An apparatus, method, system, and program product are disclosed for tape copying. One method includes mounting a first source tape of multiple source tapes on a source tape drive. The method includes mounting a destination tape on a destination tape drive. The method also includes copying a first index of an index partition of the first source tape to a first copied index of an index partition of the destination tape. The method includes storing first position information corresponding to the first copied index on the destination tape. The method also includes copying first data of a data partition of the first source tape to a first copied data of a data partition of the destination tape. The method includes storing second position information corresponding to the first copied data on the destination tape.

A capability to store meta-information related to file access histories on tape recording systems is provided. Base meta-information is stored on a tape. The base meta-information is meta-information that is associated with one or more files that are stored on the tape and is based, at least in part, on a tape access operation history. A first quantity of differentiated meta-information is stored on the tape at a predetermined time interval after storing the base meta-information, wherein the first quantity of differentiated meta-information is based, at least in part, on the tape access operation history and reflects a history of at least one file of the one or more files that are associated with the base meta-information.

An approach to reducing overhead to enable high-speed writing even when a large number of small-sized files are written onto a tape in a file system. The method of the present invention includes the steps of: writing multiple files consecutively onto a tape to become one combined file; writing, onto the tape, first index information including the start position and size of the combined file on the tape; and writing, onto the tape, second index information including the start position and size of each of the multiple files in the combined file on the tape.

An apparatus, method, system, and program product are disclosed for tape copying. One method includes mounting a first source tape of multiple source tapes on a source tape drive. The method includes mounting a destination tape on a destination tape drive. The method also includes copying a first index of an index partition of the first source tape to a first copied index of an index partition of the destination tape. The method includes storing first position information corresponding to the first copied index on the destination tape. The method also includes copying first data of a data partition of the first source tape to a first copied data of a data partition of the destination tape. The method includes storing second position information corresponding to the first copied data on the destination tape.

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving a first portion of data to be written in a magnetic medium, dividing the first portion of data into a plurality of blocks, appending an identification segment having identification information therein to each of the blocks, wherein each block and the corresponding identification information appended thereto forms a record, writing each record in a data partition of the magnetic medium, and writing an index in the data partition of the magnetic medium in response to a predetermined condition being met, wherein the index is associated with all data on the magnetic medium. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

In one embodiment, a method includes writing a file into a data partition of a tape medium. The method also includes storing a high resolution tape directory (HRTD) having location information of data in the data partition as part of end of data (EOD) of the index partition. The storing the HRTD as part of the EOD of the index partition includes requesting movement of the tape medium to the index partition in order to update an index file after changes have occurred to data in the data partition, and writing an updated index file into the index partition concurrent to writing an updated HRTD into the EOD of the index partition.

Managing a file on a tape. In response to a request to write a first file to a tape, whether a second file including data identical to the first file already exists on the tape is detected. If the second file exists, a first index of the second file is updated. After completing the write of the first file, metadata, including data starting position and size of the first file, is added to the first index. In response to a request to read the first or second files, the metadata of the first and second indexes are read. Based on the metadata, which of the first or second files can be accessed faster from a current head position is determined. The first file or the second file that can be accessed faster is then read from the tape.

A mechanism is provided for generating enumerated information in which a plurality of files is enumerated except entirely-invalidated files on a sequential medium. Management information for managing locations where the plurality of files on the sequential medium are recorded is acquired from the sequential medium. The enumerated information in which the plurality of files are enumerated is generated in an order according to the locations where the plurality of files are recorded on the basis of the acquired management information.

Managing a file on a tape. In response to a request to write a first file to a tape, whether a second file including data identical to the first file already exists on the tape is detected. If the second file exists, a first index of the second file is updated. After completing the write of the first file, metadata, including data starting position and size of the first file, is added to the first index. In response to a request to read the first or second files, the metadata of the first and second indexes are read. Based on the metadata, which of the first or second files can be accessed faster from a current head position is determined. The first file or the second file that can be accessed faster is then read from the tape.

Managing a file on a tape. In response to a request to write a first file to a tape, whether a second file including data identical to the first file already exists on the tape is detected. If the second file exists, a first index of the second file is updated. After completing the write of the first file, metadata, including data starting position and size of the first file, is added to the first index. In response to a request to read the first or second files, the metadata of the first and second indexes are read. Based on the metadata, which of the first or second files can be accessed faster from a current head position is determined. The first file or the second file that can be accessed faster is then read from the tape.