On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:58:55 +0200, G+D+J+ B+N% #B+J+ wrote: > >We currently send physical 3480's to an external customer. > >The customer has asked if we could send them the tapes as AWStape files. > >They are evaluating a product called VTA (Virtual Tape Appliance) from a >company called Universal Software. > >I've looked at CBT file 533, but I'm not sure which program to use. > >What program would i use to convert a physical 3480 to an AWSTape file that >can be used by VTA. > I looked at this a while ago, and was somewhat disappointed. I know it's uncharitable, and if I had the assembler skills, resources, and motivation, I'd attempt repairs instead of complaining. But I noticed:
o The distribution includes a C program, "STRIPPAD.c" to deal with a problem that the last block is sometimes incorrectly terminated. This would better be incorporated into the mainline code rather than in a separate utility. o There's a data areas macro that appears as a PDS member, and again instream in the program that calls it; a hazard to orderly maintenance. My assembler skill is sufficient that I was able to replace the inline with a COPY from SYSLIB with no apparent ill effects. o The "strippad" problem might be fixed with support for RECFM=VB output -- no padding, then. But here my assembler skills are insufficient. o I'd like to be able to write/read UNIX files directly. There might be no obstacle; DD PATH= might suffice; I haven't tried it. But I'd prefer to have RECFM=VB before the attempt. And my failure in motivation arises because our recipient, unlike Gadi's is not crying out for AWSTAPE -- I'd need to sell them on the idea, and motivate them ($$ -- they're a contractor, not a customer) to convert to ASWTAPE format. Too many obstacles; I can't justify it internally. An alternative might be the CMS PIPELINES BLOCK ASWTAPE stage. My pipedream would be a subsystem that would mount AWSTAPE archives directly, instead of copying them to physical tapes. CMS PIPELINES actually comes closer to this. -- gil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
