Back in late `05, early 06 I recommended changing the the barcode
handling to abstract the "volume id" from the "bar code" value.  I'd
like to re-propose that.

The current barcode system only allows you to label your pool members
using 1) the serial as a suffix 2) a pre-defined prefix.

We prefer to use the "Volume ID" as a symbolic name "Week0, week1,
week2...week 52..." for example, in pool "OffSiteWeekly", to simplify
volume management and off site storage.

For example, we have to keep track of:

  chio -  volid  - bac-slot - tape ser - storage ser
  ------------------------------------------------
  slot 0 = Daily6 = slot 1 = 000123 = xxxxx027

Tape serial and storage vendor serial (what the scan when they move
media offsite) are organizationally unique IDs.  However, the Bacula
volume ID is relative.

There's no reason Bacula couldn't have a serial-number column in the
volume table (by which chio(8) or mtx(8) ask for the volume) -- separate
from the "relative" volume ID.

You could maintain a strict 1:1 relationship initially.  That would
avoid schema changes.  However, that would also prevent you from
tracking tapes that have been destroyed, etc. (Media volume management)

Therefore, to normalize the SQL pragmatically, you'd have to create a
separate table "PhysicalMedia", and a pivot table to relate physical
media to volume (with an "active flag").  

E.g., Over the life of a system, you might have 20 tapes that function
as "Daily2"

The "in changer" flag would move along with the "Physical Media" table.

In the Dir, when a pool/VolumeID selection has been made, another query
is made in the pivot table for the current "active" physical media for
that Volume ID -- and MTX loads that unit instead.

Thoughts?

-- 
Brian A. Seklecki <bseklecki AT collaborativefusion DOT com>
Collaborative Fusion, Inc.




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