent use within the library, with scanning being performed at regular time intervals.
     • Full — Evaluates the cartridge memory (CM) and scans the entire tape. Can take more than 2 hours on a full tape. Example of when to use a full scan:
       • When tape cartridges are accessed infrequently and are used primarily for onsite or offsite long-term data retention.
       • When tape cartridges with valuable data are introduced into the library, and the state and condition of the tapes are unknown.
     • Scan based on Tape Alert (standard partitions only) — Choose whether to scan tapes based on Tape Alert count; and, if so, which type of scan to perform (Quick, Normal, or Full, described above). Select None to disable this policy. This policy is disabled by default.
       When enabled, a tape will be scanned if the number of Tape Alerts reported for that cartridge exceeds the user-specified value in the Tape Alert count field, described in more detail below.
       
       The Tape Alerts included in the count are:
       • 01h (1)– Read Warning
       • 03h (3) – Hard Error
       • 04h (4) – Media
       • 05h (5) – Read Failure
       • 06h (6) – Write Failure
       • 12h (18) – Tape Directory Corrupted on Load
       • 33h (51) – Tape Directory Invalid on Unload
       • 34h (52) – Tape System Area Write Error
       • 35h (53) – Tape System Area Read Error
       • 37h (55) – Loading Failure
       • 3Bh (59) – WORM Medium Integrity Check Failed
     • Tape Alert count — Use this field in conjunction with the Scan based on Tape Alert policy. From the drop-down list, select the number of Tape Alerts allowed before a scan is performed.
     • Normal scan time interval — Scans a tape if the listed time interval since the last scan was performed has been exceeded. In the text box, type a time interval (in days) after which a scan will be performed. A value of zero (default) means the this policy is disabled. Note: When deciding the interval, consider the number of tapes to be scanned in the entire library, as well as the type of scan to be performed. Full scans can take more than 2 hours on full tapes. Over-scheduling can cause delays or cause tapes not to be scanned as intended.
     • Full scan time interval —- Same as Normal scan time interval above.
     • Scan based on StorNext suspect count (standard partitions only) — Only available if you selected Use StorNext Configuration above. The suspect count is a means by which StorNext Storage Manager determines when to stop writing data to tape. If you select this policy, a tape will be queued for EDLM testing when its suspect count threshold is reached. If the EDLM test indicates the tape is good, you can reset the suspect count on the StorNext application and continue to use the tape. For more information on suspect counts and resetting suspect counts, refer to your StorNext application’s documentation.
     • DisableRAS ticket for bad or suspect media —- Select this check box if you wish to disable summary RAS tickets and RAS ticket e-mail notifications stating media is bad or suspect based on the results of EDLM scans. By default, these summary RAS tickets are disabled (i.e. this check box is selected), because this information is available from the EDLM test results.
       Note: RAS tickets for specific drive and media issues found during EDLM scans will never be disabled. Only the summary results tickets and notifications (stating media is suspect or bad) can be enabled or disabled.
     • Initiate StorNext copy operation for (standard partitions only) —- Only available if you selected Use StorNext Configuration above. Automatically requests StorNext Storage Manager to copy all data from a bad and/or suspect tape to another tape. From the drop-down list, you can choose to copy bad tapes, suspect tapes, or both. You can also choose Disabled, which disables the policy. This policy is disabled by default. A RAS ticket will be generated for each request to copy data indicating whether the request succeeds or fails.
7. Click Apply.

   The Progress Window displays. The Progress Window contains information on the action, elapsed time, and status of the requested operation. Do one of the following:

   • If Success displays in the Progress Window, the partition was successfully modified. Click Close to close the Progress Window.
   • If Failure displays in the Progress Window, the partition was not modified. Follow the instructions listed in the Progress Window to resolve any issues that occurred during the operation.
8. Save the library configuration.

   For instructions on how to save the library configuration, see Saving the Configuration.

See also:

• Working With Partitions
• Deleting Partitions
• Changing Partition Access
• Automatically Creating Partitions
• Manually Creating Partitions
• Changing the Partition Mode
• Unloading Tape Drives
• About EDLM