System, method and computer program product for host system ltfs auto-adaptation

Abstract

System, apparatus and computer program product for automatically determining a type of tape drive that is present in a media library and accessing the tape drive using commands that are adapted to the identified type of the drive. In one embodiment, a system includes a set of hosts, a media library and an archive node appliance. The archive node appliance is coupled between the hosts and the media library to provide the hosts with access to a set of drives and media in the media library. The archive node appliance has a processor and a data store that contains instructions that are executable on the processor to perform, for one or more of the drives, the method of identifying the type of the drive, identifying a set of software applications adapted to control the drive, and executing the software application, where the drive is accessed through the software application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for automatically adapting one or more hosts to one or more drives in a media library, the apparatus coupled between the media library and the one or more hosts, the apparatus having at least one processor, at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, and stored instructions embodied on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, the stored instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
 detecting a Linear Tape File System (LTFS)-compatible drive in the media library coupled to the apparatus;   querying the LTFS-compatible drive for identifying information that identifies the LTFS-compatible drive;   receiving the identifying information from the LTFS-compatible drive;   mounting an LTFS-formatted tape in the LTFS-compatible drive;   selecting an executable for the LTFS-compatible drive based at least in part on the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive; and   invoking the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive to thereby mount a LTFS on the LTFS-formatted tape that is mounted in the LTFS-compatible drive such that the LTFS-compatible drive is accessible through the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
 constructing a softlink for accessing the LTFS-compatible drive using at least in part the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the softlink comprises at least one of a vendor name, a product name, or a product serial number associated with the LTFS-compatible drive. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
 constructing a pathname, wherein archival software uses the softlink and the pathname to direct commands to the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive is selected from one or more executables based at least in part on information contained in the softlink. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform the querying, the receiving, and the constructing for each LTFS-compatible drive detected in the media library. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein querying the LTFS-compatible drive comprises transmitting inquiry commands to the LTFS-compatible drive. 
     
     
         8 . A method for automatically adapting one or more hosts to one or more drives in a media library, the method comprising:
 detecting, by an apparatus coupled between the media library and the one or more hosts, a Linear Tape File System (LTFS)-compatible drive in the media library coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus having at least one processor, at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, and stored instructions embodied on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, the stored instructions translatable by the at least one processor;   the apparatus querying the LTFS-compatible drive for identifying information that identifies the LTFS— compatible drive;   the apparatus receiving the identifying information from the LTFS-compatible drive;   the apparatus mounting an LTFS-formatted tape in the LTFS-compatible drive;   the apparatus selecting an executable for the LTFS-compatible drive based at least in part on the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive; and   the apparatus invoking the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive to thereby mount a LTFS on the LTFS-formatted tape that is mounted in the LTFS-compatible drive such that the LTFS-compatible drive is accessible through the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 the apparatus constructing a softlink for accessing the LTFS-compatible drive using at least in part the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the softlink comprises at least one of a vendor name, a product name, or a product serial number associated with the LTFS-compatible drive. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the apparatus constructing a pathname, wherein archival software uses the softlink and the pathname to direct commands to the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive is selected from one or more executables based at least in part on information contained in the softlink. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus performs the querying, the receiving, and the constructing for each LTFS-compatible drive detected in the media library. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus queries the LTFS-compatible drive by transmitting inquiry commands to the LTFS-compatible drive. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor of an apparatus to perform:
 detecting a Linear Tape File System (LTFS)-compatible drive in a media library coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus coupled between the media library and one or more hosts;   querying the LTFS-compatible drive for identifying information that identifies the LTFS-compatible drive;   receiving the identifying information from the LTFS-compatible drive;   mounting an LTFS-formatted tape in the LTFS-compatible drive;   selecting an executable for the LTFS-compatible drive based at least in part on the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive; and   invoking the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive to thereby mount a LTFS on the LTFS-formatted tape that is mounted in the LTFS-compatible drive such that the LTFS-compatible drive is accessible through the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
 constructing a softlink for accessing the LTFS-compatible drive using at least in part the identifying information received from the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the softlink comprises at least one of a vendor name, a product name, or a product serial number associated with the LTFS-compatible drive. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:
 constructing a pathname, wherein archival software uses the softlink and the pathname to direct commands to the LTFS-compatible drive.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the executable for the LTFS-compatible drive is selected from one or more executables based at least in part on information contained in the softlink. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform the querying, the receiving, and the constructing for each LTFS-compatible drive detected in the media library.