Distributing tape drive abrasion
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMarcus Breuer, Bernd Freitag, Frank Krick, Tim Oswald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments are directed to computer program products for use with tape drives that oscillate the relative transverse position of a tape and magnetic head during seek operations (for example, by moving the magnetic head in the transverse direction). Some embodiments are directed to methods and computer program products for use with tape drives that select relative transverse position of the tape and magnetic head to counter uneven wear (for example, observed uneven wear, uneven wear predicted based on historical tape and drive usage data).
Claims18
A method for use with a magnetic tape data storage system including a plurality of tape drives, with each tape drive including a magnetic head with a tape facing surface, the method comprising:
- receiving a drive head wear profile data set including information indicative of an observed and/or estimated wear profile of the tape facing surface of the magnetic head of each tape drive of a plurality of tape drives available to the magnetic tape data storage system;
- receiving an incoming data writing operation including information indicative of a target magnetic tape medium;
- receiving a target magnetic tape medium including a historical data set indicative of unused portions of the target magnetic tape medium based on historical data operations using the target magnetic tape medium;
- determining a target tape drive based, at least in part, on:
- (i) the drive head wear profile data set, and (ii) the historical data set of the target magnetic tape medium;
- and
- performing the received incoming data writing operation on the target magnetic tape medium using the target tape drive.
A computer program product (CPP) comprising:
- a magnetic tape data storage system including a plurality of tape drives, with each tape drive including a magnetic head with a tape facing surface;
- a machine readable storage device;
- and
- computer code stored on the machine readable storage device, with the computer code including instructions for causing a processor(s) set to perform operations including the following:
- receiving a drive head wear profile data set including information indicative of an observed and/or estimated wear profile of the tape facing surface of the magnetic head of each tape drive of a plurality of tape drives available to the magnetic tape data storage system,
- receiving an incoming data writing operation including information indicative of a target magnetic tape medium,
- receiving a target magnetic tape medium including a historical data set indicative of unused portions of the target magnetic tape medium based on historical data operations using the target magnetic tape medium,
- determining a target tape drive based, at least in part, on:
- (i) the drive head wear profile data set, and (ii) the historical data set of the target magnetic tape medium, and
- performing the received incoming data writing operation on the target magnetic tape medium using the target tape drive.
A computer system (CS) comprising:
- a magnetic tape data storage system including a plurality of tape drives, with each tape drive including a magnetic head with a tape facing surface;
- a processor(s) set;
- a machine readable storage device;
- and
- computer code stored on the machine readable storage device, with the computer code including instructions for causing the processor(s) set to perform operations including the following:
- receiving a drive head wear profile data set including information indicative of an observed and/or estimated wear profile of the tape facing surface of the magnetic head of each tape drive of a plurality of tape drives available to the magnetic tape data storage system,
- receiving an incoming data writing operation including information indicative of a target magnetic tape medium,
- receiving a target magnetic tape medium including a historical data set indicative of unused portions of the target magnetic tape medium based on historical data operations using the target magnetic tape medium,
- determining a target tape drive based, at least in part, on:
- (i) the drive head wear profile data set, and (ii) the historical data set of the target magnetic tape medium, and
- performing the received incoming data writing operation on the target magnetic tape medium using the target tape drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.