[comp.sys.dec] Management of multiple tape drives

yoly@maxwell.Concordia.CA ( Yoly Young ) (07/05/90)

I'm new to this group so pls. forgive me if I'm posting to
the incorrect group or if I am rehashing a well-worn topic.
We have 3 tape drives on a 6410 and we are worried that users
will inadvertantly mount and write over another user's tape
already in the tape device.  We realize that the MOUNT command
automatically allocates the device but the DISMOUNT/NOUNLOAD
also deallocates that device.  As the tape drives and the tapes
themselves are handled not by our users but by our operators in
a separately enclosed room, you can see that a user may not be 
aware whether the tape in a particular device may not be their
own!  
We're also concerned that the user may forget to DISMOUNT or 
DEALLOCATE a particular device when they are finished.
Any suggestions as how to solve these problems?  Are any 
commercial packages available?  Pls. note that any reply should
be sent to yoly@vax2.concordia.ca.   Thanks.
-- 

Yoly Young
Concordia University