Product Overview
The MCP TapeStack utility provides the ability for multiple tape volumes to be copied and stacked onto a single tape volume, and then later retrieved and recreated in their native format.
The advantages of using the MCP TapeStack utility include
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Media consolidation
The MCP TapeStack utility can greatly reduce the number of tape media cartridges you need. It enables you to stack multiple tape volumes onto a single stacked tape.
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Media migration
The MCP TapeStack utility enables you to migrate from older, potentially obsolete, tape media types to newer higher capacity and performance tape media types. For example, you can stack many existing 18- and 36-track tapes onto a single LTO tape. You can retrieve the original tape volumes and re-create them on modern tape media, such as LTO, 9x40, and SDLT.
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Cost savings
You can dramatically reduce the number of tape cartridges that you need. The MCP TapeStack utility enables you to consolidate and migrate media. In addition, you can replace older tape drives with newer ones.
General Features
The key stacking features of the MCP TapeStack utility include
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Reading multiple source tapes in their native format and writing them in an encoded (stacked) format to a single destination tape.
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Reading a stacked tape, decoding a previously stacked tape image, and creating a new tape in its native format.
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Reading multiple source tapes in their native format and writing them in an encoded (stacked) format to the end of an existing stacked destination tape.
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Combining multiple, previously stacked tapes into a single stacked tape that contains all the stacked tape images from the input stacked tapes.
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Making a duplicate copy of a stacked tape.
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Logically invalidating a specific stacked tape volume on a stacked tape.
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Listing the contents of a stacked tape.
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Reading a set of native format tapes to determine how much data is on the tapes. This feature is useful as an assessment tool to determine the current tape utilization and the value of using the MCP TapeStack utility.
The MCP TapeStack utility also has tape encryption and decryption features. The tape encryption features are packaged as part of the Tape Encryption product and priced separately. The tape decryption features are included in the operating environment.
Ordering Information
Some MCP TapeStack utility functions are included as part of the operating environment, while other functions are separately priced and packaged.
The following functions of the MCP TapeStack utility are included in the operating environment:
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UNSTACK
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DIRECTORY
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RECREATEDIRECTORY
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SIZE
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HELP
The following stacking functions of the MCP TapeStack utility are separately priced and packaged:
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STACK
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APPEND
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CONSOLIDATE
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DUPLICATE
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INVALIDATE
The ordering style for these functions is CSP10nn-MTS, where nn represents performance groups 10 through 160 (in increments of 10).
The tape encryption features are packaged as part of the Tape Encryption product and priced separately.
Product Information
Refer to the System Software Utilities Operations Reference Manual (8600 0460) for more information.
