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US 2009/0157710 A1Published application
System and method for controlling access to multiple physical media libraries
AssigneeCrossroads Systems, Inc.
InventorsJohn F. Tyndall, William H. Moody, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a media library controller that can communicate with multiple physical libraries that are physically separate from each other (i.e., that cannot pass media back and forth). The media library controller can maintain a virtualized aggregate media library representing the physical media libraries with which it is in communication. From the physical media libraries, the media library controller can establish a virtual media library and associate a host with the virtual media library. The virtual media library can represent the portions of a physical media library to which the host is allowed access.
Claims16
A controller for aggregating multiple physically separate media libraries, said controller comprising:
- a computer processor;
- a computer memory electronically connected to the computer processor, the computer memory storing a set of computer instructions executable by the computer processor to:
- communicate with at least a plurality of physical media libraries;
- maintain one or more virtual media libraries, each virtual library representing a portion of an associated physical media library to which a host has access, wherein a physical media library comprises computer-readable media and one or more drives for performing operations on said computer-readable media;
- associate a first virtual media library with a first host, wherein the first virtual media library represents a first portion of the first physical media library to which the first host has access;
- associate a second virtual media library with a second host, wherein the second virtual library represents a second portion of the first physical media library to which the second host has access;
- store the associations between the first host and the first virtual media library and the second host and the second virtual media library;
- control access to the first portion of the first physical library represented by the first virtual media library based on the associations such that the first host is allowed access to the first virtual media library and the second host is not allowed access to the first virtual media library;
- and
- control access to the second portion of the first physical library represented by the second virtual media library based on the associations such that the first host is not allowed access to the second virtual media library and the second host is allowed access to the second virtual media library.
7 more elements
A method of aggregating multiple media libraries comprising:
- communicating with a plurality of physically separate media libraries, including a first physical media library accessible by a first host and a second host;
- associating the first host with a first virtual media library, wherein the first virtual media library represents a first portion of the first physical media library;
- associating a second host with a second virtual media library, wherein the second virtual media library represents a second portion of the first physical media library;
- receiving a data operation command;
- determining if the command is from the first host or the second host;
- if the received command is form the first host:
- determining whether the received command is directed to the first portion of the first physical media library and if the command is directed to the first portion of the first physical media library forwarding the received command to the first physical media library accessible by the host while rejecting the received command otherwise;
- and
- if the received command is form the second host:
- determining whether the received command is directed to the second portion of the first physical media library and if the command is directed to the second portion of the first physical media library forwarding the received command to the first physical media library accessible by the host while rejecting the received command otherwise.
7 more elements
A system of aggregating media libraries comprising;
- a network;
- a host in communication with said network, the host configured to send data operation commands to a media library;
- a first physical media library operable to carry out data operation commands;
- a second physical media library physically separate from the first media library operable to carry out data operation commands;
- a media library controller in communication with said network and said first and second physical media libraries, said controller comprising:
- a computer processor;
- one or more communications interfaces electronically connected to said computer processor operable to communicate with said network and said first and second physical media libraries;
- a computer memory electronically connected to the computer processor, the computer memory storing a set of computer instructions executable by the computer processor to:
- associate the first host with a first virtual media library, wherein the first virtual media library represents a first portion of the first physical media library;
- associate a second host with a second virtual media library, wherein the second virtual media library represents a second portion of the first physical media library;
- receive a data operation command;
- determine if the command is from the first host or the second host;
- if the received command is form the first host:
- determine whether the received command is directed to the first portion of the first physical media library and if the command is directed to the first portion of the first physical media library forwarding the received command to the first physical media library accessible by the host while rejecting the received command otherwise;
- and
- if the received command is form the second host:
- determine whether the received command is directed to the second portion of the first physical media library and if the command is directed to the second portion of the first physical media library forwarding the received command to the first physical media library accessible by the host while rejecting the received command otherwise.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.