IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition for Windows Version 2.4.5

-------------------
 README for Windows
-------------------

This README file applies to IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition for Windows Version 2.4.5,
and to all subsequent releases, modifications, and service refreshes, until otherwise indicated
in a new README file.

This README file provides late-breaking information that may not have been incorporated
into the IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition Information Center.

IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition online user's guidance:
============================================================
You can find information about IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition in the
online IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition documentation that is available on the IBM Documentation:

   https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spectrum-archive-le

Usage examples:
===============
0. Set PATH to include python.exe

1. Starting IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition:
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - List the available tape libraries by using ltfslsdev.exe as shown in the following example:

    > ltfslsdev

  - Issue ltfs.exe with the appropriate options and a drive letter as shown in the following example:

    > ltfs -o changer_devname=2.0.2.1 L


2. Confirm the library status.

  2.1. Confirm the tape cartridge status.
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Run the "leadm" command as shown in the following example:

    > python leadm tape list

  2.2. Confirm the drive status.
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Run the "leadm" command as shown in the following example:

    > python leadm drive list

3. Format the tape cartridges in the library.
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Run the "leadm" command as shown in the following example:

    > python leadm tape format barcode1 barcode2...

4. Remove a tape cartridge from the library.

  4.1. Remove the tape cartridge from the file system and move it to the I/E slot.
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Run the "leadm" command as shown in the following example:

    > python leadm tape unassign barcode
    > python leadm tape move -L ieslot barcode

  4.2. Open the I/E slot and physically remove the tape cartridges.

5. Add a tape cartridge to the library.

  5.1. Insert the tape cartridge into the I/E slot.

  5.2. Add the tape cartridge to the file system.
  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Run the "leadm" command as shown in the following example:

    > python leadm tape assign barcode

6. Unmount a tape library.

  - Open a command prompt and go to the install directory (default: C:\Program Files\IBM\LTFS).
  - Issue ltfsunmount.exe with the drive letter as shown in the following example:

    > ltfsunmount L


Note to users:
==============

  General Notice
  --------------
  - Refer to the documents distributed with the tape library and IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition.
  - The IBM LTO and TS1140 tape drives provide the hardware for data compression. The amount of
    written data on a tape can vary from the original data size.
  - The ltfsadmitool utility will become obsolete in 2018. There is no plan to add new functions, only maintenance.

  Timing of data commitment
  -------------------------
  - IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition commits data when it writes the file's index information.
    This operation is initiated by unmounting the tape library, invoking the Windows application
    interface "FlushFileBuffers" for the tape library, or the setting of the sync option (-o sync_type=xxx).
  - When a write error occurs, any file index that has not been written cannot be recovered.
  - Do not restart the system or the tape library while Spectrum Archive Library Edition is mounting the tape library
    because data will be lost.
  - Be careful that automatic-restart operations, like Windows Update, do not shut down
    the system while Spectrum Archive Library Edition is writing data to the medium because data will be lost and
    the medium will enter an inconsistent state.


  When you change tape drive firmware
  -------------------------------------
  - Before you change tape drive firmware, remove the tape drive by using the "leadm" command.


  IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition for Windows does not support the following features
  ----------------------------------------------------------
  - Access Control List (ACL)
    IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition also does not support the CACLS command.

  - Directory change notification
    A manual refresh of Windows Explorer (by pressing the F5 key or selecting View > Refresh
    from the menu) is required to view an update in the IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition namespace.

  - Create/Delete symbolic links
    Even though the MKLINK command returns with a successful status, you cannot access a link file.

  - The following item is not supported by IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition in the "Folder Properties" window:
     - The functions "Folder pictures" and "Folder icons" under the "Customize" tab.



Known Issues:
=============

  Crash of Windows Explorer
  -------------------------
  - The windows explorer crashes when a file write error happens in the following conditions:
    - An I/O error happens while writing a file.
    - Make an attempt to write a file to a write-protected tape.

  Size on disk display
  --------------------
  - The File Properties window incorrectly displays the "Size on disk" value of a file as
    a multiple of 512 bytes. Unlike a disk-based file system, IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition can store a file
    of any length on a tape without padding.


  Total size and free size for the root directory
  ------------------
  - The root directory has directories that correspond to the bar codes on the
    cartridges. To know the size and free size for the directories, IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition would have
    to mount all cartridges. Therefore, Spectrum Archive Library Edition provides fixed values, 1125899906318336 bytes (0.98PB),
    for the total size and free size.


  CIFS with SMB2
  --------------
  - You could encounter the following problems when accessing IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition through network sharing:
    - Files with names that have characters that are mapped to a different code point when they
      are normalized with NFC rules, according to the LTFS format specification, are not
      found from the client side. (For example: Angstrom)
    - Files that have just been created on the client side are not found.


    This problem is caused by SMB2 protocol behavior. Disable SMB2 in order to resolve these problems.

    For more information about NFC rules, refer to the LTFS format specification on the web:
      https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ssg1S7003166

    For more information about disabling SMB2, refer to the online IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition documentation
    that is available on IBM Documentatiom:
      https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spectrum-archive-le

  CIFS with Mac OS X Client
  -------------------------
  The following issues were encountered when using the Mac OS X client:

  - mv command
    It is possible that you will not be able to move files with the mv command.

  - Change time
    The change time of a file or directory is not displayed correctly when you use
    IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition from a Mac OS X Client through CIFS. (For example: ls -lc command.)
    It could look the same as the modify time, but the change time is correctly set in
    the Spectrum Archive cartridge. On a local machine, the correct change time is displayed.

  - Finder
    It is possible to experience performance degradation when a user accesses a Spectrum Archive
    volume from a Mac OS X client with Finder. This is because Finder could implement
    reading access to a volume without intending to. It is recommended that users don't
    use Finder for accessing an IBM Spectrum Archive volume through network sharing from a Mac OS X client.
    It is also possible to experience performance degradation if a user opens a Finder
    window before using IBM Spectrum Archive Library Edition, even if no volume was accessed at that time.

  - Extended Attribute
    - You cannot set or copy extended attributes from a Mac OS X client with the xattr
      command because the Mac OS X client uses a different mechanism to store these
      attributes. If you try to set an extended attribute by using the xattr -w command
      from a  Mac OS X client, it is not stored as an extended attribute, but instead
      is stored in another file. No extended attribute information can be retrieved from
      this file on a Windows system.
    - You can set a Windows invalid character to an extended attribute name from Mac OS X.
      You cannot access this extended attribute from a Windows system.


  CIFS with a Red Hat Client
  -----------------------
  The following issue was encountered when using the Red Hat 5 client:

  - Data zero is written intermittently when you write data from a Red Hat 5 client
    through CIFS, especially in a system-overloaded condition. This problem is not
    noticeable during writing because there is no error message from the system.

  Cartridge capacity information
  ------------------------------
  Cartridge total capacity and remaining capacity is preserved only in the following cases:
  - A first-time upgrade from LTFS 2.1.2.2 or previous releases to IBM Spectrum Archive 2.1.5.0 or later.
  - An upgrade from LTFS 2.1.2.3 or subsequent releases to IBM Spectrum Archive 2.1.5.0.

  Cartridge total capacity and remaining capacity is lost (back to 0) in the following cases:
  - An upgrade from LTFS 2.1.2.2 or previous releases to LTFS 2.1.2.3 or later (but not to IBM Spectrum Archive 2.1.5.0 or later)


END OF DOCUMENT
