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Abstract

A data storage hierarchy includes a media library characterized by a travelling elevator which moves in front of an open-faced wall of storage cells or compartments and ingress-egress slots to a plurality of data recording devices. Optical disks are selectively moved by the travelling elevator between the storage cells and the data recording devices. The carrier can carry a plurality of the optical disks at a given time. Each time the travelling elevator accesses a storage cell or a recording device, the record disk currently held by such cell or device is moved onto the travelling elevator and then the optical disk carried to such cell or device is inserted into the cell or device. Programs are provided for controlling the movements of the travelling elevator for maximizing swap operations of the disk at cells and devices. The optical disks have no home cell in the library. The retentive data structures are continually updated contemporaneously with the movement of the optical media including identificaiton of the optical media being carried on the travelling elevator. Movement of the optical media from any of the devices to the storage cells is based upon movement to a closer one of the cells irrespective of the previous content of the cell.

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