Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Thank you. Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509 -Original Message- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Schuh, Richard Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:11 PM To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product Ah, now the mud has been washed away from my eyes. VSSLTAPE isn't the easiest to pick apart. I'll send you a sample of an updated EXEC. Regards, Richard Schuh > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Shiminsky, Gary > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 10:01 AM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > I'm sorry I was not more clear on what we needed. We were not > planning to use CA's VM:Backup/HiDRO to backup VTAPE's > library volumes. > > We would like to have VTAPE's VTBKUP and VTREST commands > interface thru the VSSLTAPE EXEC to CA's Dynam/T/VM where we > manage our tapes (days retention, number of gens, offsite > vaulting and of course scratching tapes). > > The driving force behind this is we would like to retire our > 3490 tape drives because of ever increasing maintenance costs > (and eventually our 3590 tape drive) and get new tape > technology (which means much larger capacity tape cartridges > along with much larger costs). > > Gary > > Gary L. Shiminsky > > "I'm going to move you baby!" > Captain, USS Titanic > Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett > > Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc > At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center > State of New Hampshire > (603) 271-1509 > > > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Schuh, Richard > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:34 PM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > Do not lose track of the fact that VSSLTAPE is an > application/TMS interface, not-VTAPE-system code/TMS. You > might be able to create a tape pool that includes the > potential volumes in your VTAPE library. That is only the > easy piece. If you look at the sample VSSLTAPE, you will see > that it is not trivial. It was designed to be used by two > very specific applications. Those applications intercept the > I/O interrupts occurring on specific real tape drives and all > OPEN and CLOSE macros and call VSSLTAPE as required, simply > to get real tapes mounted. What you are asking is the > complimentary action. You want something that monitors for > VTAPE requests and handles them for the Hidro-Dynam/T > environment. I doubt that Hidro has such exits. > > Also, do not forget about the need for logical backup of the > VTAPE library. If you use Hidro to do a physical backup while > the library is closed, you will not be able to restore a > single VTAPE, you will have to restore the entire library. > You could, of course, create a second library, restore to it, > then copy the tape in question to your real (pun > intended) VTAPE library. > > > Regards, > Richard Schuh > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Phil Smith III > > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:55 AM > > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > > > "Shiminsky, Gary" wrote: > > >We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an > > interface > > >with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our > CMS & SFS > > >material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. > > > > It's been a while, but I remember that DYNAM/T wasn't that hard to > > interface with. It did have a nasty habit of losing threads > (per the > > then-DYNAM/T dev team), but hopefully that's been fixed by now. > > > > ...phsiii > > >
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Ah, now the mud has been washed away from my eyes. VSSLTAPE isn't the easiest to pick apart. I'll send you a sample of an updated EXEC. Regards, Richard Schuh > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Shiminsky, Gary > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 10:01 AM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > I'm sorry I was not more clear on what we needed. We were not > planning to use CA's VM:Backup/HiDRO to backup VTAPE's > library volumes. > > We would like to have VTAPE's VTBKUP and VTREST commands > interface thru the VSSLTAPE EXEC to CA's Dynam/T/VM where we > manage our tapes (days retention, number of gens, offsite > vaulting and of course scratching tapes). > > The driving force behind this is we would like to retire our > 3490 tape drives because of ever increasing maintenance costs > (and eventually our 3590 tape drive) and get new tape > technology (which means much larger capacity tape cartridges > along with much larger costs). > > Gary > > Gary L. Shiminsky > > "I'm going to move you baby!" > Captain, USS Titanic > Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett > > Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc > At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center > State of New Hampshire > (603) 271-1509 > > > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Schuh, Richard > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:34 PM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > Do not lose track of the fact that VSSLTAPE is an > application/TMS interface, not-VTAPE-system code/TMS. You > might be able to create a tape pool that includes the > potential volumes in your VTAPE library. That is only the > easy piece. If you look at the sample VSSLTAPE, you will see > that it is not trivial. It was designed to be used by two > very specific applications. Those applications intercept the > I/O interrupts occurring on specific real tape drives and all > OPEN and CLOSE macros and call VSSLTAPE as required, simply > to get real tapes mounted. What you are asking is the > complimentary action. You want something that monitors for > VTAPE requests and handles them for the Hidro-Dynam/T > environment. I doubt that Hidro has such exits. > > Also, do not forget about the need for logical backup of the > VTAPE library. If you use Hidro to do a physical backup while > the library is closed, you will not be able to restore a > single VTAPE, you will have to restore the entire library. > You could, of course, create a second library, restore to it, > then copy the tape in question to your real (pun > intended) VTAPE library. > > > Regards, > Richard Schuh > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Phil Smith III > > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:55 AM > > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > > > "Shiminsky, Gary" wrote: > > >We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an > > interface > > >with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our > CMS & SFS > > >material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. > > > > It's been a while, but I remember that DYNAM/T wasn't that hard to > > interface with. It did have a nasty habit of losing threads > (per the > > then-DYNAM/T dev team), but hopefully that's been fixed by now. > > > > ...phsiii > > >
