Coordinated storage media verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11074005-B1
Application number	US-202016733409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 3, 2020
Priority date	Jan 3, 2020
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Coordinated storage media verification is provided by checking usage of a plurality of storage media, maintaining a storage media check database indicating media verification to be performed for one or more of the plurality of storage media, where the maintaining includes determining and comparing a time since a last load of a selected storage medium to a verification frequency threshold and determining whether media verification of the selected storage medium is to be performed, coordinating media verification of at least one storage medium of the plurality of storage media based on the storage media check database, which coordinating includes selecting at least one storage medium to be verified in an ascertained window of time, and initiating media verification of the selected at least one storage medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
checking usage of a plurality of storage media of a computing environment;
maintaining a storage media check database indicating media verification to be performed for one or more storage media of the plurality of storage media, wherein the maintaining comprises:
determining a time since a last load of a selected storage medium of the plurality of storage media;
comparing the time since the last load of the selected storage medium to a verification frequency threshold; and
determining, based on the comparing, whether media verification of the selected storage medium is to be performed;

coordinating media verification of at least one storage medium of the plurality of storage media based on the storage media check database, the coordinating the media verification comprising:
accessing the storage media check database and identifying that media verification of the one or more storage media is indicated to be performed; and
based on an ascertained window of time available for media verification, selecting at least one storage medium of the one or more storage media; and

initiating media verification of the selected at least one storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein based on the comparing indicating that the time since the last load of the selected storage medium exceeds the verification frequency threshold, the maintaining determines and indicates in the storage media check database that media verification of the selected storage medium is to be performed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maintaining further comprises:
based on physically loading a storage medium, of the plurality of storage media, for reading prior to lapse of the verification frequency threshold since a prior load of the storage medium, determining whether the time since the prior load of the storage medium exceeds a percentage of the verification frequency threshold; and
based on the time since the prior load exceeding the percentage of the verification frequency threshold, indicating in the storage media check database that media verification of the storage medium is to be performed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coordinating the media verification of the at least one storage medium further comprises ascertaining the window of time based on statistics of drive usage of the plurality of storage media.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the coordinating the media verification of the at least one storage medium further comprises selecting the at least one storage medium based on a duration of the window of time and estimated time to perform media verification of the one or more storage media, including the at least one storage medium.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing media verification of a storage medium of the at least one storage medium, wherein the media verification of the storage medium comprises performing a check of the storage medium for errors and determining whether the storage medium passes the check.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein based on the storage medium passing the check, the media verification of the storage medium further comprises removing the indication in the storage media check database that media verification of the storage medium is to be performed.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein based on the storage medium failing the check, the media verification of the storage medium further comprises:
determining whether a threshold number of consecutive failed checks of the storage medium has been reached as a result of failing the check; and
based on determining that the threshold number of consecutive failed checks of the storage medium has not been reached, enqueuing the storage medium for another check for errors.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein based on the storage medium failing the check, the media verification of the storage medium further comprises:
determining whether a threshold number of consecutive failed checks of the storage medium has been reached as a result of failing the check; and
based on determining that the threshold number of consecutive failed checks of the storage medium has been reached, indicating that the storage medium is failed and raising an alert.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage media comprise magnetic tapes, wherein the at least one storage medium comprises at least one magnetic tape and wherein the media verification of the at least one storage medium comprises verifying integrity of the at least one magnetic tape and readability of data stored thereon.

11. A computer system comprising:
a memory; and
a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method comprising:
checking usage of a plurality of storage media of a computing environment;
maintaining a storage media check database indicating media verification to be performed for one or more storage media of the plurality of storage media, wherein the maintaining comprises:
determining a time since a last load of a selected storage medium of the plurality of storage media;
comparing the time since the last load of the selected storage medium to a verification frequency threshold; and
determining, based on the comparing, whether media verification of the selected storage medium is to be performed;

coordinating media verification of at least one storage medium of the plurality of storage media based on the storage media check database, the coordinating the media verification comprising:
accessing the storage media check database and identifying that media verification of the one or more storage media is indicated to be performed; and
based on an ascertained window of time available for media verification, selecting at least one storage medium of the one or more storage media; and

initiating media verification of the selected at least one storage medium.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the maintaining further comprises:
based on physically loading a storage medium, of the plurality of storage media, for reading prior to lapse of the verification frequency threshold since a prior load of the storage medium, determining whether the time since the prior load of the storage medium exceeds a percentage of the verification frequency threshold; and
based on the time since the prior load exceeding the percentage of the verification frequency threshold, indicating in the storage media check database that media verification of the storage medium is to be performed.

13. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the coordinating the media verification of the at least one storage medium further comprises ascertaining the window of time based on statistics of drive usage of the plurality of storage media, and wherein the coordinating the media verification of the at least one storage medium further comprises selecting the at least one storage medium based on a duration of the window of time and estimated time to perform media verification of the one or more storage media, including the at least one storage medium.

14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises performing media verification of a storage medium of the at least one storage medium, wherein the media verification of the storage medium comprises performing a check of the storage medium for errors and determining whether the storage medium passes the check, wherein based on the storage medium failing the check, the media verification of the storage medium further comprises:
determining whether a threshold number of consecutive failed checks of the

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Varga Sergio
• Baiense Douglas Luiz Mendes
• Trevisan Daniela
• Silva Andre Luiz Coelho

Classifications

• G06F3/0682 Primary

  Tape device · CPC title

• G06F3/0653 Primary

  Monitoring storage devices or systems · CPC title

• G06F3/0604

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management · CPC title

• G06F3/0619

  in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors · CPC title