The Secure Data Solution^® is an integrated hardware and software solution. It enhances the efficiency of existing mainframe tape storage operations by reducing the number of operators needed to handle tape mounts/dismounts, tape retrieval, and off-site tape storage.

The Secure Data Solution eliminates the need for operators to manually mount or dismount tapes, speeding up processing time and eliminating possible errors. Operators can concentrate on other duties, knowing that tape requests are handled automatically without errors.

The Secure Data Solution automatically moves the proper virtual tape images to off-site storage, secured and encrypted, and enables operators to quickly and easily recover archived tape images. It stores all data using SecureAgent's industry-proven encryption technology, used by many of the world's largest data centers.

The Secure Data Solution can automatically archive data to fibre channel- attached 3590 tape drives or to DVDs via a robotic DVD writer. The Solution can automatically print descriptive and accurate tape information on the surface of the DVD.

The Secure Data Solution features these key components:

IDG 9480® Tape Emulation Module

IDG 9481® Remote Storage Module

IDG 9482 Tape Control Module

IDG 9485® Library Control Module

IDG 9487 Tape Control Module

SA SAN Storage Control Module

Secure Data Solution

The patented & patent pending Secure Data Solution includes a component that is installed and executed on the mainframe processor for MVS type systems. The purpose of this inboard component is to transmit information to the IDG 9480^® to transfer items such as the scratch list and vault movement list, both retrieved from the mainframe's tape catalog.

Additionally, tape mount messages that indicate the tape volume serial number to be mounted upon a particular drive are also transferred through this interface. Additionally, the IDG 9480 can interface with TPF and VSE  operating consoles for automatically receiving and responding to mount messages and for handling scratch and vault movement information.

Receipt of the tape scratch list automatically updates the IDG 9480 catalog to reflect which tapes are considered scratch candidates, while the receipt of the vault movement list automatically updates the IDG 9485^® catalog to reflect which tapes are to be transmitted to the offsite data storage component. The off-site storage unit can be instructed to copy or move tape images to an archive unit.

The archive unit exists to write the encrypted tape read-only images onto removable storage, such as DVD or fibre channel attached tape devices for archival requirements. The archival unit is also able to restore thesel tape images as required.

In addition to the information in the IDG 9480 catalog that is modified by the inboard component or the outboard operations control interface, the transmission of tapes from the emulated device unit to the offsite data storage component, and vice versa, is reflected in the same IDG 9485 catalog. Therefore, all of the information regarding a specific tape is retained within the IDG 9485 catalog.

IDG 9485^® Secure Tape Catalog

The Secure Tape Catalog component is a database repository of tape-related information regarding each tape used by the tape emulator. It manages the disposition of tapes and is therefore much like a mainframe’s internal tape catalog.

The Secure Tape Catalog is crucial to the operation of the system and is therefore replicated to one or more remote locations. Along with the primary data element used to identify a specific tape (the volume serial number), it indicates the information necessary to manage the tape images.

SecureAgent^® Administrator (SAA)

The administrative component provides a human administrator the ability to manage the behavior of the Secure Data Solution using SecureAgent administrative functions. Through their use, a client administration application is able to establish a secured connection to the Secure Tape Catalog, tape emulator, remote data storage and remote archiver component.

The administrator may view and manipulate configuration, policy and tape information from local or remote locations. As an example, the administrator may perform such tasks as instructing that a particular tape image should be recovered from the offsite data storage component to the emulated device unit for a later anticipated mount.

Host Information Component

The Host Information Component supplies the Secure Data Solution with all information required from the host, including: tapes to be scratched, tapes to be transmitted to vault, tape mount requests, and tape retrieval (recall) requests.

 The information relating to tape scratches, tape vaulting and tape retrieval is collected periodically by the Host Information Component from the host processor’s tape catalog.

The information relating to tape mount requests is collected as they occur by intercepting operator messages. For a tape to be scratched, transferred to vault, or recalled, the Secure Data Solution correspondingly updates the Secure Tape Catalog.

For a tape to be mounted, the mount request is relayed to the emulated tape drive indicated in the request, with the request being parsed as necessary per the host processor’s tape mount request message format.

If, for any reason, the tape mount cannot be satisfied, a message is sent through the control path to the Host Information Component so that an operator message may be issued indicating the reason why the request cannot be serviced. Additionally, information maintained on behalf of the emulated tape device is updated to reflect the current status so that an administrator is able to review it.

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