Method and apparatus for use in data transfer

Abstract

Apparatus for use in transferring data to or from a plurality of storage media, comprises means for identifying a most recently written to data storage media of said plurality of data storage media.

1 . Apparatus for use in transferring data to and/or from a plurality of storage media, comprising: 
 identification apparatus operable to identify a most recently written to data storage media of said plurality of data storage media.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 locating apparatus operable to locate a position in said apparatus of said most recently written to data storage media.    
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 acquisition apparatus operable to acquire said most recently written to data storage media.    
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 loading apparatus operable to load said most recently written data storage media.    
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a read/write device for reading from and writing to at least one data storage media.    
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , configured for storing said plurality of storage media.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said identification apparatus comprises; 
 a memory device configured for storing data relating to each of said plurality of data storage media.    
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said memory device comprises a non-volatile memory device.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said memory device is configured for providing data fields selected from the following set: 
 a data field for storing locations of said plurality of data storage media within said apparatus;    a data field for storing, for each said data storage media, a data describing a chronological order in which said data storage media was last written to, relative to at least one other said data storage media.    
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a user interface, said user interface operable for displaying a list of computer entities for which data has been recorded by said data storage unit.    
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a user interface, said user interface operable for displaying a list of said plurality of data storage media, and for each said data storage media, displaying a relative order in which said data storage media was last written to by the apparatus, relative to other ones of said plurality of data storage media.    
     
     
         12 . A data storage device comprising: 
 a plurality of physical locations for receiving a plurality of data storage media cartridges; and    a non-volatile memory operable to store data for distinguishing between said plurality of data storage media cartridges in said plurality of physical locations.    
     
     
         13 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a transport device for transporting said data storage media cartridges between said plurality of locations.    
     
     
         14  The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , in which: 
 said data storage device is operable to:  
 store data for use in recovering each said data storage media cartridge;  
 store data for identifying each said data storage media cartridge; and  
 store data relating to a last time at which each said data storage media cartridge was written to by said data storage device.  
 
     
     
         15 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , operable to: 
 store data relating to each of said plurality of data storage media cartridges, said data comprising, for each said data storage media cartridge;    data relating to a location of said data storage media cartridge; and    data relating to a date at which said data storage media cartridge was last written to.    
     
     
         16 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising: 
 a user interface, said user interface configured for displaying a list of computer entities for which data has been recorded by said data storage device.    
     
     
         17 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a user interface, said user interface operable for displaying a list of said plurality of data storage media cartridges, and for each said data storage media cartridge, a relative time at which said data storage media cartridge was last written to.    
     
     
         18 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , operable to carry out a restore operation by automatically selecting a last used said data storage media cartridge.  
     
     
         19 . A data storage device comprising: 
 a cartridge storage device having a plurality of locations, each said location capable of storing a data storage media cartridge;    a data storage media drive unit for reading from and writing to a plurality of data storage media cartridges;    an automatic loader device for loading said data storage media cartridges between said drive unit and said plurality of locations; and    a controller for controlling said media drive unit and said automatic-loader device;    wherein, said data storage device is operable to identify a most recently written to data storage media cartridge, and said controller devices controls said automatic loader device for loading said most recently written to data storage media cartridge into said data storage media drive unit.    
     
     
         20 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 19 , comprising: 
 a memory for storing data identifying individual ones of said data storage media cartridges; and    a component for identifying relative times at which individual ones of said data storage media cartridges were last written to.    
     
     
         21 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said user interface is operable to provide a menu display listing a plurality of computer entities for which data has been recorded by said data storage device.  
     
     
         22 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said user interface is operable for providing a menu display comprising a list of said plurality of data storage media cartridges.  
     
     
         23 . The data storage device as claimed in any  claim 19 , wherein said user interface is operable for activating an automatic selection of a data storage media cartridge, which is most recently written to.  
     
     
         24 . The data storage device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said user interface is operable for browsing a list of said plurality of data storage media cartridges, and for enabling a user to select a data storage media cartridge from said list.  
     
     
         25 . A method for automatically recording data for use in recovery of user data of a computer entity, in an automated data storage unit capable of containing a plurality of individual data storage media at once, said method comprising: 
 storing said data for use in recovering user data to a data storage medium; and    recording data relating to said data storage medium on which said recovery data is stored on.    
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein said step of recording data relating to said data storage medium comprises recording data relating to a location of said data storage medium.  
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 recording in a non-volatile memory, a relative time data relating to a time at which said data storage medium was last written to relative to other data storage media.    
     
