GFS/AFM

The architecture of GFS/AFM is centered around a core Tape Management System (TMS) designed for z/OS. The TMS core is the central component, responsible for managing tape volumes, datasets, and retention policies. It interacts with the z/OS operating system to allocate and deallocate tape resources.

The reporting engine is another key component, generating reports on tape usage, retention, and inventory. This engine processes data from the TMS core and presents it in a user-friendly format. The configuration manager allows administrators to define and modify tape management policies, including retention periods and scratch pool definitions.

These components communicate through z/OS internal mechanisms, such as system calls and data structures. Data is stored within z/OS datasets, and there are no external databases. Network requirements are minimal, as the system operates within the z/OS environment.

Compared to other tape management solutions, GFS/AFM's architecture is streamlined, focusing on core tape management functions within the z/OS framework. For example, the command `ALLOCATE UNIT(TAPE01) VOLUME(TAPEVOL)` is used for tape allocation, and the configuration files are used to define retention policies. The reporting engine generates reports such as lists of tapes for offsite storage.