US 5,546,557 AGranted

System for storing and managing plural logical volumes in each of several physical volumes including automatically creating logical volumes in peripheral data storage subsystem

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsVincent K. Allen, Robert S. Goncharsky, Richard A. Ripberger

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Abstract

A peripheral data storage subsystem has means for responding to a MOUNT command received from a host processor to create and mount a host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume. Such logical data-storage volume has a serial number VOLSER indicated in the MOUNT command. The logical data volume is assigned a predetermined area of a physical data volume, such area being termed a partition. The illustrated embodiment shows a tape subsystem in which the partitions are accessed by a control using a reel tachometer that identifies segments of the tape. Each partition has a number of the tape segments. Controls and methods are described for initializing the subsystem for effecting the automatic volume creation, appending data into a logical volume, how logical volumes are made to be portable, moving logical volumes amongst diverse physical media, tape formats usable for such logical volumes, data base control of the logical volumes and volume creation processing. The physical volume in which one or more logical volumes reside is not host-processor addressable. Some physical volumes are ejectable from the data storage subsystem. The physical volumes storing the logical volumes are not ejectable. To eject a logical volume, it is copied from the storing physical volume to an ejectable physical volume.

Claims65

Dependent claims

Apparatus for storing data peripherally to a host processor, including, in combination:

attachment means for attaching the apparatus to one or more host processors for receiving commands from an attached host processor, exchanging data with the attached host processor and for supplying status information to the attached host processor;
a plurality of host-processor-addressable media drives in said apparatus, each said media drive for removably mounting for reading and writing to and from a physical volume having a record medium;
a plurality of said physical volumes in said apparatus, each of said physical volumes for storing data therein in one or more host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes;
volume moving means for inserting and removing said physical volumes into and from said media drives;
volume manager means connected to the attachment means for receiving mount commands from the attached host processor, said mount commands including an address of one of said media drives and a volume serial number of a mount command addressed one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume to be mounted on said addressed media drive;
peripheral controller means having data flow means connected to the attachment means and to the media drives for processing digital signals between said attachment means and said media drives;
volume map means connected to the volume manager means for storing identifications of said volume serial numbers and indications of which of said physical volumes contain said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, respectively, as a volume mapping of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes to said physical volumes;
said volume manager means responding to each of said received mount commands for examining said volume map means for identifying one of said physical volumes storing said mount command addressed one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes,
first means in the volume manager means for responding to identification of one of said physical volumes storing said mount command addressed one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes for effecting mounting of said one physical volume on said addressed media drive;
and
second means in the volume manager means for responding to identification of none of said physical volumes storing said mount command addressed one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes for selecting a second physical volume, volume initialization means in the second means for automatically establishing a new host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume in said second physical volume to be said mount command addressed one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and for actuating said first means to mount said second physical volume in said addressed media drive.

8 more elements

A method of operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling its operation and attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of data-storage media, means connected to the control means and to the media devices for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of data-storage media, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith, the method including steps:

establishing a plurality of volume serial numbers;
establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
first initializing first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical_data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting predetermined respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said predetermined ones of said physical volumes, said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes being fewer than a number of said established first volume serial numbers;
in said control means, listing said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes reside;
receiving a mount command from an attached host processor into said control means that includes an addressed of one of said media devices and an addressed volume serial number, in said control means checking said listing for determining whether or not a first predetermined one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number, if said checking shows that none of said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number, then selecting one of said physical volumes having one of said second volume serial numbers for identifying in said listing said selected one physical volume by said addressed volume serial number in addition to said one second volume serial number;
mounting said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device;
then, allocating a predetermined addressable partition of said selected one physical volume for receiving and storing a host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume by said addressed volume serial number;
then, recording in said selected one physical volume an index to said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume that includes an address of said allocated addressable partition whereby said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume is initialized;
then updating said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
if said addressed volume serial number is identified in said listing, then selecting a second one of said physical volumes identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
then mounting said first selected physical volume in said addressed media device as being said logical data-storage volume;
and
if said checking shows that the addressed volume serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers, rejecting the received mount command as not identifying any one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

