This guide documents OpenVault release 1.5 running on IRIX operating systems and on SGI ProPack for Linux, version 2.2.
OpenVault is a package of mediation software that helps other applications manage removable media:
This facility can support a wide range of removable media libraries, as well as a variety of drives interfaced to these libraries.
The modular design of OpenVault eases the task of adding support for new robotic libraries and drives.
User interfaces are provided by OpenVault client applications, which perform I/O to drives using standard system facilities after OpenVault has mounted and loaded media for the application.
The OpenVault Application Programmer's Guide describes the client side of OpenVault, where applications make requests that the media library manager (MLM) fulfills by directing control programs to perform media management operations (including mount and unmount) on storage devices.
This guide is intended for application programmers and system administrators who are involved in supporting removable media libraries and drives. By using standard OpenVault interfaces, you can improve return on hardware investments by sharing devices between multiple applications, partitioning for security where necessary.
Here is an overview of the material in this guide:
Chapter 1, “OpenVault Overview”, contains a thumbnail sketch of components.
Chapter 2, “Client and Administrative API”, describes the client and administrative application programming interface.
Chapter 3, “OpenVault Programming with Perl”, contains OpenVault Perl scripts.
Chapter 4, “Programming the C Interface”, offers an introduction to writing C-language CAPI applications.
Appendix A, “Error Messages”, lists error messages and originating commands.
Appendix B, “Syntax Specification”, provides a synopsis of CAPI and AAPI syntax.
The following documents contain additional information that may be helpful:
The OpenVault Infrastructure Programmer's Guide describes the server side of OpenVault, showing how to write control programs for removable media libraries and drives.
The OpenVault Operator's and Administrator's Guide describes how to develop OpenVault applications and device support.
Release notes: On IRIX systems, you can view release notes by typing either grelnotes or relnotes as the command line. On SGI ProPack for Linux systems, see the documentation in /usr/share/doc/openvault-version.
You can obtain SGI documentation in the following ways:
See the SGI Technical Publications Library at http://docs.sgi.com. Various formats are available. This library contains the most recent and most comprehensive set of online books, release notes, man pages, and other information.
If it is installed on your SGI system, you can use InfoSearch, an online tool that provides a more limited set of online books, release notes, and man pages. With an IRIX system, select Help from the Toolchest, and then select InfoSearch. Or you can type infosearch on a command line.
You can also view man pages by typing man title on a command line.
The following conventions are used throughout this document:
| Convention | Meaning | |
| command | This fixed-space font denotes literal items such as commands, files, routines, path names, signals, messages, and programming language structures. | |
| manpage(x) | Man page section identifiers appear in parentheses after man page names. | |
| variable | Italic typeface denotes variable entries and words or concepts being defined. | |
| user input | This bold, fixed-space font denotes literal items that the user enters in interactive sessions. (Output is shown in nonbold, fixed-space font.) | |
| [ ] | Brackets enclose optional portions of a command or directive line. | |
| ... | Ellipses indicate that a preceding element can be repeated. |
If you have comments about the technical accuracy, content, or organization of this publication, contact SGI. Be sure to include the title and document number of the publication with your comments. (Online, the document number is located in the front matter of the publication. In printed publications, the document number is located at the bottom of each page.)
You can contact SGI in any of the following ways:
Send e-mail to the following address:
Use the Feedback option on the Technical Publications Library Web page:
Contact your customer service representative and ask that an incident be filed in the SGI incident tracking system.
Send mail to the following address:
| Technical Publications |
| SGI |
| 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, M/S 535 |
| Mountain View, California 94043-1351 |
Send a fax to the attention of “Technical Publications” at +1 650 932 0801.
SGI values your comments and will respond to them promptly.