Tape Data Loss handling policy

Purpose

This text defines agreed set of steps that each HEP site should follow when data on tape becames unavailable.

The aim of this is to provide equal level of service for experiments.

Proposal

The proposal must define a policy how a site should handle when files are lost.

Currently centres use 2 different approaches:

1. Either they go at great length to recover files from broken media (including sending tape to vendors) and only report lost files as a last resort.
2. Other centers report the loss of files immediately to the VO, assuming a copy exists somewhere else and recovering lost files is considered a task of the owner of the files.

The recent HEP T1T2Tape workshop attendants in Amsterdam favour the second approach and the proposal should reflect this.

It is very important that the proposal defines a proper feedback mechanism from the VO to insure the loss is actively handled by the VO.

-- VladimirBahyl - 05-Jul-2010