10 more elements

Apparatus for storing data in a data-storage sub-system peripherally to a host processor, including, in combination:

attachment means for attaching the apparatus to one or more host processors for receiving commands from an attached host processor, exchanging data with the attached host processor and for supplying status information to the attached host processor;
a plurality of host-processor-addressable media devices in the sub-system, a plurality of magnetic-tape physical volumes in said data-storage sub-System and respectively having volume serial numbers, each said media device capable of mounting for reading and writing to and from one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes, each of said magnetic-tape physical volumes having a magnetic tape record medium;
a plurality host-processor addressable logical data-storage volumes residing in predetermined ones of said magnetic-tape physical volumes;
volume moving means for inserting and removing said magnetic-tape physical volumes into and from said media devices;
volume manager means connected to the attachment means for receiving mount commands from the attached host processor, said mount commands including an address of one of said media devices and one of said volume serial numbers of a predetermined one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes to be mounted on said addressed media device, said predetermined one of said host-processor addressable logical data-storage volumes being a mount command addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume;
peripheral controller means having multi-path data flow means connected to the attachment means and to the media devices for processing digital signals between said attachment means and said media devices;
volume map means connected to the volume manager means for storing identifications of said volume serial numbers and indications of which of said physical volumes contain said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, respectively;
said volume manager means responding to each of said received mount commands for examining said volume map means for identifying one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes storing said mount command addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume,
first means in the volume manager means for responding to identification of one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes storing said mount command addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume for effecting mounting of one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes on said addressed media device;
and
second means in the volume manager means for responding to identification of not any of said magnetic-tape physical volumes storing said mount command addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume for selecting a second magnetic-tape physical volume, volume initialization means in the second means for automatically establishing a new host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume as said host-processor-addressed data-storage volume and for mounting said second magnetic-tape physical volume in said addressed media device,
each of said media devices having a magnetic tape medium displacement measuring and indicating means for indicating displacement of said magnetic tape medium of a magnetic-tape physical volume from a magnetic tape reference position that is a beginning of tape immediately adjacent a free end of the magnetic tape and remote from a hub end of the magnetic tape;
said volume moving means moving a first one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes to a first one of said media devices, said first one of said magnetic-tape physical volumes having a first one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes therein having a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a block ID;
said first media device detecting and indicating a given tape displacement location of a given data block having a given block ID;
said peripheral controller means having location means for reading said given block ID of said given data block on said tape magnetic tape physical volume and addressable in said first one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes;
in said location means, supplying said given block ID and said given tape displacement location to said attachment means for transmittal to one of said host processors;
said volume manager means commanding mounting a second magnetic tape physical volume in said second media device;
in said first and second media devices and in said data flow means copying said first host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume from said first magnetic-tape physical volume to said second magnetic-tape physical volume including recording said first host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume beginning at a new tape displacement location in said second magnetic-tape physical volume that is different from said given tape displacement location of said first physical volume;
locate command means for supplying a host processor issued locate command for said given data block including identifying said given block ID, said given tape location and identifying said first host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume on said second physical volume;
said volume manager means having locate means responding to said locate command for accessing said volume map means for determining that said first host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume resides in said second magnetic tape physical volume;
said locate means having adjustment means for changing the given tape location indicated in the locate command to said different position on said second physical volume including arithmetically differencing a beginning physical position of said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume in said first and second physical volumes and arithmetically changing the memorized location by arithmetically combining said difference and said memorized location;
and
said peripheral controller means actuating said second media device for moving the magnetic tape of the second physical volume to said changed location for accessing said given data block.

20 more elements

A method of operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling its operation and attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the data-storage sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of media, means connected to the control means and to the media devices for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of media on and from said media devices, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith, the method including the steps:

establishing in the control means a plurality of volume serial numbers;
establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
establishing in the listing a plurality of affinity categories, establishing a first one of said affinity categories for dispersing said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first one affinity among a maximal number of said physical volumes and establishing a second one of said affinity categories for clustering said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said second one affinity category;
initializing predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said physical volumes, including initializing fewer of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that the number of said established first volume serial numbers;
in said control means, listing said initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said initialized ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective logical data-storage volume reside;
in said listing, assigning first and second predetermined ones of said predetermined initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes respectively to said first and second affinity categories;
in said attachment means, receiving a mount command from an attached host processor and supplying the received mount command to said control means, including in said mount command identifications of an addressed one of said media devices, an addressed one of said volume serial numbers and one of said affinity categories;
in said control means checking said listing for determining whether or not an initialized one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed one of said volume serial numbers,
if said checking shows that no initialized logical data-storage volume is identified by said addressed one of said volume serial numbers;
then if said one of said affinity categories is said first affinity category, then selecting, as a selected one physical volume, one of said physical volumes having a minimal number of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes assigned to said first affinity category to the mount-command-identified affinity category and one of second volume serial numbers;
otherwise, if said one of said affinity categories is said second affinity category, then selecting one of said physical volumes, as said selected one physical volume, having a maximal number of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes assigned to the mount-command-identified affinity category, that has data storage space for said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume and that has one of second volume serial numbers;
mounting said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device;
then, in said control means allocating a predetermined addressable partition of said mounted physical volume for receiving and storing said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized logical data-storage volume by said address volume serial number;
then, in said listing, updating said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
if said addressed volume serial number is identified in said listing, then selecting a second one of said physical volumes identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
then mounting said second selected physical volume in said addressed media device as being said logical data-storage volume;
and
if said checking shows that the addressed serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers, rejecting the received mount command as not identifying any data-storage volume, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

