The Tape Control Utility allows the guest operating system to be able to create, delete, load and unload virtual tape container files on the host system. This can be very useful as it allows all the backup control logic to live on guest system.

Installation

After attaching the virtual disk, as described in Preparing to Install the Guest Utilities, use the POLYCENTER Software Installation (PCSI) utility to install the Tape Control Utility. The following example demonstrates the PCSI PRODUCT INSTALL commands to execute and the expected output (the example assumes the utilities virtual disk image is attached as DKA400:).

Tape Control Utility Installation

$ PRODUCT INSTALL EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL/SOURCE=DKA400:[TAPEUTIL]
%PCSI-I-CANNOTVAL, cannot validate DKA400:[TAPEUTIL]SRI-AXPVMS-EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL-V0101--1.PCSI;1
-PCSI-I-NOTSIGNED, product kit is not signed and therefore has no manifest file

The following product has been selected:
    SRI AXPVMS EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL V1.1      Layered Product

Do you want to continue? [YES] YES

Configuration phase starting ...

You will be asked to choose options, if any, for each selected product and for
any products that may be installed to satisfy software dependency requirements.

SRI AXPVMS EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL V1.1: Charon Emulator tape control utility V1.1 for OpenVMS Alpha.

    Copyright (C) 1976, 2009 Software Resources International

    EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL was produced by Software Resources International

* This product does not have any configuration options.

Execution phase starting ...

The following product will be installed to destination:
    SRI AXPVMS EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL V1.1      DISK$TARDISSYSTEM:[VMS$COMMON.]

Portion done: 0%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...100%

The following product has been installed:
    SRI AXPVMS EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL V1.1      Layered Product

SRI AXPVMS EMULATOR_TAPEUTIL V1.1: Charon Emulator tape control utility V1.1 for OpenVMS Alpha.

    Please add "@SYS$MANAGER:EMUCTL_SYMBOLS" to your system manager's LOGIN.COM procedure.

As the post-installation messages indicate the example above, it is recommended that the procedure SYS$MANAGER:EMUCTL_SYMBOLS.COM is added to either the system manager's login procedure, or the system-wide login procedure.

Once installation is complete, it is unnecessary to keep the utilities virtual disk mounted or attached to the virtual machine. It can be dismounted and removed from the configuration file.

Command Reference

TAPE_CREATE

Syntax

$ TAPE_CREATE container-path

Description

The TAPE_CREATE command accepts one parameter, container-path. This path indicates a file path on the host system where a virtual tape container file should be created.

TAPE_DELETE

Syntax

$ TAPE_DELETE container-path

Description

The TAPE_DELETE command accepts one parameter, container-path. This path specifies a virtual tape container file on the host system to be deleted.

TAPE_UNLOAD

Syntax

$ TAPE_UNLOAD device-name[:]

Description

The TAPE_UNLOAD command will detach (the equivalent of an eject) the virtual tape container file on the host system from the guest device-name.

TAPE_LOAD

Syntax

$ TAPE_LOAD device-name[:] container-path

Description

The TAPE_LOAD command will associate the host virtual tape container file in container-path with the guest tape device, device-name. Once loaded, normal mount, read, etc. operations can be performed on container-path.