AFLIB: Fact Sheet

What is AFLIB?

Automount Facility Library (AFLIB) allows an installation running MVS to automate creation and retrieval of emulated tape volumes. AFLIB runs under MVS on either a FLEX-ES mainframe or on a traditional mainframe. (In the case of the traditional mainframe, an ESCON or parallel channel connection to a FLEXCUB server hosting a virtual tape controller is additionally required.) With AFLIB, FakeTapes are managed by an emulated automated tape library not unlike a hardware-based automated tape library. Instead of being stored on tapes, however, the data is stored on server disks. To better understand AFLIB, one first must understand FSI FakeTape™.

What virtual tape volume encoding formats are supported?

FakeTape is Fundamental Software’s trademarked emulated-tape file format. In essence, FakeTape emulates a mainframe-attached tape drive so that data is written to or read from a server disk file rather than a tape on a tape drive. I/O directed at the device address of an MVS defined tape drive is redirected by FLEX-ES or FLEXCUB to a regular UNIX or Linux file on the server where FLEX-ES I/O emulation is executing. From MVS’s perspective, however, FakeTapes look no different from real tapes – they must be standard-label and can be file protected. They can, if desired, be much longer than conventional magnetic tape media since their size is limited only by available disk space.

AFLIB supports both FakeTape and AWSTAPE file formats; its makescr utility used to create new scratch volumes provides a parameter that specifies which kind of volume to create. When AFLIB erases a volume, it leaves the file in the same format (AWSTAPE or FakeTape).

AWSTAPE encoded tapes can be automatically compressed at the user’s option.

What does AFLIB do?

AFLIB automates the mounting of virtual tape volumes on FLEX-ES and FLEXCUB emulated 3420, 3422, 3423, 3430, 3480, 3490, 3490-E, and 3590 devices by grouping disk-resident tape volume files together on the server into virtual tape libraries. When an MVS system asks for a tape, AFLIB routes the request to the appropriate server, where it is automatically mounted. AFLIB works cooperatively with IBM’s DFSMS tape library management functions.

Multiple MVS Library Support

AFLIB supports access by MVS to up to 99 different libraries in the local file system, on FLEXCUB servers, or a combination of both. Each library is associated with a range of device addresses, and AFLIB uses the MVS device number to determine what server to contact. The MVS libraries can be stand-alone libraries, system-managed libraries, or any combination.

An AFLIB library can be shared for concurrent access by more than one MVS system. MVS systems can be running on FLEX-ES emulated mainframes or traditional mainframes. A FLEX-ES emulated mainframe can access libraries on the server host upon which it is running with no additional hardware. Both FLEX-ES mainframes and traditional mainframes can access AFLIB libraries through an ESCON channel-attached FLEXCUB server.

DFSMS Library Integration

AFLIB supports system-managed libraries through the Object-Access-Method (OAM) support for MTL-type libraries. AFLIB updates the server inventory when changes occur in the DFSMS Tape Configuration Data Base (TCDB) due to jobs, the MVS operator’s LIBRARY command, or the DFSMS storage administrator’s ISPF library maintenance panels (ISMF). AFLIB includes a powerful reconciliation utility that can install a server’s inventory in the DFSMS tape configuration database and that can detect and correct discrepancies between the library inventory on the server and the TCDB should any occur.

With DFSMS integration support, the operator can receive warnings at thresholds set by the DFSMS administrator that additional scratch volumes need to be added to the server inventory.

For customers who do not wish to use the system-managed library support, AFLIB includes functions for library inventory, library maintenance, and automated mounting of AWSTAPE or FakeTape encoded volumes.

IBM Removable Media Manager

AFLIB supports DFSMSrmm, the IBM Removable Media Manager, 5694-A01, on z/OS Version 1, Release 4, or later. Changes made by RMM inventory management and the EDGINERS initialization utility are automatically synchronized by AFLIB with the server inventory.

What releases of MVS are supported by AFLIB?

AFLIB supports OS/390 Version 2, Release 10 (without DFSMS integration), or z/OS Versions 1.4, 1.5, or 1.6.

What release of FLEX-ES is required?

AFLIB requires FLEX-ES Release 7.0.4 or higher or a FLEXCUB server at that level.

IBM, MVS, z/OS, and DFSMSrmm are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. (IBM).

FLEX-ES is a registered trademark of Fundamental Software, Inc.
FakeTape, AFMNT, FLEXCUB, and AFLIB are trademarks of Fundamental Software, Inc.