System and method for controlling access to media libraries
AssigneeCrossroads Systems, Inc.
InventorsWilliam H. Moody, II, Robert Sims
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. 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.
Claims13
A controller for controlling access to media libraries, said controller comprising:
- a first interface connect to a first transport medium;
- a second interface to connect to a second transport medium;
- a computer processor;
- a computer memory coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory storing a set of computer instructions executable by the computer processor to:
- associate hosts connected to the first transport medium with virtual media libraries that map to media library components at physically separate media libraries connected to the second transport medium;
- receive commands from hosts referencing virtual media slots and virtual media drives of associated virtual media libraries;
- forward commands to the appropriate physically separate media libraries based on the mapping, wherein if the virtual media slot and virtual drive referenced in a command map to a corresponding physical media slot and corresponding physical drive at different of the physically separate media libraries, forwarding the command comprises forwarding a first portion of the command to a physical robot at a first of the physically separate media libraries that contains the corresponding physical slot and forwarding a second portion of the command to a selected physical drive at the first of the physically separate media libraries.
The controller of claim 32, wherein the virtual media libraries with which hosts are associated are portions of the virtual aggregate media library.
A system for controlling access to media libraries, comprising a tangible computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions executable by a computer processor to:
- associate hosts with virtual media libraries that map to media library components at physically separate media libraries;
- receive commands from hosts referencing virtual media slots and virtual media drives of associated virtual media libraries;
- forward commands to the appropriate physically separate media libraries based on the mapping, wherein if the virtual media slot and virtual drive referenced in a command map to a corresponding physical media slot and corresponding physical drive at different of the physically separate media libraries, forwarding the command comprises forwarding a first portion of the command to a physical robot at a first of the physically separate media libraries that contains the corresponding physical slot and forwarding a second portion of the command to a selected physical drive at the first of the physically separate media libraries.
A method of controlling access to media libraries, comprising:
- associating at a media library controller hosts with virtual media libraries representing components at physically separate media libraries that cannot pass media to each other;
- receiving commands from hosts referencing virtual media slots and virtual media drives of associated virtual media libraries;
- forward commands to appropriate physically separate media libraries based on the mapping, wherein if the virtual media slot and virtual drive referenced in a command map to a corresponding physical media slot and corresponding physical drive at different of the physically separate media libraries, forwarding the command comprises forwarding a first portion of the command to a physical robot at a first of the physically separate media libraries that contains the corresponding physical slot and forwarding a second portion of the command to a selected physical drive at the first of the physically separate media libraries.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.