Automatic Storage Manager
a global solution for Storage Management

ASM is a product set designed to provide site administrators and users with a convenient disk management facility in the GCOS 8 environment. ASM includes complete file storage management functions.

ASM is a key component of Bull’s Automated System Operation (ASO) strategy in the domain of file and media management. ASM provides the following :

• Physical storage management
• Logical storage management
• ASM services for all GCOS 8 modes (accommodation or virtual).

The ASM offer covers the complete range of storage management tasks, and the high degree of automation contributes to improving business efficiency, application availability and system performance.

ASM Global Architecture

ASM-PFM

With ASM-PFM, files can be migrated, in other words, the file data can be stored on tape or cartridge with only the FMS (File Management System) structure remaining on disk, which can be used as a file reference name in Job Control Language (JCL) statements. A file can also be archived when it is stored on tape/ cartridge but no FMS structure remains on disk. Files archived this way cannot be automatically retrieved by ASM-PFM.

Users can benefit from a time sharing interface (Storage Management Services) which enables them to initiate file migration and/or archival and retrieval actions.
Users can obtain information about files in the ASM-PFM repository, modify expiration dates, erase files from the repository and query the results of previous commands, issue commands to process, and archive files. Systems administrators can obtain reports for maintenance use.
The features providing Migration and Archiving are based on the store process. The store request can be initialized either by an ASM-PFM utility, by an ASM-LFM request in the batch environment (with API), or directly by TSS (Time Sharing System) query using SMS (Store Management Services) commands. Files which are candidates for archiving or migration are selected by storage management criteria or by the last access date or retention date.

ASM-PFM avoids the possibility of job abort when not enough space is available for a file in a job. If space is lacking, ASM-PFM migrates seldom used files to release space and the dynamic file extension request is re-executed. This process is controlled by the user or administrator.
ASM-PFM manages all information on archived or migrated files in a repository. Administration utilities are used to consolidate active files from previous store execution onto fewer media volumes, thus freeing inactive media volumes, and provide automatic scratching of volumes using the TMS 8 (Tape Management System) facility.
Other utilities provide backup or site merging capability for the repository volumes. Various reports provide the site administrator with data on the characteristics of the repository data and physical volumes.

ASM-LFM

ASM-LFM provides automatic and synchronized management of disk file generations and activities, enabling the use of logical commands (for example, "Restore all input files of the payroll chain used three months ago").
ASM-LFM uses logical references for file naming rather than physical strings, and is better adapted to the demands of system analysts controlling applications. ASM-LFM automatically manages space allocation for file generation, and provides file management facilities based on the valid lifetime of file generations, in order to maintain only vital data on-line.

Disk file generations can be referenced by absolute file generation, relative file generation or named file generation. A generation is kept active according to the number of currently active generations (up to 9999), the time elapsed since its creation, and the dependencies of activities and tasks.

ASM-LFM handles automatic save management, based on defined rules.
ASM-LFM insures long term production security and makes it possible to restart old processes. Saves are launched automatically according to rules defined by the user (application analyst) in the ASM-LFM database.
ASM-LFM maintains a record of all save media and their contents, and can find any file generation which is not obsolete.
ASM-LFM transparently restores a previous file generation on disk when a job requires this file.
ASM-LFM accesses GCOS 8 services through the ASM Server.
ASM-LFM supplies utility programs and commands which facilitate the tracking and analysis of disk space occupancy for batch application files.
ASM-LFM uses ASM services to archive file generations for saving on CTL or tape with the TMS 8 facility.

  ASM, a solution based on Hierarchical Storage Management

ASM is Bull’s key offer for GCOS 8 storage management requirements, and is fully integrated in the GCOS 8 environment. ASM provides automatic retrieval of files referenced by production job streams.
ASM uses the features of Bull’s Cartridge Tape Library (CTL) offer to provide a powerful combination of very fast on-line access to conventional mass storage subsystems and rapid retrieval capability from CTL subsystems. ASM provides file migration services between on-line (disk), near-line (CTL) and off-line (tape) storage media.
ASM uses this concept of hierarchical storage to optimize data residency times. Only data that have to be accessed very rapidly (databases) and very frequently (daily) are left on-line.

Other data can be migrated or archived onto slower and less expensive media, and can be automatically re-installed on-line when required.

ASM, a solution for Automation in Application File Management

ASM provides logical file management services to simplify disk file use by batch applications.

Disk file generation simplifies the management of multiple generations, since each file is tied to a job execution. Sequential disk file concatenation simplifies program input, with multiple sequential files having the same data structure. File context management for batch jobs automates the action at the end of activities and simplifies re-execution of a job or activity with the correct file generations.

The automation features of the ASM solution provide cost-efficient use of system operations personnel. Specialized analysts will have more time for unscheduled tasks such as user requests and unplanned jobs. The quality of the information processing service is increased, with better global availability for applications and data, and better performance.

Global Benefits with Automatic Storage Manager

The benefits of Automatic Storage Manager include the following :

• Increasing the productivity of personnel involved in data and storage management operations, by enabling the system to perform as many storage management tasks as possible and by insulating users as much as possible from considerations of performance, space location and device management.
• Increasing the efficiency of the storage management function by centralizing control, automating tasks, and providing interactive controls for storage administrators.
• Improving application availability and system performance and reducing the risk of human error in the storage management process.
• Using on-line disk and cartridge storage management facilities to run more applications on a GCOS 8 configuration.

ASM is a Bull GCOS 8 software solution developed with Sensoft and Unilink.