Positionable vision indicators for configuring logical libraries

A vision system for partitioning an automated data storage library into multiple logical libraries, said automated data storage library having a plurality of storage slots for storing data storage media, said system comprising:

• holders positioned at locations adjacent groups of said storage slots;
• a positionable vision indicator label support having logical library indicia, said label support mountable on said holders;
• a reader for reading said indicia and for locating said positionable vision indicator label supports;
• and
• a logical library controller coupled to said reader, assigning, in response to said indicia and said location, a sequential portion of said storage slots adjacent said location to one of said multiple logical libraries.

A vision system for partitioning an automated data storage library into multiple logical libraries, said automated data storage library having a plurality of storage slots for storing data storage media, said data storage media having media labels, said library having an accessor robot for retrieving data storage media from and storing said media to selected ones of said storage slots at specific X-Y locations in said library, and having a reader mounted on said accessor robot and positionable thereby to view said X-Y locations for reading said media labels, said system comprising:

• a positionable vision indicator having logical library indicia;
• said reader mounted on said accessor robot and positionable thereby for locating said positionable vision indicator and for reading said indicia;
• and
• a logical library controller coupled to said reader for detecting said positionable vision indicator location from the X-Y location of said accessor robot upon said reader reading said indicia thereof, said logical library controller assigning, in response to said indicia and said location, a sequential portion of said storage slots adjacent said location to one of said multiple logical libraries.

A vision system for partitioning an automated data storage library into multiple logical libraries, said automated data storage library having a plurality of storage slots for storing data storage media, said system comprising:

• a plurality of positionable vision indicators, each having logical library indicia;
• a reader for reading said indicia and for locating said positionable vision indicators;
• and
• a logical library controller coupled to said reader, autoconfiguring, in response to said indicia and said location, said logical libraries, mapping said storage slots to said multiple logical libraries in contiguous sequential groups between said positionable vision indicators.

A method for autoconfiguring an automated data storage library into multiple logical libraries, said automated data storage library having a plurality of storage slots for storing data storage media, comprising the steps of:

• positioning positionable vision indicators, each having logical library indicia, at selected locations at said storage slots;
• reading said indicia and for locating said positionable vision indicators;
• and
• autoconfiguring, in response to said indicia and said locations, said logical libraries, mapping said storage slots to said multiple logical libraries in contiguous sequential groups between said positionable vision indicators.