Very large robotic library systems are formed by linking two or more stand-alone libraries together. Each stand-alone library consists of a library storage module having hundreds to thousands of cells for storing data cartridges, one or more read/write cartridge drives, one or more robotic arms for moving the data cartridges between the cells and read/write cartridge drives, and one or more library controllers. Inter-library data cartridge transfers are accomplished by a device called a pass through port. Each pass through port has the ability to move one or more data cartridges at a time between the two library that it couples together. Coordination of data cartridge movement through a pass through port is usually accomplished in a master/slave relationship. One library controls the pass through port as a master, the other library operates as a slave.
In very large robotic library systems, each library is often coupled to several of its neighbor libraries by the pass through ports. This is done to provide multiple paths entering and exiting each library. This also results in multiple paths between any two given libraries in the robotic library system. Should one path fail or become busy with other tasks, a data cartridge can be transferred between libraries by an alternative path.
Coordination of inter-library data cartridge transfers is accomplished by one or more library management units. Each library management unit is aware of the configuration of the robotic library system, and has the ability to communicate with all, or at least some of the libraries. The library management unit is thus given the responsibility of instructing individual libraries when and where to move a given data cartridge in order to move that data cartridge from a source library to a destination library.
Problems can arise when the library management units have the wrong information about the configuration of the robotic library system. Incorrect information is currently introduced at installation and expansion times. Installers manually enter configuration data into the library management unit since the hardware lacks a capability for self-discovery. Existing installations have included as many as sixteen libraries interconnected by up to twenty-nine pass through ports. Manual configuration entry becomes even more prone to manually induced error when the robotic library system has multiple library management units. The installers must enter the exact same information into all of the library management units to insure proper operations.
Another source of manually induced error comes from the clients who use the very large robotic library systems. Client generated code that is dependent upon the robotic library system configuration must have the exact same information that the installer entered into the library management units. Any mismatch between the client generated code and the library management unit concerning the configuration can result in unwanted and unexpected operations.