Re: tape volume ID -- MIDRANGE-L

At 09:31 AM 2/13/01 -0500, you wrote:

There is a Clear Tape (CLRTAP) command in TAA Tools.  It reuses everything 
that was there before, but initializes the tape.

See:

http://www.taatool.com/document/L_clrtap.htm

Al


>Using what command?  If INZTAP, don't you still have to specify the NEWVOL
>parameter?
>
>Dan Bale
>IT - AS/400
>Handleman Company
>248-362-4400  Ext. 4952
>
>-------------------------- Original Message --------------------------
>Of course, if you wanted to reuse a tape and it's expiry date hadn't been
>reached, you could always specify SEQNBR(1) CLEAR(*ALL)
>
>....Neil
>
>
>Chuck Lewis <clewis@iquest.net>
>Sent by: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
>2001/02/12 12:47
>Please respond to MIDRANGE-L
>
>
>         To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com, D.BALE@handleman.com
>         cc:
>         Subject:        Re: tape volume ID
>
>
>Dan
>
>What I do is initialize a tape with a unique volume ONCE. Start with 
>000000 (or
>000001 if you aren't into IBM numbering <BG>)...
>
>I have a file that keeps track of all of this (you can buy packages to do this
>too). My backups save with an expiration date calculated 21 days from the day
>they
>are running (via a program) so they do not need to be reinitialized when they
>are
>due to be used again (the expiration date has passed).
>
>You can go into System Service Tools (STRSST) and take 1. Start a service tool
>and
>then take 1. Product activity log and then take either 4. Work with removable
>media
>lifetime statistics or 5. Display or print removable media session statistics.
>Either way you will see WHY you want to keep Volume ID's unique - this will
>show
>you the statistics of among other things, errors for each tape used.
>
>HTH !
>
>Chuck
>
>D.BALE@handleman.com wrote:
>
> > I've seen a "standard operating procedure" over the years of initializing
> > tapes for backup using a new/different volume ID every time a tape is used
> > (usually the current date value).  Does doing this defeat the ability 
> of the
> > AS/400 to detect bad tapes over a period of time?  "Problem Analysis" is a
> > term that pops into my head for some reason.  It seems to me that the 
> Volume
> > ID should be set once per tape, and never used again on another tape. Yes?
>No?
> >
> > As I'm just getting involved in this again for the first time in five 
> years,
> > my memory's still a little shaky on the subject, but I seem to remember
> > thinking that if INZTAP didn't require a NEWVOL entry everytime you 
> needed to
> > initialize a tape, it would be easier to keep the *SAME volume ID.  Is 
> there
>a
> > good reason why *SAME is not a valid value for the NEWVOL parameter?
> >
> > Dan Bale
> > IT - AS/400
> > Handleman Company
> > 248-362-4400  Ext. 4952
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Al Barsa, Jr. - Account for Midrange-L
Barsa Consulting Group, LLC.    
400 > 390

Phone:          914-251-1234
Fax:            914-251-9406
http://www.barsaconsulting.com
http://www.taatool.com

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