ACSLS Quick Reference Guide

Automated Cartridge System Library Software (ACSLS) is Sun StorageTek's UNIX server software that controls a Sun StorageTek Automated Cartridge System (ACS). The Sun StorageTek ACS family of products consists of fully automated, tape cartridge-based data storage and retrieval systems. ACSLS supports network access to different client systems that can range from workstations to mainframes to supercomputers running on a variety of operating systems.

The aim of this post is to provide a briefe overview of the commands available to perform numerous tasks within ACSLS

User Access

To control and interact with ACSLS, you use the following user Ids:

User IDDescription
ACSSA Lets you enter ACSLS commands from cmd_proc.
ACSSS Lets you run ACSLS utilities from the UNIX command line prompt.

Typically, you will log in as both user IDs so you can enter both ACSLS utilities and commands.

Start / Stop

Starting ACSLS:

  1. Login as ACSSS
  2. rc.acsss

Stopping ACSLS:

  1. From the cmd_proc: kill.acsss
  2. From the ACSSS> prompt: db_command stop. This stops the Informix database. ( ACSLS uses a pared down version of Informix as its database for the tape volumes.
  3. To manually kill the ACSLS process, do the following:
    ps -ef | grep acsss_daemon
    then kill this pid.

(I have seem on different sites that customers do not know how to do this and bouncing ACSLS will often clear up problems if ACSLS is not responding. All query commands and most other ACSLS commands need to be run at the ACSSA> prompt.)

General commands

At the ACSSA> prompt you can use the following commands to find out the status of most ACSLS processes and library components.

Note: On most of these commands, if you just type the command without any options, it will prompt you for the next option and keep doing this until the command is complete. query: Use this command often with various options to determine the status of various components. This is often the first set of command to run depending on what kind of problem the customer is having. For example: If customer is not able to unmount a drive, run: query drive all. This will tell you if this drive is online or not. You would then run this command to see if you can get this drive online: vary drive <drive_id> online. If you are unable to bring it online this way, you may have a hardware problem with the drive. You will not have to use all these commands.

Query Status
Display ACSLS and library status query server
Display ACS status query acs acs_id ... | all
Display LSM status query lsm lsm_id ... | all
Display CAP status query cap cap_id ... | all
Display transport status query drive drive_id ... | all
Display LMU and port status for both single-LMU and dual-LMU ACS configurations query lmu acs_id ... | all
Display status of media-compatible transports for a specified data volume query mount vol_id
Display status of media-compatible transports for a specified scratch pool (or volume media type within the pool) query mount * pool_id ... [ media media_type | media *]
Display port status query port port_id .... | all
Display the location of a volume query volume vol_id ... | all
Display cleaning cartridge status query clean vol_id ... | all
Display the status of scratch volumes in a pool query scratch pool_id ... | all
Display scratch pool attributes query pool pool_id ... | all
Display request status query request request_id ... | all
Cancel a current or pending request cancel request_id
Display the lock status of a transport or volume query lock drive | volume identifier ... | all
Manage CAPs
Display CAP status query cap cap_id ... | all
Set CAP#s entry mode (manual or automatic) set cap mode manual | automatic cap_id
Set CAP#s automatic selection priority set cap priority cap_priority cap_id
Make manual mode CAP ready to enter labelled carts enter cap_id
Make CAP ready to enter unlabeled carts into library venter cap_id vol_id | volrange
Manage volumes
Mount a data volume or cleaning cartridge mount vol_id drive_id [bypass] [readonly]
Dismount a data volume or cleaning cartridge dismount vol_id drive_id [force]
Create a volume report (at the ACSSS> prompt) volrpt [-s vol | loc | use] [-d][-f filename][-z][-a | -l | -v identifier_list]
Set volume ownership set owner owner_id volume vol_id | volrange
Eject volumes from the library eject cap_id vol_id | volrange ...
Move volumes to a specified LSM move vol_id lsm_id
Delete a volume in an offline LSM del_vol vol_id -n -q
Manage scratch volumes/pools
Create or modify scratch pools define pool low_water_mark high_water_mark pool_id ...[overflow]
Display scratch pool attributes query pool pool_id ... | all
Display the status of scratch volumes in a pool query scratch pool_id ... | all
Set volume's scratch attribute and assign the volume to a scratch pool set scratch pool_id vol_id | volrange
Change volume from scratch to data set scratch off pool_id vol_id | volrange
Delete an empty scratch pool delete pool pool_id ... | all
Mount a scratch volume from a specified pool (single media libraries) mount * drive_id pool_id
Mount a scratch volume from the common pool (single media libraries) mount * drive_id
Mount a scratch volume from a specified pool with specific media type mount * drive_id pool_id media media_type
Mount a scratch volume from a specific pool, media type based on scratch preferences defined mount * drive_id pool_id media *
Mount a scratch volume from common pool, media type based on defined scratch preferences mount * drive_id media *
Mount a scratch volume from common pool with specified media type mount * drive_id media media_type
Display status of media-compatible transports for a specified scratch pool (or volume media type within the pool) query mount * pool_id ... [media media_type | media *]
Manage Locks (STK will do this)
Set your lock ID set lock lock_id
Display your current lock ID or user ID show lock | user
Lock a volume or drive (to your current lock ID) lock drive | volume identifier
Remove active locks (to your current lock ID) on specified drives or volumes or all active locks unlock drive | volume identifier ... | all
Remove all active and pending locks on specified drives or volumes clear lock drive | volume identifier
Clean transports
Set cleaning cartridge attributes set clean max_usage | vol_id | volrange
Set cleaning attributes back to data cartridges set clean off vol_id | volrange
Display cleaning cartridge attributes query clean vol_id... | all
Manage a dual-LMU
Display LMU and port status for both single-LMU and dual-LMU ACS configurations query lmu acs_id ... | all
Manually switch ACS management from the ACS's master LMU to the standby LMU switch lmu acs_id
Audit the library
Audit the entire library audit cap_id server
Audit an ACS audit cap_id acs acs_id
Audit an LSM audit cap_id lsm lsm_id
Audit an LSM panel audit cap_id panel panel_id
Audit an LSM subpanel audit cap_id subpanel subpanel_id
Maintain the database (UNIX prompt) (STK will do this)
Export database table data and miscellaneous database files to tape or a file. Use when reinstalling ACSLS or upgrading to a new ACSLS version using the same database db_export.sh -f db_file
Import database table data and miscellaneous database files from the export tape or file. Use when reinstalling ACSLS or upgrading to a new ACSLS version using the same database db_import.sh db_file
Back up the database bdb.acsss [-f filename | tape_device] [-o]
Start up or shuts down the database db_command start | stop | stop_force
Recover the database after a database failure rdb.acsss
Install optional second disk (UNIX prompt) (STK will do this) Initialize the second disk sd_mgr.sh
Vary library components
Change the state of an ACS vary acs acs_id ... online | offline | diagnostic [force]
Change the state of an LSM vary lsm lsm_id ... online | offline | diagnostic [force]
Change the state of a CAP vary cap cap_id ... online | offline | diagnostic [force]
Change the state of a transport vary drive drive_id ... online | offline | diagnostic [force]
Change the state of a port vary port port_id ... online | offline
Configure ACSLS (STK will do this)
Run the configuration script acsss_config

