About requesting tapes
The tpreq command lets you request a tape of a particular density and specify various options, such as the access mode. This command reserves a single drive and creates a file in the current working directory (unless a full path is specified). The file acts as a symbolic link to the tape and all subsequent access to the tape is through this file name. Users do not have to be concerned with the full path to a specific device file.
For all types of tapes, the tape is mounted and assigned when you enter the tpreq command.
By default, NetBackup assigns drives that support DLT cartridge tapes. You can use the density option on tpreq to request a drive that supports another density. For a list of supported densities and drive types, see the tpreq man page.
The density for the physical write is not selected automatically on drives. It's requested, so an operator can satisfy the correct drive. One of two methods is used to determine the drive density: the /dev device name that was used when the drive was configured or by how the drive is configured physically.
A tpreq command must include a media ID and a file name. If the tape volume is associated with a volume pool, the name of the volume pool can also be specified by using the -p parameter. If you specify the pool name, the name is validated against the pool name that is associated with the media in the EMM database.
The NetBackup tpreq command runs the drive_mount_notify script (if it exists) immediately after media is mounted in a pre-selected, robotic drive.
See the NetBackup Commands Reference Guide, available at the following URL:
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