JPH0636243A - Cleaning method of library device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce delay of a job due to cleaning by cleaning a drive device by carrying a medium for cleaning from a cell to a drive device if a specified time when an application time is preset is reached. CONSTITUTION:A library device 30 consists of channel devices 33a and 33b connected to host computers 31 and 32, drive devices 34a 34b of a magnetic tape device which are connected to it, a cell 35 for storing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges, and an accessor 36 which is a robot for monitoring the operation state of the drive devices 34a-34b, taking out a desired cartridge from a cell 35 according to the control of a library controller 40, fitting it to the empty drive devices 34a-34b, and then returning a cartridge which leaves the devices 34a-34b to the cell 35, a cartridge for cleaning is actuated inside the cell 35, and then the library controller 40 is connected to host computers 31 and 32 via a path 41.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of cleaning a library device, and more particularly to a method of cleaning a library device for cleaning a drive device in the library device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a library device. In the figure, the library device 10 includes channel devices 11a and 11b, drive devices 12a to 12d, and a cell 1.
4 and accessor 15.

In response to a request from the host computer, the library controller 20 gives an instruction to the accessor 15,
As a result, the accessor 15 takes out the cartridge of the desired recording medium from the cell 14 and mounts it in the empty drive device, and transmits the information read from the cartridge by the drive device to the host computer through the channel device,
Further, the information transmitted from the host computer is written in this cartridge. A conventional library device using a magnetic tape cartridge as a recording medium is disclosed in JP-A-2-838.
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 12, the number of times of use or running time of the magnetic tape recorded and reproduced by each drive device is counted,
When the number of times of use or the running time exceeds the specified value, a cleaning request is generated, and when the magnetic tape cartridge being mounted is removed from the drive unit, the cleaning cartridge is mounted on the drive unit to clean the magnetic head of the drive unit. I am doing it.

[0004]

When a cleaning request is issued in each drive device depending on the number of times of use or the running time, the probability that the cleaning request is issued when the drive device is frequently used increases. There is a problem that cleaning is performed by removing the existing cartridge and the next job is kept waiting until the cleaning of the drive device is completed, and the delay of the job affects the operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning method for a library device that is less likely to delay a job and does not affect operation.

[0006]

A method for cleaning a library apparatus according to the present invention includes a drive apparatus for recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium and periodically cleaning the recording / reproducing head; In a method of cleaning a library device having a cell for accommodating a cleaning medium and an accessor for transporting a desired recording medium between the cell and the drive device, when an operation time reaches a preset specified time The cleaning medium is conveyed from the cell to the drive device to clean the drive device, and after the cleaning is completed, the cleaning medium is conveyed from the drive device to the cell and stored at a predetermined position.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when the designated time comes, the drive device is cleaned by the cell cleaning medium, and the designated time is set in advance to a time when the frequency of use of the drive device is low. The cleaning can be performed in a state where the cleaning is not performed, and the delay of the job due to the cleaning can be reduced.

[0008]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a library system to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, the library device 30 is a channel device 3 connected to the host computers 31 and 32.
3a, 33b and drive devices 34a to 34d such as magnetic tape devices connected to the channel devices 33a, 33b.
And a cell 3 for storing a plurality of cartridges such as magnetic tapes
5 and the drive states of the drive devices 34a to 34d are monitored, and a desired cartridge is taken out from the cell 35 according to the control of the library control device 40, and the drive device 3 in an empty state
4a to 34d, and drive devices 34a to 34d
The accessor 36 is a robot for returning the cartridge detached from d to the cell.

A cleaning cartridge is housed in the cell 35.

The library controller 40 is connected to the host computers 31 and 32 by a path 41.

Further, the library control device 40 has a timer built therein and also has a register for storing a designated time. This designated time is the host computer 31 or 3
2 is set by a command from the controller 2, or is preset by a console input of the library controller 40.
Normally, the library device 10 is used for backup,
Since the drive devices 34a to 34d are frequently used at night when the work is finished, the designated time is, for example, noon when the drive devices 34a to 34d are less frequently used.

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the method of the present invention executed by the library controller. Step 5 in the figure
At 0, the time of the timer is read, and at step 51, this timer time is compared with the designated time stored in the register. If they do not match, the process returns to step 50, and if they match, the automatic cleaning task is started in step 52.
Thus, in step 53, an arbitrary uncleaned drive device is selected, and in step 54, the operating state of this drive device is confirmed.

Next, it is judged whether or not the drive device selected in step 55 has the cartridge mounted and the cleaning cartridge can be mounted (mounted). If the cleaning cartridge cannot be mounted, the procedure returns to step 54. At 56, the accessor 36 is controlled to take out the cleaning cartridge from the cell 35 and attach it to the selected drive device. After that, in step 57, the drive device starts the reproducing operation to start cleaning.

Next, in step 58, the operating condition of the drive device is confirmed, and in step 59, it is judged whether or not the cleaning is completed. If the cleaning is not completed, the process returns to step 58, and if the cleaning is completed, the cleaning cartridge is detached (demounted) from the drive device selected in step 60 and returned to the cell 35. In step 61, it is judged whether or not the cleaning of all the drive devices 34a to 34c has been completed, and if not completed, step 53
And proceeds to step 50 to select an uncleaned drive device, and if completed, proceeds to step 50, performs timer reading, and repeats the processing.

In another embodiment, if there are a sufficient number of cleaning cartridges (the same number as the number of drive devices), the cleaning process can be performed in parallel. In this case, the cleaning cartridge cannot be mounted on the drive device at the same time because multiple cartridges cannot be transported at the same time, but the cleaning process for one drive device is (mounting, cleaning is completed, and access can be taken out by the accessor). It takes about 20 to 30 seconds until it comes out to another place, during which the mounting / demounting process to another drive device can be performed.

When the designated time is reached in this way, the cell 35
Drive device 3 by the cleaning cartridge of
By performing the cleaning of 4a to 34d and setting the designated time in advance to a time when the frequency of use of the drive device is low, the cleaning can be performed in a situation where the drive device is not used, and the delay of the job due to the cleaning is reduced. It can be done, and it hardly affects the operation.

The library device may use a magnetic disk or the like as the recording medium in addition to the magnetic tape and a magnetic disk device or the like as the drive device, and is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0018]

As described above, according to the cleaning method of the library apparatus of the present invention, there is little risk of job delay, there is almost no influence on the operation, and it is extremely useful in practice.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a flow chart of the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a library system to which the method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a library device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 Library Device 31, 32 Host Computer 33a, 33b Channel Device 34a-34d Drive Device 35 Cell 36 Accessor 40 Library Control Device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A drive device for recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium and periodically cleaning a recording / reproducing head, a cell for accommodating a plurality of recording media and a cleaning medium, and a desired recording medium. In a method of cleaning a library device having an accessor that conveys between the cell and the drive device, a cleaning medium is conveyed from the cell to the drive device when an operation time reaches a preset designated time, and a drive is performed. A method for cleaning a library device, comprising: cleaning the device; and, after the cleaning is completed, the cleaning medium is conveyed from a drive device to a cell and stored at a predetermined position.