Data set information for recovery of synchronized data on magnetic tape

A recording system for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape having a plurality of wraps;

• said magnetic tape drive having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• said magnetic tape drive for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said recording system comprising:
• at least one recording channel receiving said data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape at said plurality of wraps;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• writes said synchronized transactions to at least one of said plurality of wraps of said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set of said synchronized transactions, the status of said data set;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set of said synchronized transactions, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding data set of said synchronized transactions, if any.

A recording system for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape having a plurality of wraps;

• said magnetic tape drive having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• said magnetic tape drive for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said recording system comprising:
• at least one recording channel receiving said data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, and said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape at said plurality of wraps;
• and
• a controller operating said-at least one motor, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• writes said synchronized transactions to at least one of said plurality of wraps of said magnetic tape, in the form of work copy data sets, each work copy data set having a data set information table;
• subsequently recursively writes said synchronized transactions to said magnetic tape in a sequence, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, the status of said data set;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding said data set, if any;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each said recursively written synchronized transaction data set, a backwards pointer to a longitudinal position on said magnetic tape of a work copy data set.

A recording system for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape having a plurality of wraps;

• said magnetic tape drive having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• said magnetic tape drive for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said recording system comprising:
• at least one recording channel receiving said data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, and said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape at said plurality of wraps;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• writes said synchronized transactions to at least one of said plurality of wraps of said magnetic tape as written synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• in the event one of said written synchronized transactions partially fills a data set, rewrites said synchronized transaction of said data set in a succeeding data set, appends a subsequent said synchronized transaction in said succeeding data set as an appended synchronized transaction;
• and establishes a moving access point for said succeeding data set in said data set information table of said succeeding data set, said moving access point identifying said appended synchronized transaction, thereby skipping said rewritten synchronized transaction;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set for said synchronized transactions, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, the status of said data set;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding data set of said synchronized transactions, if any.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally;
• at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• at least one recording channel for receiving data to be written to magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• operates said at least one read/write head to access said magnetic tape and to write said synchronized transactions to said magnetic tape as written synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• in the event one of said written synchronized transactions partially fills a data set, rewrites said written synchronized transaction of said data set in a succeeding data set, appends a subsequent said synchronized transaction in said succeeding data set as an appended synchronized transaction;
• and establishes a moving access point for said succeeding data set in said data set information table of said succeeding data set, said moving access point identifying said appended synchronized transaction, thereby skipping said rewritten synchronized transaction.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps;
• at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• at least one recording channel for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, said wrap control system, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• operates said wrap control system and said at least one read/write head to access at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape and to write said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set of said synchronized transactions, the status of said data set;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set of said synchronized transactions, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding data set of said synchronized transactions, if any.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps;
• at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• at least one recording channel for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, said wrap control system, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• operates said wrap control system and said at least one read/write head to access at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape and to write said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• subsequently operates said wrap control system and said at least one read/write head to access at least one normal wrap separate from said at least one work copy wrap, and to recursively write said synchronized transactions to said at least one normal wrap of said magnetic tape in a sequence, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, the status of said data set;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding said data set, if any;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each said recursively written synchronized transaction data set, a backwards pointer to a longitudinal position on said magnetic tape of a work copy data set.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• at least one motor for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps;
• at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor;
• a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• at least one recording channel for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing transactions to said magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one motor, said wrap control system, and said at least one recording channel, said controller:
• detects a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• operates said wrap control system and said at least one read/write head to access at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape and to write said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape as written synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• in the event one of said written synchronized transactions partially fills a data set, rewrites said written synchronized transaction of said data set in a succeeding data set, appends a subsequent said synchronized transaction in said succeeding data set as an appended synchronized transaction;
• and establishes a moving access point for said succeeding data set in said data set information table of said succeeding data set, said moving access point identifying said appended synchronized transaction, thereby skipping said rewritten synchronized transaction;
• provides, in said data set information table of each said data set for said synchronized transactions, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, the status of said data set;
• and
• provides, in said data set information table of each data set for said synchronized transactions, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding data set of said synchronized transactions, if any.

A method for writing received synchronized data to magnetic tape, in a magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving said magnetic tape longitudinally, having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor, and having at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing data to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• writing said synchronized transactions to said magnetic tape as written synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• in the event one of said written synchronized transactions partially fills a data set, rewriting said synchronized transaction of said data set in a succeeding data set, appending a subsequent said synchronized transaction in said succeeding data set as an appended synchronized transaction;
• and establishing a moving access point for said succeeding data set in said data set information table of said succeeding data set, said moving access point identifying said appended synchronized transaction, thereby skipping said rewritten synchronized transaction.

A method for writing received synchronized data to magnetic tape, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps, in a magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving said magnetic tape longitudinally, having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor, having a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head, and having at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing data to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• accessing at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• writing said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, the status of said data set;
• and
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding said data set, if any.

A method for writing received synchronized data to magnetic tape, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps, in a magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving said magnetic tape longitudinally, having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor, having a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head, and having at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing data to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• accessing at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• writing said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• subsequently accessing at least one normal wrap of said magnetic tape separate from said at least one work copy wrap;
• recursively writing said synchronized transactions to said at least one normal wrap of said magnetic tape in a sequence, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, the status of said data set;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding said data set, if any;
• and
• providing, in said data set information table of each said recursively written synchronized transaction data set, a backwards pointer to a longitudinal position on said magnetic tape of a work copy data set.

A method for writing received synchronized data to magnetic tape, said magnetic tape comprising a plurality of wraps, in a magnetic tape drive having at least one motor for moving said magnetic tape longitudinally, having at least one read/write head for reading from and for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said at least one motor, having a wrap control system for accessing said wraps of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head, and having at least one recording channel for operating said at least one read/write head for writing data to said magnetic tape, said data in the form of transactions, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a pattern of synchronizing events for writing said transactions to said magnetic tape as synchronized transactions;
• accessing at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape with said at least one read/write head;
• writing said synchronized transactions to said at least one work copy wrap of said magnetic tape as written synchronized transactions, in the form of data sets, each data set having a data set information table;
• in the event one of said written synchronized transactions partially fills a data set, rewriting said synchronized transaction of said data set in a succeeding data set, appending a subsequent said synchronized transaction in said succeeding data set as an appended synchronized transaction;
• and establishing a moving access point for said succeeding data set in said data set information table of said succeeding data set, said moving access point identifying said appended synchronized transaction, thereby skipping said rewritten synchronized transaction;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, a number representing a thread for said synchronized transactions of said detected pattern;
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, the status of said data set;
• and
• providing, in said data set information table of each said data set, an identification of the wrap of the immediately succeeding said data set, if any.