Initializing tapes in an archive system

In conjunction with an archive system, MAREN allows tapes to be initialized fully automatically. This also applies to virgin tapes and tapes that do not have a VOL1 label.

The archive number from the bar code label is used.

The following steps are required for the initialization:

1. A device must be allocated on which the archive system is to mount the tapes:

   An explicit reservation is not necessary. MAREN automatically requests a device that is allocated to the location for the initialization. The location is determined either using the archive number explicitly specified or using the INIT-LOCATION operand. If no device is available the initialization is rejected.

   If a device <mn> was explicitly reserved using SECURE-RESOURCE-ALLOCATION UNIT=<mn>, MAREN uses that device. If the device is not allocated to the location, the initialization is rejected and the device continues to be reserved.

2. Start MARENADM:

   /START-MARENADM

3. Perform a “release session” for the new tapes in order to create the INIT file required for the initialization:

   //FREE-VOLUMES VOLUME=*INT(FROM=...,TO=...)

   Restrict the range of numbers using the FROM and TO operands in order to speed up the process.

4. Start the initialization:

   //INITIALIZE-VOLUMES DEV=....,INIT-LOC=ROBOLOC1

   Each tape in turn is initialized.

5. Terminating MARENADM

   //END

6. The allocated device is released again:

   /SECURE-RESOURCE-ALLOCATION