Server based control of robotic libraries

1. A method for controlling a robotic storage library through a network, the method comprising:

receiving a request originating from the network, wherein the request is in a protocol and includes a command for the robotic storage library;

identifying a type for the request;

responsive to the type corresponding to a storage library type for the robotic storage library, translating the request in the protocol into a format used by the robotic storage library to form a type specific request for the robotic storage library; and

sending the type specific request to the robotic storage library.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robotic storage library is an automated cartridge system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protocol is a markup language protocol.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the markup language protocol is one of an extensible markup language protocol and a hypertext markup language protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving, identifying, translating, and sending steps are performed in a server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robotic storage library is a first robotic storage library and further comprising:

responsive to the request corresponding to a storage library type for a second robotic storage library, translating the request into a format used by the second robotic storage library to form a type specific request for the second robotic storage library; and

sending the type specific request for the second robotic storage library to the second robotic storage library.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request includes an identifier used to identify a particular robotic storage library for the request.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identifier is used to identify the type for the request.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first robotic storage library and the second robotic storage library are one of a same type and a different type.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translating step is performed in a servlet incorporating an application programming interface for the robotic storage library.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the servlet is a Java servlet.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application programming interface is one of a proprietary storage library and a small computer system interface based storage library.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robotic storage library is an automated cartridge system and the command is one of a command to mount a tape, a command to dismount a tape, a command to move a tape into the robotic storage library, a command to move a tape out of the automated cartridge system, a command to identify contents in the library, and a command to list device states for devices in the automated cartridge system, and a command to change device states for devices in the automated cartridge system to make the devices selectively available to a client.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received in response to a user input to a graphical user interface on a client connected to the network.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the graphical user interface is a Web browser.

16. A method in a data processing system for processing a request, the method comprising:

receiving the request at an interface to a network, wherein the request is formatted using a protocol and includes a command;

identifying a interface to a robotic storage library for the command in the request; and

generating a call to the interface using the request.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the interface is an application program interface for the robotic storage library.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the request is in an extensible markup language format.

19. A distributed data processing system comprising:

a network;

a robotic storage library connected to the network; and

a server connected to the network, wherein the server receives a request from the network in which the request is in a protocol for transport over the network and includes an identification, identifies a type using the identification, transforms the request into a specific format for the robotic storage library in response to the type being associated with the robotic storage library to form a type specific request, and sends the request to the robotic storage library.

20. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the network is an Internet.

21. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the network is at least one of a local area network, an intranet, and a wide area network.

22. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the robotic storage library is an automated cartridge system.

23. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the robotic storage library is connected to the network by the server.

24. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the robotic storage library is a robotic tape library.

25. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the robotic storage library is a first robotic storage library and further comprising:

a second robotic storage library connected to the network.

26. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the protocol is a markup language protocol.

27. The distributed data processing system of claim 26 , wherein the markup language protocol is one of an extensible markup language protocol and a hypertext markup language protocol.

28. The distributed data processing system of claim 19 further comprising:

a client connected to the network, wherein the client originates the request.

29. The distributed data processing system of claim 27 , wherein the client includes:

a control process, wherein the control process generates the request in the type for the robotic storage library; and

an interface process, wherein the interface process translates the request into a format for transfer on the network to the server.

30. A data processing system for controlling a robotic storage library through a network, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a request originating from the network, wherein the request is in a protocol and includes a command for the robotic storage library;

identifying means for identifying a type for the request;

translating means responsive to the type corresponding to a storage library type for the robotic storage library, for translating the request in the protocol into a format used by the robotic storage library to form a type specific request for the robotic storage library; and

sending means for sending the type specific request to the robotic storage library.

31. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the robotic storage library is an automated cartridge system.

32. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the protocol is a markup language protocol.

33. The data processing system of claim 32 , wherein the markup language protocol is one of an extensible markup language protocol and a hypertext markup language protocol.

34. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the receiving means, identifying means, translating means, and sending means are implemented in a server.

35. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the robotic storage library is a first robotic storage library, wherein the translating means is a first translating means, and wherein the sending means is a first sending means and further comprising:

second translating means responsive to the request corresponding to a storage library type for a second robotic storage library, for translating the request into a format used by the second robotic storage library to form a type specific request for the second robotic storage library; and

second sending means for sending the type specific request for the second robotic storage library to the second robotic storage library.

36. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the request includes an identifier used to identify a particular robotic storage library for the request.

37. The data processing system of claim 36 , wherein the identifier is used to identify the type for the request.

38. The data processing system of claim 35 , wherein the first robotic storage library and the second robotic storage library are one of a same type and a different type.

39. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the translating means is implemented in a servlet incorporating an application programming interface for the robotic storage library.

40. The data processing system of claim 39 , wherein the servlet is a Java servlet.

41. The data processing system of claim 39 , wherein the application programming interface is one of a proprietary storage library and a small computer system interface based storage library.

42. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the robotic storage library is an automated cartridge system and the command is of a command to mount a tape, a command to dismount a tape, a command move a tape into the robotic storage library, a command to move a tape out of the automated cartridge system, a command to identify contents in the library, and a command to list device states for devices in the automated cartridge system, and a command to change device states for devices in the automated cartridge system to make the devices selectively available to a client.

43. The data processing system of claim 30 , wherein the request is received in response to a user input to a graphical user interface on a client connected to the network.

44. The data processing system of claim 43 , wherein the graphical user interface is a Web browser.

45. A data processing system for processing a request, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving the request at an interface to a network, wherein the request is formatted using a protocol and includes a command;

identifying means for identifying a interface to a robotic storage library for the command in the request; and

generating means for generating a call to the interface using the request.

46. The data processing system of claim 45 , wherein the interface is an application program interface for the robotic storage library.

47. The data processing system of claim 45 , wherein the request is in an extensible markup language format.

48. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for controlling a robotic storage library through a network, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request originating from the network, wherein the request is in a protocol and includes a command for the robotic storage library;

second instructions for identifying a type for the request;

third instructions, responsive to the type corresponding to a storage library type for the robotic storage library, for translating the request in the protocol into a format used by the robotic storage library to form a type specific request for the robotic storage library; and

fourth instructions for sending the type specific request to the robotic storage library.

49. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing a request, the computer program product in a computer readable medium comprising:

first instructions for receiving the request at an interface to a network, wherein the request is formatted using a protocol and includes a command;

second instructions for identifying a interface to a robotic storage library for the command in the request; and

third instructions for generating a call to the interface using the request.