For data centers in need of media management solutions, Data Strategies offers its MediaGenie suite, which operates under the Windows 2000 operating system.
Tasks such as tape initialization or tape duplication can be cumbersome when using the main system’s resources. These tasks can be executed more efficiently off-line on a MediaGenie system. Its SCSI interface layer supports all popular tape drives, both stand-alone or in an autoloader/library. Multiple SCSI host-adapters and bus types are supported in the same system.
MediaGenie Initiator
This module of the MediaGenie Suite supports the following functions:
- New media initialization and verification. The tape initialization consists of writing one or more short data blocks to tape, which constitute the tape label. In addition of using predefined standard labels (ANSI, IBM, ISO, etc.), the user can define (through the GUI) reusable custom tape labels. Volume Serial Number (VOLSER) sequences can be defined in a number of ways for flexibility and ease of use. The user can specify an optional verification pass following the initialization, in which the VOLSER from the internal tape label is compared with the one from the external tri-optic barcode label.
- In-use media verification. The internal tape label is read, its format is verified, and its VOLSER is compared with the one from the tri-optic barcode label.
- Erase and initialize. The tape is erased, followed by an optional new tape label generation.
- Retension. The tape is spooled to End-of-Tape and rewound.
MediaGenie Certifier
This module of the MediaGenie Suite supports the following functions:
- Non-destructive read test for In-use media. This process will gather error statistics by reading the data that is on the tape. Soft read errors are logged by the program and a good or a bad tape will be indicated using a binary decision criterion, based on user defined thresholds.
- Media write test, optionally followed by read test. This process will overwrite any data on the tape, with data matching a specified pattern. Soft write errors are logged by the program and a good or a bad tape will be indicated using a binary decision criterion, based on user defined thresholds. There is an optional read-test after the write test.
- Optional erase after test. This is desirable when the tape will be reused as a scratch tape or recycled.
MediaGenie Replicator
This module of the MediaGenie Suite supports the following functions:
- Media cloning. This process will generate a one-to-one copy to the same media type.
- Media duplication. This process will generate a one-to-one copy to the same or different media (of at least equal capacity), with optional editing (Volser, Dataset name) of the tape label.
- Media conversion. The data on the tape can be re-blocked and an EBCDIC/ASCII conversion can be realized.
- Media Stacking. This process, which is only supported for standard label tapes, concatenates a sequence of low-density (or low-capacity) input tapes onto higher density (or higher capacity) output media. Both volume and dataset stacking are supported.
- Media Compare. This process does a binary compare between two tapes, indicating the position and number of different records found, if any.
- Media mapping. This process generates a summary overview of the structure of the tape, indicating file marks and, for every file, block sizes and block counts. It can also generate an optional detailed map that includes the display of the contents of all labels.
- The copy and compare functions are implemented with a double-buffering scheme and overlapped I/O, allowing for high throughput. Both fixed block-size and variable block-size tapes are supported.
For software developers, Data Strategies offers tape and disk APIs for the development of Windows applications that control a variety of peripherals: SCSI Tape Drives, Optical Drives, CD/DVD drives. Additionally, dedicated APIs are available for the control of SCSI auto-changers and for the creation and management of “virtual tapes”.
Data Strategies offers a number of APIs to control storage peripherals. They are written in C language and compiled using the MicroSoft Visual C/C++ compiler. The APIs are supplied as 32-bit static libraries that can be linked with the user’s application software.
DsiMtApi
Magnetic Tape API for the development of Windows applications that control SCSI Tape Drives with or without Autoloader. This API is a C library for use with C++ or MFC applications. It supports over forty tape drives, including: 9-track, 18/36-track, 8mm, DDS, ¼”, 9840, 9940, 3590, AIT, LTO, DLT, SDLT, SLR, etc. It can operate multiple SCSI host adapters (single or dual-channel, SE, HVD, LVD) in the same system.
DsiOdApi
Optical Platter API for the development of Windows applications that control SCSI Optical Drives with or without Autochanger. This API is a C library for use with C++ or MFC applications. It supports over twenty optical drives, including: WORM, MO, UDO, and 5.25”, 12”, and 14” platters. It can operate multiple SCSI host adapters (single or dual-channel, SE, HVD, LVD) in the same system.
DsiCdApi
CD-ROM/DVD API for the development of Windows applications that control SCSI CD/DVD Drives with or without Autochanger. This API is a C library for use with C++ or MFC applications. It supports over ten CD/DVD drives. It can operate multiple SCSI host adapters (single or dual-channel, SE, LVD) in the same system.
DsiAcApi
Autochanger API for the development of Windows applications that control SCSI Autochangers for tapes, optical platters, CD/DVDs. This API is a C library for use with C++ or MFC applications. It supports over ten Autochangers. It can operate multiple SCSI host adapters (single or dual-channel, SE, LVD) in the same system.
DsiTdApi
API for the development of Windows applications that need to create and manage “virtual tapes” on hard disks or optical disks. This API is a C library for use with C++ or MFC applications. It supports all tape recording entities – blocks, tape and set marks – and all tape operations, including read/write, space, locate, get position, rewind, etc.
