Systems, methods, and computer program products for providing high availability metadata about data

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to receive metadata corresponding to data on a removable storage device or data on a removable storage medium;
• computer readable program code configured to store the metadata to a metadata repository;
• computer readable program code configured to associate an identifier with the stored metadata, the identifier corresponding to the removable storage device or the removable storage medium;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to store the identifier to the metadata repository.

A system, comprising:

• a processor for:
• receiving a request for metadata associated with an identifier, the metadata corresponding to data on a removable storage device or data on a removable storage medium and the identifier corresponding to the removable storage device or the removable storage medium;
• accessing a metadata repository;
• searching the metadata repository for the metadata associated with the identifier;
• and
• outputting the metadata associated with the identifier.

A method, comprising:

• receiving an identifier of a removable storage device or a removable storage medium;
• sending a request for metadata associated with the identifier to a remotely accessible metadata repository;
• and
• receiving the metadata associated with the identifier, wherein the metadata corresponds to data on the removable storage device or data on the removable storage medium.

A magnetic tape cartridge, comprising:

• a magnetic tape for storing data;
• data stored to the magnetic tape;
• and
• an identifier stored on or coupled to the magnetic tape, wherein the identifier is associated with metadata stored in a metadata repository which corresponds to the data stored to the magnetic tape.

A method, comprising:

• storing to a repository index information corresponding to data on a removable storage device or data on a removable storage medium, the repository being external to the removable storage device or the removable storage medium;
• receiving updated index information;
• storing the updated index information to the repository;
• and
• sending the index information or derivative thereof as an index to the removable storage device or the removable storage medium for storage of the index on the removable storage device or the removable storage medium.