Systems and methods for sharing media in a computer network

1. A method for dynamically sharing a magnetic media volume in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a volume sharing request associated with a magnetic media volume;

removing, in response to the volume sharing request, an association between a first media management module and the magnetic media volume;

associating according to a first selection logic a second media management module with the magnetic media volume, wherein said associating according to the first selection logic comprises determining with a storage manager module an availability of the second media management module and at least one other media management module;

storing in a first index a first access path to the magnetic media volume, the first index being maintained by the second media management module; and

storing in a second index a second access path to the magnetic media volume, the second index being maintained by the storage manager module.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining an availability comprises determining loads of the second media management module and the at least one other media management module.

3. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising sharing the first index with a plurality of media management modules.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second access path comprises the first access path.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said removing in response to the volume sharing request comprises removing in response to a request initiated by the storage manager module.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said removing in response to the volume sharing request comprises removing in response to a storage operation request initiated by a client module.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the storage operation request comprises a backup request.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting the second access path to the client module.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting the magnetic media volume with the second media management module.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said removing comprises directing the first media management module to assume a deactivated state with respect to the magnetic media volume, and said associating comprises directing the second media management module to assume an activated state with respect to the magnetic media volume.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said directing the first media management module comprises directing the first media management module to execute a listening process for detecting an instruction to reassume an activated state.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first selection logic comprises a schedule for performing at least one of a backup operation and a restore operation.

13. A system for dynamically sharing a media volume in a network, the system comprising:

a storage manager module;

a first media management module communicatively coupled to a media volume and the storage manager module;

a second media management module communicatively coupled to the media volume and the storage manager module;

wherein the storage manager module is programmed to:

remove, in response to a volume sharing request, an association between the first media management module and the media volume,

determine an availability of the second media management module and at least one other media management module, and

associate, according to the availability and a first selection logic, the second media management module with the media volume;

a first index associated with the second media management module, the first index storing an association between the second media management module and the media volume; and

a second index associated with the storage manager module, the second index storing the association between the second media management module and the media volume.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the association between the second media management module and the media volume comprises an index entry.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the association between the second media management module and the media volume comprises an access path.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first media management module and the second media management module are coupled to the media volume such that only one of the first media management module and the second media management module is configured to control the media volume at a time.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the storage manager module is configured to receive a plurality of volume sharing requests from a plurality of client devices.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the storage manager module is further configured to determine a load of the second media management module and the at least one other media management module.

19. A system for dynamically sharing a media volume in a network, the system comprising:

first means for controlling a storage media volume;

second means for controlling the storage media volume;

means for directing, in response to a volume sharing request, said first controlling means to assume a deactivated state with respect to the storage media volume and for directing, according to a first selection logic, said second controlling means to assume an activated state with respect to the storage media volume, wherein said directing according to the first selection logic comprises determining an availability of said second controlling means and at least one other means for controlling the storage media volume; and

means for storing a first access path to the storage media volume, said means for storing the first access path being maintained by said second controlling means; and

means for storing a second access path to the storage media volume, said means for storing the second access path being maintained by said directing means.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein determining an availability comprises determining loads of said second controlling means and said at least one other means for controlling the storage media volume.