John -

I would start by issuing:

 SELECT LIBRARY_NAME as "Library", Char(VOLUME_NAME,11) as "Scratch
Tapes" From LIBVOLUMES Where STATUS='Scratch'

You don't say what kind off library you have, but if a 3494, then
also use the 'mtlib' OS command to verify that there are volumes in
Scratch state, per your assigned Category Code.  If the number is
small, you might see if you have a pile-up of volumes in Pending
state.  For good measure, query your paths and drives to assure that
all are online, and in good working order.  (Particularly, that no
scratch tapes are stuck in defunct drives.)

You performed a TSM restart yesterday: You thus have the convenient
ability to inspect the Activity Log for the message coming out of the
restart, which will reveal anomalies in tape states as TSM interacts
with the library to check its volumes.

Sixteen scratch tapes doesn't give you much of a margin in case
things go wrong, or if there is a demand surge, however, so you're
living near the edge.  I periodically do a full inspection query of
all the volumes in the library, to assure that all are productive as
storage pool volumes, dbbackup volumes, or scratches: some can "fall
through the cracks" and end up in unused limbo.

  Richard Sims

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