Glossary

A list of ACSLS Definitions and acronyms

ACS The Automated Cartridge System The library subsystem consisting of one LMU, and one to 24 LSMs connected to that LMU.
audit A physical inventory of the contents of all or part of a library.
CAP Cartridge Access Port. A bidirectional port built into the door panel of an LSM, which provides for the manual entry or automatic ejection of tape cartridges.
cell A receptacle in the LSM in which a cartridge is stored.
CSC Client System Component. Software which provides an interface between the client computing system#s operating system and ACSLS.
CSI Client System Interface. The software component that translates and routes messages between the ACS Library Manager and the Client System Component.
cmd_proc command processor. The screen interface of the ACSSA. cmd_proc lets you enter the commands.
IPL Initial Program Load. A process on the tape library that activates a machine reset, initiates wake up diagnostics (from EPROMs) and loads functional code. Occurs when you power on/reset a silo.
library  Composed of one or more ACSs, attached tape drives, volumes in the ACSs, and the ACSLS software that controls and manages the ACSs.  
LCU Library Control Unit. The portion of the LSM that controls the picking, mounting, dismounting, and replacing of tape cartridges.
cartridge transport A tape drive
LMU Library Management Unit. The portion of an ACS that manages LSM#s, allocates their resources, and communicates with ACSLS.
LSM Library Storage Module. An ACS structure that provides the storage area for cartridges, cartridge drives, CAPs, and the robot necessary for moving them. (The tape library.)
PTP Pass-Thru Port. Mechanism that allows a cartridge to be passed from one LSM to another in a multiple LSM ACS. Also called a CEM, cartridge exchange module.
playground A reserved area of special cells (within an LSM) used for storing diagnostic cartridges and cartridges found in-transit upon power-on and before initialization of the LSM is completed.
pool A collection of tape cartridges having one or more similar features or attributes, such as a pool of scratch tapes.
PCAP priority CAP. A single#cartridge CAP used for priority entry and ejection of cartridges.
redo log files  Backup files used to restore the ACSLS database.  
Scratch  An attribute of a tape cartridge, indicating that it is blank or contains no useful data.  
silo A commonly used term for an LSM. See Library Storage Module.
SSI Storage Server Interface. A software component, resident on a client system, that translates and routes messages between client applications and the CSI.
virtual label A logical label that can be assigned to a cartridge when its physical label is missing or unreadable. Used with the venter command usually for high security facilities.
volser  Volume Serial Number.  
volume  A tape cartridge.