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
I'm sorry I was not more clear on what we needed. We were not planning to use CA's VM:Backup/HiDRO to backup VTAPE's library volumes. We would like to have VTAPE's VTBKUP and VTREST commands interface thru the VSSLTAPE EXEC to CA's Dynam/T/VM where we manage our tapes (days retention, number of gens, offsite vaulting and of course scratching tapes). The driving force behind this is we would like to retire our 3490 tape drives because of ever increasing maintenance costs (and eventually our 3590 tape drive) and get new tape technology (which means much larger capacity tape cartridges along with much larger costs). Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509 -Original Message- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Schuh, Richard Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:34 PM To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product Do not lose track of the fact that VSSLTAPE is an application/TMS interface, not-VTAPE-system code/TMS. You might be able to create a tape pool that includes the potential volumes in your VTAPE library. That is only the easy piece. If you look at the sample VSSLTAPE, you will see that it is not trivial. It was designed to be used by two very specific applications. Those applications intercept the I/O interrupts occurring on specific real tape drives and all OPEN and CLOSE macros and call VSSLTAPE as required, simply to get real tapes mounted. What you are asking is the complimentary action. You want something that monitors for VTAPE requests and handles them for the Hidro-Dynam/T environment. I doubt that Hidro has such exits. Also, do not forget about the need for logical backup of the VTAPE library. If you use Hidro to do a physical backup while the library is closed, you will not be able to restore a single VTAPE, you will have to restore the entire library. You could, of course, create a second library, restore to it, then copy the tape in question to your real (pun intended) VTAPE library. Regards, Richard Schuh > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Phil Smith III > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:55 AM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > "Shiminsky, Gary" wrote: > >We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an > interface > >with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our CMS & SFS > >material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. > > It's been a while, but I remember that DYNAM/T wasn't that > hard to interface with. It did have a nasty habit of losing > threads (per the then-DYNAM/T dev team), but hopefully that's > been fixed by now. > > ...phsiii >
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Do not lose track of the fact that VSSLTAPE is an application/TMS interface, not-VTAPE-system code/TMS. You might be able to create a tape pool that includes the potential volumes in your VTAPE library. That is only the easy piece. If you look at the sample VSSLTAPE, you will see that it is not trivial. It was designed to be used by two very specific applications. Those applications intercept the I/O interrupts occurring on specific real tape drives and all OPEN and CLOSE macros and call VSSLTAPE as required, simply to get real tapes mounted. What you are asking is the complimentary action. You want something that monitors for VTAPE requests and handles them for the Hidro-Dynam/T environment. I doubt that Hidro has such exits. Also, do not forget about the need for logical backup of the VTAPE library. If you use Hidro to do a physical backup while the library is closed, you will not be able to restore a single VTAPE, you will have to restore the entire library. You could, of course, create a second library, restore to it, then copy the tape in question to your real (pun intended) VTAPE library. Regards, Richard Schuh > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Phil Smith III > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 2:55 AM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > "Shiminsky, Gary" wrote: > >We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an > interface > >with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our CMS & SFS > >material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. > > It's been a while, but I remember that DYNAM/T wasn't that > hard to interface with. It did have a nasty habit of losing > threads (per the then-DYNAM/T dev team), but hopefully that's > been fixed by now. > > ...phsiii >
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
"Shiminsky, Gary" wrote: >We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an interface >with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our CMS & SFS >material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. It's been a while, but I remember that DYNAM/T wasn't that hard to interface with. It did have a nasty habit of losing threads (per the then-DYNAM/T dev team), but hopefully that's been fixed by now. ...phsiii