     
         28 . An automatic operating system recovery method for automatically recovering an operating system of a computer entity, said method comprising: 
 maintaining a data storage medium in an automated data storage unit comprising a plurality of data storage media, said data storage medium holding data relating to said operating system; and    said automated data storage unit recording data relating to a location of said data storage medium on which said operating system recovery data is stored on;    automatically locating said stored data storage medium amongst said plurality of data storage media; and    automatically reading from said located data storage medium said recovery data.    
     
     
         29 . A method of operating a data storage unit comprising a media cartridge drive unit, and containing a plurality of data storage media cartridges, for providing a bootable image to a computer entity, said method comprising: 
 maintaining a list of a plurality of data storage media cartridges;    searching said list of data storage media cartridges;    identifying a latest written to data storage media cartridge;    ensuring that said identified latest written to data storage media cartridge is placed within said drive unit comprising said data storage unit; and    setting said drive unit to a mode in which said drive unit emulates a compact disk reader.    
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein said step of ensuring said drive unit contains a latest written to data storage media comprises: 
 identifying a location of said data storage media cartridge;    if said identified location is not a location in said drive unit, physically transferring said data storage media cartridge from said location to said drive unit.    
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 displaying a list of said plurality of data storage media cartridges, said list identifying;    each of said plurality of data storage media cartridges;    for each of said data storage media cartridges, a latest time at which said data storage media cartridge was last written to.    
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 displaying a list of data storage media cartridges, in a form which identifies an order in which said plurality of data storage media cartridges were written to.    
     
     
         33 . A method for automatically providing recovery data for enabling a computer entity to achieve a bootable condition, said recovery data stored on a data storage medium of a plurality of data storage media within an automated data storage unit, said method comprising: 
 storing said recovery data to a data storage medium, said recovery data comprising:    data relating to an operating system of said computer entity;    data relating to a configuration of said operating system;    data relating to a configuration of said computer entity;    application data; and    user data;    recording a location of said data storage medium within a plurality of locations;    receiving a signal for recovery of said data;    in response to said signal, selecting said data storage medium storing said latest recovery data, from a plurality of data storage media; and    making available said latest recovery data in CD format.    
     
     
         34 . Program data on a carrier, comprising program code having: 
 a database component capable of storing a list of a plurality of data storage media and data relating to each of said data storage media;    a recovery algorithm for controlling a data recovery operation of a computer entity; and    a search algorithm for searching said database to find a latest written to data storage media.    
     
     
         35  A controller device for controlling a data storage unit, said data storage unit comprising an automatic loader device; a read/write device for reading to and writing from said data storage media, said controller comprising: 
 a non-volatile memory configured to store a data base to contain data relating to data storage media in a plurality of locations of said data storage unit;  
 a search component for automatically finding a location of a most recently written said data storage medium; and  
 a control component for controlling an autoloader device to load said located data storage medium into said read/write device, in order to make available data of said most recently written to data storage medium.  
 
     
     
         36 . Computer program instructions on a data storage carrier, said instructions for controlling a data storage unit, said data storage unit comprising an automatic loader device; a read/write device for reading to and writing from said data storage media, said program instructions comprising: 
 a data base component for containing data relating to data storage media in a plurality of locations of said data storage unit;    a search component for automatically finding a location of a most recently written said data storage medium; and    a control component for controlling an autoloader device to load said located data storage medium into said read/write device, in order to make available data of said most recently written to data storage medium.    
     
     
         37 . A library device capable of holding a plurality of storage media, comprising: 
 an automatic media identifying component for identifying a most recently written to data storage media of said plurality of data storage media.    
     
     
         38 . An automated data storage unit for recording a data for use in recovery of user data of a computer entity, said automated data storage unit capable of containing a plurality of individual data storage media at once, said unit comprising: 
 means for storing said data for use in recovering user data to a data storage medium; and    means for recording data relating to said data storage medium on which said recovery data is stored on.    
     
     
         39 . Apparatus for use in transferring data to and/or from a plurality of storage media, comprising: means for identifying a most recently written to data storage media of said plurality of storage media.  
     
     
         40 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 means for locating a position in said apparatus of said most recently written to data storage media.    
     
     
         41 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 means for acquiring said most recently written to data storage media.    
     
     
         42 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 means for loading said most recently written data storage media.    
     
     
         43 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 a read/write device for reading from and writing to at least one data storage media.    
     
     
         44 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , configured for storing said plurality of storage media.  
     
     
         45 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein said means for identifying comprises; 
 a memory device configured for storing data relating to each of said plurality of data storage media.