A disc storage device rack includes: an accommodation space surrounded by left and right side plates and upper and lower partition plates and configured to accommodate a disc storage device; a guide portion provided on the side plates and configured to fit to a guided unit provided in the disc storage device to guide a sliding operation of the disc storage device; and a shutter provided on each end surface of the side plates so as to be slidable in an up-and-down direction and configured to open an opening of the guide portion when the disc storage device is pulled out from the accommodation space or when the disc storage device is pushed into the accommodation space.

An apparatus for big data tape management tape cartridge management. The apparatus includes a tape gripper for storing one or more additional tape cartridges within a housing of the tape gripper, wherein the housing of the tape gripper includes a tape cartridge cache, where the tape cartridge cache is a modification to the housing of the tape gripper for holding the one or more additional tape cartridges stacked internally within the tape gripper, the tape cartridge cache is affixed to a bottom portion of the housing of the tape gripper, and the tape cartridge cache includes a plate, oriented above and centered to the tape cartridge cache, capable of being raised and lowered within the tape cartridge cache utilizing one or more springs mounted under the plate inside the tape cartridge cache.

In one general embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, by the computer, a request to access a first magnetic recording tape. A determination is made, by the computer, whether the first magnetic recording tape is currently loaded in a tape drive. In response to determining that the first magnetic recording tape is not currently loaded in a tape drive, a determination is made, by the computer, of an amount of time to unmount and unload a magnetic recording tape from each of at least two tape drives each having a magnetic recording tape loaded therein. The tape drive with the shortest amount of time to unmount and unload the magnetic recording tape loaded therein is selected and instructed to unload the magnetic recording tape loaded therein. The first magnetic recording tape is caused to be loaded into the selected tape drive.

A method comprising: determining, by a tape library, respective tape densities supported by each of a plurality of tape drives and respective tape densities indicated for each of a plurality of tape cartridges; receiving, by the tape library, a command to load a given one of the tape cartridges into a given one of the tape drives; determining, by the tape library, that the indicated tape density for the given tape cartridge matches a tape density supported by the given tape drive; and in response to the determination that the tape densities match, configuring, by the tape library, the given tape drive to initialize the given tape cartridge to the tape density indicated for the given tape cartridge.

A data storage system that moves and transfers components utilizing drones is disclosed. The data storage system comprises a data storage library for reading and writing of data on a plurality of data storage cartridges, at least one drone vehicle, a processing device, and a non-transitory, computer-readable memory containing programming instructions. The programming instructions are configured to cause the processing device to: receive a request to transfer a data storage component to a destination location in the data storage library, in response to receiving the request, instruct a drone vehicle to perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location, and perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location by the drone vehicle.

A disc storage device rack includes: an accommodation space surrounded by left and right side plates and upper and lower partition plates and configured to accommodate a disc storage device; a guide portion provided on the side plates and configured to fit to a guided unit provided in the disc storage device to guide a sliding operation of the disc storage device; and a shutter provided on each end surface of the side plates so as to be slidable in an up-and-down direction and configured to open an opening of the guide portion when the disc storage device is pulled out from the accommodation space or when the disc storage device is pushed into the accommodation space.

According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for remotely controlling a capture of images of a data storage library during operation thereof with a bracket on an accessor includes pairing a remote controller to a wireless image capture device that is coupled to a bracket mounted on an accessor, instructing the wireless image capture device to start recording images of the data storage library during operation thereof, including movement of the accessor, and thereafter, instructing the wireless image capture device to stop recording images of the data storage library during operation thereof.

The present description is directed to moving a cartridge including a storage medium within a shuttle complex that includes numerous shuttle connections, and a plurality of library strings connected by at least one shuttle connection. Each shuttle connection has a car able to move within the shuttle connection and each library string has at least one cartridge including a storage medium. The shuttle complex identifies a library string that contains the access-cartridge (LSAC), identifies whether there is a drive within the LSAC that has a second cartridge mounted therein which comprises only inactive data chunks, removes the second cartridge from the drive within the LSAC if an elapsed time since the drive within the LSAC most recently accessed the second cartridge exceeds a predetermined time period threshold, and mounts the access-cartridge to the drive within the LSAC.

A method comprising: determining, by a tape library, respective tape densities supported by each of a plurality of tape drives and respective tape densities indicated for each of a plurality of tape cartridges; receiving, by the tape library, a command to load a given one of the tape cartridges into a given one of the tape drives; determining, by the tape library, that the indicated tape density for the given tape cartridge matches a tape density supported by the given tape drive; and in response to the determination that the tape densities match, configuring, by the tape library, the given tape drive to initialize the given tape cartridge to the tape density indicated for the given tape cartridge.

A tape library rack includes partitions defining a slot for receiving a tape cartridge. A hook is coupled with the rack to engage a notch in the cartridge and retain the cartridge within the rack slot. A gripper for retrieving the cartridge includes a ramped surface to engage the hook and laterally displace the hook from the cartridge notch as the hook travels along the ramped surface. The gripper engages the notch from which the hook has been displaced and pulls the cartridge from the slot.