Method and apparatus for providing continuous access to shared tape drives from multiple virtual tape servers within a data storage system

A computer storage medium having a computer program product for providing continuous access to shared tape drives from multiple virtual tape server (VTS) nodes, said computer storage medium comprising:

• computer program code for connecting a first VTS node and a second VTS node to a plurality of tape drives via a plurality of switches, wherein said first VTS node includes an active database and said second VTS node includes a standby database;
• computer program code for redirecting all requests received by said standby database to said active database;
• computer program code for, in response to a volume mount request on a physical volume, placing a lock on a tape drive table by one of said two VTS nodes handling said volume mount request to preventing any access to said tape drive table from one of said two VTS nodes not handling said volume mount request;
• computer program code for selecting an available physical tape drive to mount said physical volume and marking an entry within said tape drive table to claim ownership of said physical tape drive by said VTS node handling said volume mount request;
• computer program code for sending drive reservation request to said physical tape drive to prevent any access to said physical tape drive, and releasing said lock on said tape drive table by said VTS node handling said volume mount request;
• and
• computer program code for performing said volume mount request by said VTS node handling said volume mount request.