15 more elements

A method of operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling its operation, attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of media, means connected to the control means and to the media devices for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of media, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith, the method including steps:

establishing a plurality of volume serial numbers;
establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
initializing predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said physical volumes, including initializing fewer of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that the number of said established first volume serial numbers;
in said control means, listing said initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said initialized ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective logical data-storage volume reside;
establishing in said control means for use in said listing a plurality of volume control categories including a stack category for indicating erased physical volumes that are to store a plurality of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, a scratch category for indicating erased physical volumes that are to store a single host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume;
physical volumes that are storing one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes in a unitary category and that was previously had a scratch category and physical volumes that are in a partition category that respectively are storing one or more of said a plurality of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that were in said stack category;
receiving a mount command from an attached host processor into said control means that includes an address of one of said media devices and an addressed volume serial number wherein said addressed volume serial number has a value respectively indicating that the addressed volume serial number identified host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is to be or is stored in a physical volume either in said stack or partition categories or in said scratch and unitary categories;
in said control means checking said listing for determining whether or not an initialized one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number;
if said checking shows that no initialized logical data-storage volume is identified by said addressed volume serial number, then selecting one of said physical volumes, as a selected one physical volume, in said stack or scratch category indicated by said mount command identified volume serial number for receiving said addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume;
mounting said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device as mounted physical volume;
then, allocating a predetermined addressable partition of said mounted physical volume for receiving and storing a host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized logical data-storage volume by said addressed volume serial number;
then, updating said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
if said addressed volume serial number is identified in said listing, then selecting a second one of said physical volumes, as a second selected physical volume, identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
then, mounting said second selected physical volume in said addressed media device;
and
if said checking shows that the addressed serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers, rejecting the received mount command as not identifying any data-storage volume, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

13 more elements

A program product for operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling its operation and attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of data-storage media, means connected to the control means and to the media devices for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of data-storage media, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith;

said program product comprising data storage means having machine-sensible program instructions, including:
program instructions for establishing a plurality of volume serial numbers;
program instructions for establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and for establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
program instructions for first initializing first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting predetermined respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said predetermined ones of said physical volumes, said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes being fewer than a number of said established first volume serial numbers;
program instructions for establishing, in said control means, a listing said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes reside;
program instructions for actuating said control means to receive a mount command from an attached host processor into said control means that includes an addressed of one of said media devices and an addressed volume serial number, in said control means checking said listing for determining whether or not a first predetermined one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number, if said checking shows that none of said first predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number, then selecting one of said physical volumes having one of said second volume serial numbers for identifying in said listing said selected one physical volume by said addressed volume serial number in addition to said one second volume serial number;
program instructions for actuating said control means to mount said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device;
program instructions for actuating said control means to allocate a predetermined addressable partition of said selected one physical volume for receiving and storing a host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume by said addressed volume serial number;
program instructions for actuating said control means to then record in said selected one physical volume an index to said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume that includes an address of said allocated addressable partition whereby said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume is initialized;
program instructions for actuating said control means to then update said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
program instructions for actuating said control means if said addressed volume serial number is identified in said listing to then select a second one of said physical volumes identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
program instructions for actuating said control means to then mount said first selected physical volume in said addressed media device as being said logical data-storage volume;
and
program instructions responsive to said checking showing that the addressed volume serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers, then actuating said control means to reject the received mount command as not identifying any one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

11 more elements

A program product having program instructions for operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling its operation and attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the data-storage sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of media, means connected to the control means and to the media devices for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of media on and from said media devices, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith

