Media library system and method for monitoring changes in inventory of media cartridges
View Patent ↗A method for monitoring changes in an inventory of media cartridges in a media library includes the steps of determining with a controller that the inventory of media cartridges in the media library has changed, and asynchronously reporting with the controller the specific change in inventory of media cartridges that has occurred in the media library. The method can also include the step of determining whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library, or whether the change in inventory did not include an increase or decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library. Further, the method can also include the step of determining whether the change in inventory of media cartridges is required to be reported. A media library system includes a media library having a plurality of media cartridges, and a controller that determines a change in an inventory of media cartridges in the media library. In certain embodiments, the controller asynchronously and selectively reports a specific change in the inventory of media cartridges in the media library.
1. A method for monitoring changes in an inventory of media cartridges within a media library, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying with a controller a change in the inventory of media cartridges within the media library; and
selectively reporting with the controller, in a manner that is asynchronous to the step of identifying, the change in inventory of media cartridges within the media library.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the change in inventory resulted in a change in one or more cartridge identifiers within the media library.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the change in inventory of media cartridges is required to be reported.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes bypassing reporting of a change in inventory if the change in inventory is initiated by a command to export or import one of the media cartridges.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory is not initiated by a command to export or import one of the media cartridges.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurs to a selected subset of media cartridges within the media library.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurs during a predetermined period of time.
9. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurred while an unauthorized user is logged in to a system that at least partially controls the media library.
10. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurred following a power up of a system that at least partially controls the media library.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of assessing the inventory following the occurrence of an event.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the event includes one of opening or closing of a mailbox of the media library.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the event includes powering up of the media library.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the event includes one of opening or closing of a door of the media library.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of comparing the inventory following the event with the inventory prior to the event.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes the controller sending a simple network management protocol (SNMP) trap notification.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes the controller sending an electronic mail notification.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes the controller sending an SMI-S indication.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes the controller reporting the change in inventory to a user interface.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes reporting a time that the change in inventory in the media library was determined.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of asynchronously and selectively reporting includes reporting a location of the change in inventory in the media library.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the cpccific change in inventory includes reporting a unique identifier of one of the media cartridges.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the unique identifier includes a barcode label.
24. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a user interface that includes options for configuring the reporting of the change in inventory of the media cartridges within the media library.
25. A method for monitoring changes in the presence of media within a media library, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying with a controller a change in inventory of media cartridges within the media library;
determining whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library;
determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported; and
reporting the change in inventory when reporting the change in inventory is determined to be required;
wherein the step of reporting occurs asynchronously to the steps of identifying, determining whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease, and determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory is not initiated by a command to export or import one of the media cartridges.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurs to a selected subset of media cartridges within the media library.
28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurs during a predetermined period of time.
29. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurred while an unauthorized user is logged in to a system that at least partially controls the media library.
30. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of determining whether the change in inventory is required to be reported includes reporting the change in inventory if the change in inventory occurred following a power up of a system that at least partially controls the media library.
31. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of assessing the inventory following the occurrence of an event.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of opening or closing of a mailbox of the media library, powering up of the media library and opening or closing of a door of the media library.
33. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of comparing the inventory following the event with the inventory prior to the event.
34. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asynchronously reporting includes the controller sending a simple network management protocol (SNMP) trap notification.
35. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asynchronously reporting includes reporting a time that the change in inventory in the media library was determined.
36. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of asynchronously reporting includes reporting a location of the change in inventory in the media library.
37. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of providing a user interface that includes options for configuring the reporting of the change in inventory of the media cartridges within the media library.
38. A media library system comprising:
a media library including a plurality of media cartridges; and
a controller that identifies a change in an inventory of media cartridges within the media library, the controller selectively reporting the change in the inventory of media cartridges within the media library asynchronously with identifying the change in the inventory of media cartridges within the media library.
39. The media library system of claim 38 wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the change in inventory included an increase or a decrease in the quantity of media cartridges within the media library.
40. The media library system of claim 38 wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the change in inventory is required to be reported.
41. The media library system of claim 38 wherein the controller is configured to assess the inventory following the occurrence of an event.
42. The media library system of claim 41 wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of opening or closing of a mailbox of the media library, powering up of the media library and opening or closing of a door of the media library.
43. The media library system of claim 41 wherein the controller is configured to compare the inventory following the event with the inventory prior to the event.
44. The media library system of claim 41 wherein the controller is configured to send a simple network management protocol (SNMP) trap notification.
45. The media library system of claim 38 further comprising a user interface that allows configuring of the reporting of the change in inventory of the media cartridges within the media library.