After volumes have been labeled, make the volumes available to Tivoli® Storage Manager devices by checking the volumes into the library volume inventory using the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command.
About this task
The CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command involves device access, and may take a long time to complete. For this reason, the command always executes as a background process. Wait for the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME process to complete before defining volumes or the defining process will fail. You can save time by checking in volumes as part of the labeling operation. For details, see Labeling media.
You can specify that Tivoli Storage Manager read media labels for the volumes you are checking in. When label-checking is enabled, Tivoli Storage Manager mounts each volume and reads the internal label before checking in the volume. Tivoli Storage Manager checks in only volumes that are properly labeled. Checking labels can prevent errors later, when Tivoli Storage Manager selects and mounts volumes, but it also increases check in processing time.
Checking a single volume into an automated library
You can check in single volumes using the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command with the SEARCH=NO parameter.- Checking in volumes using library bar code readers
You can save time checking volumes into libraries equipped with bar code readers by using the characters on the bar code labels as names for the volumes being checked in. - Checking in volumes from library entry/exit ports
To search all slots of bulk entry/exit ports for labeled volumes that Tivoli Storage Manager can check in automatically, issue the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command, specifying SEARCH=BULK. The server searches through all slots even if it encounters an unavailable slot. - Checking in volumes from library storage slots
You can search storage slots for new volumes that have not yet been added to the volume inventory and check those volumes into the library using the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command, specifying SEARCH=YES. - Checkin of private volumes
Private volumes are volumes that are either predefined to a storage pool or volumes that are partially-written. You can check in private volumes, but you must assign a private status to them before checking them in. - Checkin of volumes into full libraries
You can check volumes into devices that are fully populated and have no empty storage slots by enabling tape swapping. Swapping allows Tivoli Storage Manager to select and eject volumes to store in a different physical location. - Checkin of volumes into IBM 3494 libraries
Volumes that are inserted into an IBM® 3494 library are assigned to the insert category (X'FF00'). - Element addresses for library storage slots
If a library has entry/exit ports, you can add and remove media by loading the media into the ports. If there are no entry/exit ports, you must load tapes into storage slots.