Method for storing multiple files without header information and for each storage medium maintaining a separate stored index including header information for each file

A method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of data storage media in the library, the media being removable from the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• importing a new data storage medium into the library, said new data storage medium including multiple data files and, for each data file, certain associated header information, said importing comprising:
• receiving a request to import the new data storage medium;
• receiving the new data storage medium into the library;
• and
• for all data files stored on the new data storage medium, storing the associated items of header information in an index associated with the new data storage medium and deleting said header information from the new data storage medium.

A method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of data storage media in the library, the media being removable from the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• and
• exporting a plurality of selected data storage media from the library, said exporting comprising:
• receiving a request to export a plurality of data storage media from the library;
• for each data storage medium of said plurality, copying header information associated with data files stored on said data storage medium from the separately stored index maintained for said data storage medium to said data storage medium and deleting said header information from said index;
• and
• ejecting the plurality of data storage media from the library.

A method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of data storage media in the library, the media being removable from the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• importing into the library multiple new data storage media representing a volume of data, said new data storage media including multiple data files and associated header information for each file, said importing comprising:
• receiving a request to import the new data storage media;
• receiving the new data storage media into the library;
• and
• for all data files stored on the each new data storage medium, storing the associated items of header information in an index associated with said new data storage medium and deleting said header information from said new data storage medium.

A data storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of removable data storage media in the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• and
• exporting a data storage medium of the removable data storage media from the library, said exporting comprising:
• receiving a request to export said data storage medium from the library;
• for each data file stored on said storage medium, storing header information on said data storage medium and deleting said header information from the separately stored index maintained for said data storage medium;
• and
• ejecting the selected data storage medium from the library.

A data storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of removable data storage media in the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• importing a new data storage medium into the library, said new data storage medium including multiple data files and, for each data file, certain associated header information, said importing comprising:
• receiving a request to import the new data storage medium;
• receiving the new data storage medium into the library;
• and
• for all data files stored on the new data storage medium, storing the associated items of header information in an index associated with the new data storage medium and deleting said header information from the new data storage medium.

A data storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of removable data storage media in the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• and
• exporting a plurality of selected data storage media from the library, said exporting comprising:
• receiving a request to export a plurality of data storage media from the library;
• for each data storage medium of said plurality, copying header information associated with data files stored on said data storage medium from the separately stored index maintained for said data storage medium to said data storage medium and deleting said header information from said index;
• and
• ejecting the plurality of data storage media from the library.

A data storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for operating a data storage library, said method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of removable data storage media in the library;
• storing multiple data files on the media such that the media are free from any header information;
• for each data storage medium of the removable data storage media, maintaining a separately stored index that includes a list of data files stored on the individual data storage medium, said list also including header information for each said data file;
• importing a new data storage medium into the library, said new data storage medium including multiple data files and, for each data file, certain associated header information, said importing comprising:
• importing into the library multiple new data storage media representing volume of data, said new data storage media including multiple data files and associated header information for each file, said importing comprising:
• receiving a request to import the new data storage media;
• receiving the new data storage media into the library;
• and
• for all data files stored on the each new data storage medium, storing the associated items of header information in an index associated with said new data storage medium and deleting said header information from said new data storage medium.

A data storage library, comprising:

• a plurality of data storage media containing multiple data files, the media being free from header information and also being removable from the library;
• storage bins to support the plurality of data storage media;
• a storage drive to exchange data with a data storage medium mounted to the drive;
• a picker to transfer data storage media between the storage drive the storage bins;
• a memory containing, for each data storage medium, a corresponding index including a list of any data files stored on said data storage medium, said list also including header information for each data file;
• and
• a controller, coupled to the picker, the storage drive, and the memory, the controller being programmed to export data storage media from the library, said exporting including, for each data file stored on each data storage medium being exported, copying corresponding header information from the index to the data storage medium and deleting said header information from the index, the controller also being programmed to import data storage media into the library, said importing including, for each data file stored on each data storage medium being imported, copying all associated items of header information from the data storage medium to an index corresponding to the data storage medium and deleting the copied items of header information from the data storage medium.