JPH11259805A - Magnetic tape device connecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the load on a CPU by copying the data on an open reel magnetic tape to a cartridge magnetic tape while directly connecting an open reel magnetic tape device and a cartridge magnetic tape device with a channel interface. SOLUTION: The channel #Ab 9 of an open reel magnetic tape controller (MTC #A) 10 and the channel #Bb 15 of a cartridge magnetic tape controller (MTC #B) 16 are connected with a cable 6. The microprogram of the MTC #Bb 16 is replaced with a new program in which a function controlling the MTC #A 10 by a method chaning a ROM or an FD. Then, the start of tape copying work in an offline mode and a command specifying eithers of open reel/cartridge decks 11 or to 13, 19 or to 21 being under commands of the MTC #A 10 and the MTC #B 16 are inputted from a correspondingly replaced control panel to the program.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation method of an open reel type magnetic tape device and a cartridge type magnetic tape device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With respect to a magnetic tape device connected to a large general-purpose computer and operated, a method of copying data of an open reel tape to a cartridge tape is performed by setting a control program (JCL) and starting from an open reel type magnetic tape device. It is a general method to transfer the data to a cartridge type magnetic tape device via a CPU. As a known example relating to a simple "copy of magnetic tape", there is a method of performing magnetic transfer by applying a bias magnetic field by bringing the magnetic surfaces of a master tape and a slave tape into close contact with each other, as described in, for example, JP-A-7-121873. There is. Also, there is a method for properly transferring a magnetic image even if the thicknesses of a master tape and a slave tape are different, as described in JP-A-7-6366.

[0003]

About ten years have passed since the cartridge type magnetic tape device was put on the market, but many open reel type magnetic tape devices are still in operation in the world. Compared to open reel tapes, cartridge tapes have many advantages, such as small size / space saving, large capacity, good handling, and labor savings by introducing a library device. Nevertheless, the reason that open reel tapes are still widely used is because there is a problem that the assets of users' open reel tapes are enormous and it is not easy to transfer to cartridge tapes. is there. This means that the assets of open reel tapes are larger for larger users such as banks.

In order to transfer from an open reel tape to a cartridge tape, it is necessary to transfer (copy) the assets of the open reel to the cartridge. However, it takes a long time to copy an enormous amount of open reel assets. Although it is necessary, the CPU is used only for copying, and there is a problem that an increase in the load on the CPU affects other tasks.

The above-described method of performing magnetic transfer by bringing magnetic tapes into close contact with each other cannot be used because the recording formats of the open reel tape and the cartridge tape are different. Even if it is made, new equipment investment is required, and when the transfer to the cartridge tape is completed, this device becomes unnecessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the user when transferring an open reel tape asset to a cartridge tape: no new capital investment is required, and the burden on the CPU: preventing a decrease in throughput only for data copying. It is to provide a low cost / low burden means.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the object of the present invention, in a method of copying assets of an open reel tape to a cartridge tape, there is provided a method of controlling data transfer offline without using a CPU. . For this reason, the device assets currently used by the user are used as much as possible.

The open reel type magnetic tape device is used without any modification. In the cartridge type magnetic tape device, modification (replacement) of a control program (microprogram) and addition (replacement) of an operation panel are limited. The channel interface (CH I / F) of the open-reel magnetic tape unit and the cartridge-type magnetic tape unit are directly connected, and data is sent from the open-reel magnetic tape unit by an instruction from the operation panel added to the cartridge-type magnetic tape unit. Read and write (copy) to cartridge tape.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a connection diagram of an open reel type magnetic tape device and a cartridge type magnetic tape device according to the magnetic tape device connection system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the connection of the magnetic tape device of FIG.
3 shows a configuration of a control panel that is exchanged to instruct a magnetic tape copy operation.

FIG. 3 is an internal block diagram of the cartridge type magnetic tape device after the magnetic tape copy function is added.

FIG. 4 shows a copy operation flow of the microprogram of the cartridge type magnetic tape device after the magnetic tape copy function is added.

In FIG. 1, MTC # A10 is an open reel type magnetic tape controller, MTC # B16 is a cartridge type magnetic tape controller, and CPU1 has a plurality of channels. (# Ca2 to # Cn4) MTC # A10 includes channel # Aa8 and channel #Ab
The channel # Aa8 is connected to the channel # Ca2 of the CPU 1 via the cable 5. MTC # A1
Under 0, open reel decks 11 to 13 are connected.

[0015] Similarly, MTC # B16 is connected to channel #B.
a14 and channel # Bb15, and channel #
Bb15 is connected to the channel # Cn4 of the CPU 1 by the cable 7. Under MTC # B16, cartridge decks 19 to 21 are connected.

Normally, the CPU 1 controls the MTC #A 10 using the channel #Ca 2 and reads / writes data from / on any of the open reel decks 11 to 13. Further, the CPU 1 uses the channel # Cn4 to
C # B16 is controlled, and any cartridge deck 19 to
Read / write data from / to 21.

The control of each MTC by the CPU is performed by the CPU.
Run under an OS (operating system),
According to JCL (job control program).

These series of operations are a general operation mode of the magnetic tape device connected to the CPU.

The operating environment of the magnetic tape device shown in FIG.
A method for adding a connection to copy an open reel asset to a cartridge tape is described below.

Channel # Ab9 of MTC # A10 and MT
Channel # Ba14 of C # B16 is not connected to the channel of CPU1 (empty channel). Such empty channels are connected by a cable 6. Cable 6
The same cable as the cable 5 or the cable 7 for connecting the connectors of the channels.

