Blind Libraries - How To

Topics | Configure | How To | Related Topics

Import Media Into a Blind Library

Discover Media in a Blind Library

Perform an Inventory Operation in a Blind Library

Verify Media in a Blind Library

Convert a Blind Library as a Sighted Library

Create Automatic Labeling Schemes

Import Media Into a Blind Library

Required Capability: See Capabilities and Permitted Actions

To import media into a blind library:

1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the library (or the scratch pool of the library) into which you want to import media, and then click Import Media.
2. An Import Media prompt appears, advising you to do one of the following:
   • If you are importing through a mail slot, insert one or more media into the mail slot and wait for them to be moved to storage slots. Do not click OK until all of the imported media have been moved to storage slots.

     After all media are transferred to storage slots, click OK in the Import Media prompt.

   • If you are inserting media directly, open the library door, insert media into storage slots, and then close the door.

     Wait for the library to complete the inventory and then click OK in the Import Media prompt.

3. A Confirm Dialog prompt asks you whether you wish to perform a quick scan.
   • Click Yes to perform a Quick Scan on the library. You can track the progress of the scan operation in the Job Controller.
   • Click No if you do not wish to perform a quick scan. To discover the media, you must perform either one of the following:
     • A Quick Inventory with Full Scan. For more information, see Perform an Inventory Operation in a Blind Library.
     • Individually discover each of the media you imported. For more information, see Discover Media in a Blind Library.

Discover Media in a Blind Library

Required Capability: See Capabilities and Permitted Actions

To discover media in a blind library:

1. From the CommCell Console, right-click the media you wish to discover and then click Discover Media.

   The system attempts to discover the media and reports the success or failure of the operation in the Event Viewer.

   Note that the discover operation is displayed as an inventory job in the Job Controller window.

Perform an Inventory Operation in a Blind Library

Required Capability: See Capabilities and Permitted Actions

To perform an inventory in a blind library:

1. From the CommCell Console, right-click the blind library for which you wish to perform an inventory and then click Inventory.
2. From the Inventory Options dialog box, choose the type of inventory you wish to perform.
3. Select the Do Full Scan option if you want the inventory operation to scan all the library slots.
4. Click OK.

   You can track the progress of the inventory in the Job Controller window.

Verify Media in a Blind Library

The verify media operation is a type of inventory which must be initiated by the user. There are two ways to initiate a verify inventory operation:

• You can right-click a media and then choose the Verify Media option. This operation can be used to verify whether the media information displayed in the CommCell Console matches the OML in the media.
• You can select the Verify Media option when you export the media or schedule an export (both from a list or based on a criteria). This option may be used to verify that the correct media is exported.

A verify inventory operation is displayed as a job in the Job Controller window and can be killed if necessary.

The verify inventory operation does not discover new media.

Convert a Blind Library as a Sighted Library

To convert a blind library as a sighted library:

1. From the CommCell Console, update the media barcodes in the library. See Update the Barcode Associated with a Specific Media for step-by-step instructions.
2. Identify the Storage Policy Copies associated with the blind library. See View the Storage Policies Accessing a Library for step-by-step instructions.
3. Mark all active media associated with these Storage Policy Copies as full. This is an important step and must not be skipped.

   See Mark the Active Media of a Storage Policy Copy Full for step-by-step instructions.

4. Deconfigure the library. See Deconfigure Libraries for step-by-step instructions.
5. Configure the library as a sighted library. See Configure Devices for step-by-step instructions.
6. Right-click the primary copy associated with the library, and click Properties. From the Data Paths tab, choose the Use preferred datapath option.
7. Add the new data path as described in Add a Data Path to a Storage Policy Copy.

Create Automatic Labeling Schemes

Related Topic

• Automatic Labeling Schemes

Required Capability: See Capabilities and Permitted Actions

To create automatic labeling schemes for stand-alone drives:

1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the library for which you wish to create the labeling schemes and then click Properties.
2. Click the Media tab.
3. From the Barcode Labeling Scheme region, select the label and then click Add Token. The selected label is displayed in the box at the bottom of the region.
4. Click OK to save the changes.