User authentication in a removable media storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9984008-B1
Application number	US-201615352746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Nov 16, 2016
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

An authentication mechanism for dynamic self-provisioning of a magnetic tape cartridge library by a plurality of users for community accessed data storage. Authenticating a host computer and/or users of the host computer for accessing and processing data on a magnetic tape cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
authenticating access to a tape cartridge library;
receiving a request for a cartridge in the tape cartridge library;
determining the cartridge is an empty cartridge;
recording user information on a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in the empty cartridge to create a user-owned cartridge;
loading the user-owned cartridge in a drive associated with the tape cartridge library; and
granting access for processing data on the user-owned cartridge.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, on a user-interface, available drives in the tape cartridge library;
receiving a drive selection through the user-interface; and
determining a set of user-owned cartridges and empty cartridges in the tape cartridge library.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user information includes a password, a username, and a security preference.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the security preference includes encryption software to be used for data encryption on the user-owned cartridge.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the cartridge is received from a geographically remote device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the tape cartridge library is accessible to a plurality of users; and
authenticated access is available individually to a plurality of users according to respectively corresponding credentials.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein only a portion of tape cartridges in the tape cartridge library is accessible by authenticated access based on credentials corresponding to a user of the plurality of users.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to control access to a tape cartridge library by:
authenticating access to a tape cartridge library;
receiving a request for a cartridge in the tape cartridge library;
determining the cartridge is an empty cartridge;
recording user information on a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in the empty cartridge to create a user-owned cartridge;
loading the user-owned cartridge in a drive associated with the tape cartridge library; and
granting access for processing data on the user-owned cartridge.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to control access to a tape cartridge library by:
displaying, on a user-interface, available drives in the tape cartridge library;
receiving a drive selection through the user-interface; and
determining a set of user-owned cartridges and empty cartridges in the tape cartridge library.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the user information includes a password, a username, and a security preference.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the security preference includes encryption software to be used for data encryption on the user-owned cartridge.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the request for the cartridge is received from a geographically remote device.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein:
the tape cartridge library is accessible to a plurality of users; and
authenticated access is available individually to a plurality of users according to respectively corresponding credentials.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein only a portion of tape cartridges in the tape cartridge library is accessible by authenticated access based on credentials corresponding to a user of the plurality of users.

15. A computer system comprising:
a processor set; and
a computer readable storage medium;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and
the program instructions which, when executed by the processor set, cause the processor set to control access to a tape cartridge library by:
authenticating access to a tape cartridge library;
receiving a request for a cartridge in the tape cartridge library;
determining the cartridge is an empty cartridge;
recording user information on a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in the empty cartridge to create a user-owned cartridge;
loading the user-owned cartridge in a drive associated with the tape cartridge library; and
granting access for processing data on the user-owned cartridge.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to control access to a tape cartridge library by:
displaying, on a user-interface, available drives in the tape cartridge library;
receiving a drive selection through the user-interface; and
determining a set of user-owned cartridges and empty cartridges in the tape cartridge library.

17. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the user information includes a password, a username, and a security preference.

18. The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the security preference includes encryption software to be used for data encryption on the user-owned cartridge.

19. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the request for the cartridge is received from a geographically remote device.

20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein:
the tape cartridge library is accessible to a plurality of users; and
authenticated access is available individually to a plurality of users according to respectively corresponding credentials.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Akmal Affan
• Alfven Cai
• Breuer Marcus
• Freitag Bernd
• Friess Albrecht
• Krick Frank

Classifications

• G06F2212/1052

  Security improvement · CPC title

• G06F12/1458 Primary

  by checking the subject access rights · CPC title

• G06F2212/154

  Networked environment · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G11B20/00094

  involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers · CPC title