If there is no free channel, the MTC may be equipped with an additional channel connection port, so this additional channel is added.

Channels # Ba14 and #Basic of MTC # B16
Since the control panel 18 for controlling the enable / disable of the Bb 15 also has only the normal function, that is, the enable / disable control function of each channel, a new control panel having a function of instructing offline data copy is added. Replace with

FIG. 2 shows a new control panel.
For normal functions (ENABLE / DISABLE switching),
"FFLINE" position added, "OFFLINE EXE"
C. That is, the addition of a switch for instructing the start of tape copy work in the offline mode,
A "DRIVE ADDRESS" switch for indicating which deck is used for each cartridge is added. "ENABLE / DISABLE / OFFL
LINE ”changeover switch and“ OFFLINEEXE ”
C. The number of switches is equal to the number of channels mounted on the MTC # B16. In this embodiment, since two channels are mounted, there are switches 30 and 34 for channel # Ba14 and switches 31 and 35 for channel # Bb15.

Since the microprogram 17 for controlling the MTC # B16 normally contains only commands from the CPU 1 and control functions for the cartridge decks 19 to 21, control of another MTC (open reel type magnetic tape device) is added. Exchange for a program. Since the program is usually supplied in ROM or FD (floppy disk) or the like, it is exchanged.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of MTC # B16 with the above changes. Channels # Ba14 and # Bb15, MP
(Processor) 40, BUF (buffer memory) 4
1. There is no change in the hardware of the I / F (panel interface) 42 and the DIF (drive interface) 43. The control panel 18 is replaced with a product to which an offline copy work function is added, and is connected to the I / F 42 in the same manner as the control panel before replacement.

The microprogram 17 is supplied on a floppy disk, and is also exchanged for a program provided with an offline copy function.

The procedure for replacing the microprogram 17 and exchanging the control panel 18 to copy the data of the open reel tape to the cartridge tape will be described below.

The open reel tape to be copied and the cartridge tape to be copied are CP
Set to a deck not currently used by U1. (Here, both are deck # 0: open reel is deck 1
1. The cartridge uses the deck 19. )
The deck address to be used is set on the “DRIVE ADDRESS” switch on the control panel 18. Since the open reel uses the # 0 deck, the switch 36 is set to "0", and the cartridge is also #
Since the 0 deck is used, the switch 37 is set to “0”.

Next, the channel connected to the open reel type magnetic tape device is switched to the "OFFLINE" mode. In the present embodiment, channel # Ba14 of MTC # B16
Is connected to the MTC # A10 of the open reel type magnetic tape device.
FLINE ”position.

When the above preparations are completed, "OFFLINE
EXEC. Switch 34 is turned "ON".

Normally, the microprogram waits for a start request 52 from the CPU, but also waits for an OFFLINE SW start request 53 due to the addition of the offline copy function (51). "OFFLINE EX
EC. The microprogram 17 recognizes that the "" switch 34 has been turned "ON", and starts a tape copy operation.

First, the microprogram 17 reads each setting of the SW set on the control panel 18 (55).

"ENABLE / D" of channel # Ba14
The state of the "ISABLE / OFFLINE" switch 30 is checked. Since the switch 30 is set to "OFFLINE", the setting of the DRIVE ADDRESS switches 36/37 is checked next. From the setting information of these switches, “Open reel deck # 0 (deck 11)
To cartridge deck # 0 (deck 19), MTC
# Copy operation is performed using channel # Ba14 of # B16 ".

After obtaining the necessary information, the operation proceeds to tape copying. MTC # A via channel # Ba14
Open reel # 0 for channel # Ab9 of ten
Request the activation of the deck 11.

The data on the open reel tape is read and temporarily stored in the BUF 41 of MTC # B. this is,
This is because the transfer speed of the open reel tape deck is lower than the transfer speed of the cartridge tape deck. BUF4
When the data is accumulated in 1, the reading of the data on the open reel tape side is temporarily stopped, and the data is written to the cartridge tape. This read / write control is performed for one open reel (57 to 58).

For copying, in principle, one open reel tape is contained in one cartridge tape. If a compression function or a long tape is used on the cartridge tape side, data for several reels of open reel tape can be stored in one reel of cartridge tape.

By constructing the above-described configuration, it is not necessary to introduce a new device, and the existing device assets can be utilized.
Open reel tape assets can be transferred to cartridge tape without burdening the CPU.

[0038]

According to the present invention, a new apparatus is not required for a data copy operation accompanying the transfer of an open reel tape asset to a cartridge tape, and a CPU is not required.
Copy work without burdening
Users can perform the migration without any heavy burden.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic tape device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control panel to which a copy control function used by the connection method of the present invention is added.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a cartridge type magnetic tape device to which a copy control function is added.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a copy operation of a microprogram added with a copy control function.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU, 6 ... Channel connection cable, 10 ... Control device of open reel type magnetic tape device, 16 ... Control device of cartridge type magnetic tape device, 17 ... Microprogram of cartridge type magnetic tape device, 18 ... Cartridge type magnetic Tape device control panel, 41: buffer memory, 53: OFFLINE SW activation request, 55: control panel setting read, 57: open reel tape device control, 58: cartridge tape device control.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A channel interface between an open reel type magnetic tape device and a cartridge type magnetic tape device is connected, and there is no intervention of a host device (CPU) (offline).
And copying the data of the open reel magnetic tape to a cartridge magnetic tape.