We are looking at totally replacing our tape subsystem. The current plan
is to replace our 3494-B18 with a 3494-B20. We will also be getting a
3584/3953 tape library with 3592 drives for off-site storage.

One of our biggest applications to move is ViewDirect from Mobius. From
all that we can tell, we must use their ARCMOVER to copy the data into
the new VTS. The reason is due to the fact that they have a "database"
which contains the DSN of the archive file, the device type, and volser.
We have had some experience with ARCMOVER. It is a CPU hog and very
slow.

I was hoping that we could EXPORT the virtual volumes from the B18 and
then IMPORT them on the B20. Unfortunately, this is not supported.
Apparently it is due to the incompatable microcode levels, as well as
the fact that the B18 use 3590 drives and the B20 uses 3952 drives.

So, being sneaky, I'm trying to figure out if there is any way at all to
copy a virtual tape from one VTS to another VTS while keeping the same
volser. I'm not having much luck (unfortunately). The best that I have
figured out would be if I could do something like:

1) INSERT virtual volumes into the B20 which could be "mapped" to/from
B18 virtual volumes by simply changing the first character. Our B18
volumes are 600000 to 623999. I could INSERT volumes 700000 to 723999 in
the B20.

2) For each ViewDirect volser in the 6xxxxx range:
        1) copy to 7xxxxx using some utility
        2) EJECT 6xxxxx from the B18 (removing the virtual volume)
        3) INSERT 6xxxxx into the B20
        4) copy from 7xxxxx to 6xxxxx

The problem is that when I try to use VOL=SER=623970 (a scratch volume
in the VTS), I get a message:
        IGD330I ERROR OCCURRED DURING CBRXLCS PROCESSING-
        VOLUME REQUESTED BY SPECIFIC VOLUME SERIAL IS A SCRATCH VOLUME
        THE FAILING VOLSER IS 623970

It does appear that I can use ISMF to ALTER volume 623970 to be PRIVATE
and in the proper storage group to allow this to work. This is a bother,
but it may be worth it.

Can anybody see were doing this cause any problems? My one test seems to
have run successfully. The VTS says that the volume is PRIVATE, as does
ISMF, and CA-1 appears to be updated correctly as well.


--
John McKown
Senior Systems Programmer
UICI Insurance Center
Information Technology

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