Using BRMS to Update Status of Cartridges on TS3xxx and TS2900 Tape Media Libraries

When sharing a TS3xxx or TS2900 tape media library between systems, the status of cartridges does not always match. Using BRMS, it is now possible to get the volume status to match.

In order to set this up, the following requirements must be met:

  1. BRMS networking is required and set up. See how to set up the BRMS network by referring to Rochester Support Center knowledgebase document 361619501BRMS Networking: Adding, Removing, or Renaming a System.

  2. Systems have to be attached to the same tape media library.

  3. release IBM i 6.1 or later

  4. Devices need to be defined to BRMS (WRKDEVBRM).

  5. Media has to be moved using BRMS (MOVMEDBRM, ADDMLMBRM, WRKMLMBRM Option 1 and Option 7, or WRKMEDBRM Option 8).

When media is now moved using BRMS commands (MOVMEDBRMADDMLMBRMWRKMLMBRM Option 1 and Option 7 or WRKMEDBRM Option 8) , the status of cartridges in the tape library on other systems in the BRMS network will be updated.

Notes:

  1. If there are many systems attached to the same tape media library, this could be long running process and generate network traffic since the ADDTAPCTG, RMVTAPCTG and CHGTAPCTG commands have to be run on each system. Users may see job Q1ACPDST use a large amount of CPU.

  2. Q1ASYNTAP job queue will be automatically created for this function.

  3. IBM i Director or Client Access at release IBM i 6.1 or later with BRMS plugin is required.

  4. Setup is per IBM i 6.1 system to broadcast media movements performed on that system.

  5. This must be configured on a release IBM i 6.1 or later system , but can be used in a mixed release environment with earlier releases. Using the example setup in this document, Brmssysa and Brmssysb are at V5R4. Media movement using the BRMS commands done on this release IBM i 6.1 system will be broadcast to these two V5R4M0 systems. Because this function is not supported prior to release IBM i 6.1, Brmssysa and Brmssysb cannot be configured, so media movement done on these systems will not be synched back to the release IBM i 6.1 system.

    • Recommendation: Run all BRMS movements (MOVMEDBRMADDMLMBRMWRKMLMBRM Option 1 and Option 7 or WRKMEDBRM Option 8) from a release IBM i 6.1 or later system which has this function set up to ensure consistent media status across the BRMS network.

  6. It is recommended that the tape media library is varied on on all systems in the BRMS network. If not, BRMS will constantly try update the status of the cartridges until the tape media library is varied on.

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