The outboard Bulk Volume Information Retrieval (BVIR) facility allows a host job to request and obtain information about all of the logical volumes managed by a virtual tape server (VTS), including a Peer-to-Peer VTS. Within a VTS, a database is maintained that contains information about the state and data validity of each logical volume. This function uses a logical volume to allow a batch job to request information from the VTS. When the logical volume is mounted, the VTS formats the requested information onto the volume as an IBM standard labeled tape volume containing a single file. The file contains multiple records, one for each logical volume in the VTS. Because it is standard volume format, the data is accessible through standard host utilities such as IEBGENER. Physical–to–logical volume mapping is just one example of the information you can obtain with this facility. For additional information on using this facility, refer to the following IBM Whitepapers: IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 Series Bulk Volume Information Retrieval User's Guide and IBM TotalStorage Virtual Tape Server 3494 Bulk Volume Information Retrieval Function User's Guide.