said program product comprising a data storage means having machine-sensible program instructions, including:
program instructions for establishing in the control means a plurality of volume serial numbers;
program instructions for establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
program instructions for establishing in the listing a plurality of affinity categories, establishing a first one of said affinity categories for dispersing said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first one affinity among a maximal number of said physical volumes and establishing a second one of said affinity categories for clustering said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said second one affinity category;
program instructions for initializing predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said physical volumes, including initializing fewer of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that the number of said established first volume serial numbers;
program instructions for identifying in said listing said initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said initialized ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective logical data-storage volume reside;
program instructions for actuating said control means to assign, in said listing, first and second predetermined ones of said predetermined initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes respectively to said first and second affinity categories;
program instructions for actuating said control means to receive, via said attachment means, a mount command from an attached host processor and supplying the received mount command to said control means, including in said mount command identifications of an addressed one of said media devices, an addressed one of said volume serial numbers and one of said affinity categories;
program instructions for actuating said control means to check said list for determining whether or not an initialized one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed one of said volume serial numbers,
program instructions for actuating said control means, if said checking shows that no initialized logical data-storage volume is identified by said addressed one of said volume serial numbers to check if said one of said affinity categories is said first affinity category to select, s a selected one physical volume, one of said physical volumes having a minimal number of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes assigned to said first affinity category to the mount-command-identified affinity category and one of second volume serial numbers;
program instructions for otherwise actuating said control means if said one of said affinity categories is said second affinity category to select one of said physical volumes, as said selected one physical volume, having a maximal number of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes assigned to the mount-command-identified affinity category, that has data storage space for said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume and that has one of second volume serial numbers;
program instructions for actuating said control means to mount said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device;
program instructions for actuating said control means to allocate a predetermined addressable partition of said mounted physical volume for receiving and storing said one host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized logical data-storage volume by said address volume serial number;
program instructions for actuating said control means to update said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
program instructions responsive to said addressed volume serial number being identified in said listing for actuating said control means to select a second one of said physical volumes identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
program instructions for actuating said control means for mounting said second selected physical volume in said addressed media device as being said logical data-storage volume;
and
program instructions responsive to said checking showing that the addressed serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers for actuating said control means to reject the received mount command as not identifying any data-storage volume, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

15 more elements

A program-product for operating a peripheral data-storage sub-system, programmed control means in the peripheral data-storage sub-system for controlling operation of the data-storage sub-system having attachment means connected to the control means for attaching the sub-system to a host processor, a plurality of addressable media devices for removably receiving physical volumes of media, transport means connected to said control means and to the media devices for responding to said control means for mounting and demounting said physical volumes of media, said media devices being connected to the attachment means for exchanging data signals therewith;

said program product comprising data storage means having machine-sensible program instructions, including:
program instructions for establishing a plurality of volume serial numbers;
program instructions for establishing a listing in said control means containing indications of a first set having a plurality of first ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only for identifying host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, establishing a second set of second ones of said volume serial numbers that are to be used only to identify stack ones of said physical volumes in which said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes can reside;
program instructions for initializing predetermined ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes including first allocating a predetermined partition of predetermined ones of said physical volumes for respective ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and establishing addressability of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes by inserting respective ones of said volume serial numbers of said first set in said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes on respective ones of said physical volumes, including initializing fewer of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that the number of said established first volume serial numbers;
program instructions for listing said initialized host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes having said first volume serial numbers, respectively, and identifying, respectively, said initialized ones of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes and said physical volumes in which the respective logical data-storage volume reside;
program instructions for establishing in said control means for use in said listing a plurality of volume control categories including a stack category for indicating erased physical volumes that are to store a plurality of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes, a scratch category for indicating erased physical volumes that are to store a single host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume;
physical volumes that are storing one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes in a unitary category and that was previously had a scratch category and physical volumes that are in a partition category that respectively are storing one or more of said a plurality of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes that were in said stack category;
program instructions for actuating said control means via the attachment means for receiving a mount command from an attached host processor into said control means that includes an address of one of said media devices and an addressed volume serial number wherein said addressed volume serial number has a value respectively indicating that the addressed volume serial number identified host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is to be or is stored in a physical volume either in said stack or partition categories or in said scratch and unitary categories;
program instructions for actuating said programmed control means to check said listing for determining whether or not an initialized one of said host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volumes is identified by said addressed volume serial number;
program instructions for actuating said programmed control means if said checking shows that no initialized logical data-storage volume is identified by said addressed volume serial number, then selecting one of said physical volumes, as a selected one physical volume, in said stack or scratch category indicated by said mount command identified volume serial number for receiving said addressed host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume;
program instructions for actuating said programmed control means for mounting said selected one physical volume in said addressed media device as a mounted physical volume;
program instructions for then actuating said control means for allocating a predetermined addressable partition of said mounted physical volume for receiving and storing a host-processor-addressable logical data-storage volume having said addressed volume serial number and then recording in said allocated partition of said selected physical volume said addressed volume serial number such that said allocated partition is addressable as an initialized logical data-storage volume by said addressed volume serial number;
program instructions for actuating said control means to then update said listing for showing that said addressed volume serial number identifies said one logical data-storage volume and that said one logical data-storage volume resides in said selected physical volume;
program instructions actuating said programmed control means if said addressed volume serial number is identified in said listing, then selecting a second one of said physical volumes, as a second selected physical volume, identified in said listing by said addressed volume serial number for mounting in said addressed media device;
program instructions for actuating said programmed control means to then mount said second selected physical volume in said addressed media device;
and
program instructions responding to said checking showing that the addressed serial number is not a volume serial number in said first plurality of serial numbers for actuating said control means to reject the received mount command as not identifying any data-storage volume, including if said received mount command identifies a volume serial number in said second plurality of volume serial numbers.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.