Tape volumes

Each tape volume is identified by a unique volume serial number. The volume serial number must conform to z/OS volume serial number naming conventions as documented in the z/OS MVS JCL Reference. The serial number on the tape volume cannot match the serial number assigned to any other SMS tape, disk, or optical volume within the entire storage environment of the customer. The serial number must be unique within the installation.

Tape volumes can be used either in automated or manual tape libraries, or with stand-alone tape drives.

Tape volumes reside in a protective housing known as a tape cartridge. Table 1shows the types of tape media that can be housed within a tape cartridge and used on IBM tape drives, and their associated Object Tape Volume Table MEDIATYP values.

Table 1. Tape media and MEDIATYP values
Media name	Object Tape Volume Table MEDIATYP value
IBM Cartridge System Tape (MEDIA1)	02
IBM Enhanced Capacity Cartridge System Tape (MEDIA2)	04
IBM High Performance Cartridge Tape (MEDIA3)	05
IBM Extended High Performance Cartridge Tape (MEDIA4)	06
IBM Enterprise Tape Cartridge (MEDIA5)	07
IBM Enterprise WORM Tape Cartridge (MEDIA6)	08
IBM Enterprise Economy Tape Cartridge (MEDIA7)	09
IBM Enterprise Economy WORM Tape Cartridge (MEDIA8)	10
IBM Enterprise Extended Cartridge (MEDIA9)	12
IBM Enterprise Extended WORM Cartridge (MEDIA10)	14
IBM Enterprise Advanced Tape Cartridge (MEDIA11)	16
IBM Enterprise Advanced WORM Tape Cartridge (MEDIA12)	17
IBM Enterprise Advanced Economy Tape Cartridge (MEDIA13)	18

When objects are stored on tape volumes through an OSREQ STORE request, they are assigned to a specific Object storage group. The OAM Sublevel (OSL) parameter of the SMS storage class associated with that object is used to direct the store to either a tape sublevel 1 volume or a tape sublevel 2 volume.

For tape sublevel 1, OAM selects the appropriate tape cartridge type based on the DATACLASS parameter (if applicable), or the TAPEUNITNAME parameter that is specified for the storage group on the SETOAM statement. If the tape volume is allocated for a stand-alone tape drive, the TAPEUNITNAME determines the device type to be used, therefore the characteristics of the tape cartridge must be consistent with the capabilities of the tape drive.
For tape sublevel 2, similarly, OAM selects the appropriate tape cartridge type based on the L2DATACLASS parameter (if applicable), or the L2TAPEUNITNAME parameter that is specified for the storage group on the SETOAM statement. If the tape volume is allocated for a stand-alone tape drive, the L2TAPEUNITNAME determines the device type to be used, so the characteristics of the tape cartridge must be consistent with the capabilities of the tape drive.