Pool & tapes

[tsmlover]

In my tape library there is a Primary Tape Pool, inside that pool there are 3 tapes Tape01, Tape02, and Tape03. the collocation is disabled.

I want TSM to first take backup on Tape01 and when Tape01 will be full it start taking backup on Tape02 and so on....

I dont want TSM to randomly put data on tapes

should i need any configuration to done this taks or TSM by default put data in a sequence ?

 

[JohanW]

You want TSM to conform to your world view again? What does it matter to you in which order scratch tapes are used?

I don't really have an answer for you, because you are asking the wrong question.

 

[tsmlover]

u mean tsm put data on tapes randomly ?

 

[Mita201]

You use TSM to backup data. It takes care where data goes, and it is somewhat it's internal business. You should care about data backed up, and ask for them when restoring.
You can optimise tape usage in various ways, but you should not insist on order which tape will tsm use before/after other. It is TSM's job to take care about storage space ( that is why it is called "Tivoli Storage Manager" after all)
And basically, yes, if you have collocation disabled, TSM will fill one tape, then other... but you should not think about it... Why do you care about anyway? Why it is important for you which is the order of tapes used?

 

[quinstear]

I agree with Mita201 and JohanW. Why create work for yourself when the product takes care of it all for you

 

[tsmlover]

ok i agreed, i am not concern with sequence but make me sure that TSM first full one tape before put data on other tape , or TSM server put 10% data on one tape and get another tape to put data ?

normally TSM should utilize one tape before get another tape from the pool.

 

[Mita201]

Yes, if you want it that way. By default it is not a case, if you just start it with defaults. You have to disable collocation on your storage pool that is using tape device class.
Try to read a bit about collocation (it is a feature of TSM) and as I remember, default is "group", and you should put it on "none".

 

[JohanW]

Normally, and aside from collocation, TSM will use a filling tape to put more data on and not assign a scratch one, if the filling tape is not in use. If you are running a migration or reclamation or something so the filling tape is in use already, and TSM needs a tape to put more data on *now*, it will assign an empty scratch tape to the storage pool, and then there will be two filling tapes in it.

If you have a (very) limited supply of scratch tapes, this might be something to keep an eye on. I try to schedule my housekeeping in an order where this effect is minimised.