Reclamation of data on tape cartridge
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAtsushi Abe, Yumiko Ohta, Setsuko Masuda, Terue Watanabe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for automatically reclaiming areas with unneeded data in a tape cartridge (medium) storing files updated by appended writing. In this reclamation method, the appended writing entails the sequential compression of data needed by the updated file (needed data) and data not needed by the file (unneeded data) and storage of the compressed data on the medium, and the medium is divided into at least three data partitions for the storage of data.
Claims9
A method for automatically reclaiming areas with unneeded data in a tape cartridge (medium) storing files updated by appended writing, the appended writing entailing the sequential compression of data needed by the updated file (needed data) and data not needed by the file (unneeded data) and storage of the compressed data on the medium, the method dividing the medium into at least three data partitions for the storage of data and comprising the steps of:
- starting the writing of data to a first data partition, and continuing the writing of data to a second data partition after the data written to the first data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the first data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the first data partition after the writing of data to the first data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the third data partition after the data written to the second data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the second data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the second data partition after the writing of data to the second data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the first data partition after the data written to the third data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- and
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the third data partition to the second data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible unneeded, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the third data partition after the writing of data to the third data partition has been completed.
A tape device for automatically reclaiming areas with unneeded data in a tape cartridge (medium) storing files updated by appended writing, the appended writing entailing the sequential compression of data needed by the updated file (needed data) and data not needed by the file (unneeded data) and storage of the compressed data on the medium, controls performed by the tape device dividing the medium into at least three data partitions for the storage of data and executing the steps of:
- starting the writing of data to a first data partition, and continuing the writing of data to a second data partition after the data written to the first data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the first data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the first data partition after the writing of data to the first data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the third data partition after the data written to the second data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the second data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the second data partition after the writing of data to the second data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the first data partition after the data written to the third data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- and
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the third data partition to the second data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible unneeded, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the third data partition after the writing of data to the third data partition has been completed.
A program in a tape device for automatically reclaiming areas with unneeded data in a tape cartridge (medium) storing files updated by appended writing, the appended writing entailing the sequential compression of data needed by the updated file (needed data) and data not needed by the file (unneeded data) and storage of the compressed data on the medium, the program dividing the medium into at least three data partitions for the storage of data and executing in the tape device the steps of:
- starting the writing of data to a first data partition, and continuing the writing of data to a second data partition after the data written to the first data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the first data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the first data partition after the writing of data to the first data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the third data partition after the data written to the second data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the second data partition to the third data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the second data partition after the writing of data to the second data partition has been completed;
- writing data to the free space of the first data partition after the data written to the third data partition has reached a predetermined capacity;
- and
- moving the needed data and unneeded data stored in the third data partition to the second data partition replacing unneeded data with data including highly compressible unneeded, and partially reclaiming data storage area in the third data partition after the writing of data to the third data partition has been completed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.