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Hi, Thanks for your reply. We use the other VMBACKUP product - HiDRO which does have an interface with Dynam/T/VM. HiDRO does a good job of backing up our CMS & SFS material except for Byte File System (BFS) directories in SFS. Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509 -Original Message- From: Quay, Jonathan (IHG) [mailto:jonathan.q...@ihg.com] Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 2:15 PM To: Shiminsky, Gary Subject: RE: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product Gary, many TPF shops use VTAPE since a TPF guy wrote it and it's a companion product to VPARS. It's been so long since I used Dynam/T and B, that I can't remember it. The only gotcha about VTAPE that I can think of is that somebody somewhere has to open the library before it can be used. We code a VTOPEN OUTLIB x in whomever's profile exec. Our almost exclusive use for VTAPE is as a virtual bit bucket for tape logging (VTMOUNT xxx DUMMY). TPF insists on logging to tape. One other good use for VTAPE I can think of is for incremental backups of cms files. Our backup software (VMBACKUP) has its own internal "dasd tape" support, so we just use that. -Original Message- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Shiminsky, Gary Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 1:09 PM To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product Hi, We are currently doing a trial of Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product. We were wondering if there were other users that have implemented this product. Our concern is that we run CA's Dynam/T/VM and would like VTAPE to interface with Dynam. VSSI supplies a customizable EXEC (VSSLTAPE) to allow interfacing VTAPE with other tape management products but their support group does not know how other user's of their product interface tape management software. If somebody already has a VSSLTAPE EXEC customized to interface with DYNAM/T/VM could you please share it with us? Also any GOTCHA's or advice on using the VTAPE would be appreciated. Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Hi, Thanks for your reply. I actually want Dynam/T/VM to manage the real tape that would be used for backing up and restoring the VTAPE libraries. Not much more than that on the z/VM side. I figured if someone had VSSLTAPE EXEC that was already customized for Dynam/T/VM it would save us a lot of time in implementing and testing it. VTAPE would be used primarily to virtualize our tape processing in our z/VSE systems (where we have Dynam/T/VSE running). Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509 -Original Message- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Schuh, Richard Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 2:20 PM To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product I have never tried anything like that, but have been using VTAPE since the early 1980s. VSSLTAPE was originally intended for use by VTBKUP and VTREST as the interface for getting real tapes mounted when backing up or restoring VTAPEs or the VTAPE Library. We have modifications for interfacing with VM:Tape, but not for Dynam/T and not for general use beyond their original purpose. If I am reading you correctly, what you are proposing goes way beyond VSSLTAPE's design and capabilities. It exists to provide an interface between specific utilities that are aware of it and call it to issue customized tape mount requests for real tapes that are managed by a tape library system. On the other hand, the tape management systems like VM:Tape and Dynam/T are not designed to handle tapes in a VTAPE library. Regards, Richard Schuh
Re: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
I have never tried anything like that, but have been using VTAPE since the early 1980s. VSSLTAPE was originally intended for use by VTBKUP and VTREST as the interface for getting real tapes mounted when backing up or restoring VTAPEs or the VTAPE Library. We have modifications for interfacing with VM:Tape, but not for Dynam/T and not for general use beyond their original purpose. If I am reading you correctly, what you are proposing goes way beyond VSSLTAPE's design and capabilities. It exists to provide an interface between specific utilities that are aware of it and call it to issue customized tape mount requests for real tapes that are managed by a tape library system. On the other hand, the tape management systems like VM:Tape and Dynam/T are not designed to handle tapes in a VTAPE library. Regards, Richard Schuh > -Original Message- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu] On Behalf Of Shiminsky, Gary > Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 10:09 AM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product > > Hi, > > We are currently doing a trial of Virtual Software Systems > Inc. VTAPE product. > > We were wondering if there were other users that have > implemented this product. > > Our concern is that we run CA's Dynam/T/VM and would like > VTAPE to interface with Dynam. > > VSSI supplies a customizable EXEC (VSSLTAPE) to allow > interfacing VTAPE with other tape management products but > their support group does not know how other user's of their > product interface tape management software. > > If somebody already has a VSSLTAPE EXEC customized to > interface with DYNAM/T/VM could you please share it with us? > > Also any GOTCHA's or advice on using the VTAPE would be appreciated. > > Gary > > Gary L. Shiminsky > > "I'm going to move you baby!" > Captain, USS Titanic > Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett > > Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc > At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center > State of New Hampshire > (603) 271-1509 > >
Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product
Hi, We are currently doing a trial of Virtual Software Systems Inc. VTAPE product. We were wondering if there were other users that have implemented this product. Our concern is that we run CA's Dynam/T/VM and would like VTAPE to interface with Dynam. VSSI supplies a customizable EXEC (VSSLTAPE) to allow interfacing VTAPE with other tape management products but their support group does not know how other user's of their product interface tape management software. If somebody already has a VSSLTAPE EXEC customized to interface with DYNAM/T/VM could you please share it with us? Also any GOTCHA's or advice on using the VTAPE would be appreciated. Gary Gary L. Shiminsky "I'm going to move you baby!" Captain, USS Titanic Legend of the USS Titanic - Jamie Brockett Systems & Communications Sciences, Inc At TSG, DoIT Services Data Center State of New Hampshire (603) 271-1509
