In this example, we have a 1-frame library with 175 cartridge slots, and with six drives already installed. It is defined as three logical libraries, but we will reconfigure the logical libraries using the configuration wizard:
Logical library “Redbook 1”: Three drives, 60 cartridge slots
Logical library “Mt Lemon”: Two drives, 60 cartridge slots
Logical library “Tucson”: One drive, 55 cartridge slots
We assume (as an example) that the requirements for the first two logical libraries are stable, but that for the third library they might change. Therefore, we put the third library at the end.
Whenever needed, we can enlarge this third logical library by adding one additional frame.
To use the IBM 3584 Tape Library Specialist Web interface, do the following:
1. Enter the library’s IP address as a URL in your browser window; the introduction window displays (see Figure 2-14). If login security is enabled, there will be a login prompt first.
For experienced Library Specialist users, you will see a button Switch to Original
Navigation. Clicking this reverts the Library Specialist to its previous layout. The alternate entry Switch to New Navigation takes you to the format (as of July 2005) used here.
Figure 2-14 IBM 3584 Specialist main screen
2. Click Manage Logical Library on the main pane, or select Manage Library and by Logical Library on the left side. The Manage Logical Libraries window displays (Figure 2-15 on page 51).
.
Figure 2-15 IBM 3854 Tape Library Specialist Logical Libraries entry window
3. This shows the library’s current configuration. Select the Launch Configuration Wizard.
A warning window informs you that the library goes offline and that it may take up to 30 minutes to complete (depending on the library configuration; a small library with just one or two frames and a couple of drives may take less than a minute); click Next to continue.
4. The Select Configuration Method window displays (Figure 2-16) showing the alternatives:
Automated configuration (configuration with barcode labels) or Advanced configuration.
Select Advanced configuration and click Next.
Figure 2-16 IBM 3854 Tape Library Specialist configuration wizard
5. The library starts its configuration discovery, which can take several minutes. The current configuration will be displayed. Check that the displayed configuration matches the real configuration (Figure 2-17 on page 52). If not, then stop here and try the configuration discovery again. If the problem is still not solved, call your service representative.
Figure 2-17 Current physical configuration
6. Click Next. The number of logical partitions can now be selected (Figure 2-18).
Figure 2-18 IBM 3584 Tape Library Specialist Logical Libraries
7. Select the number of logical libraries from the drop-down list. Select Next. The desired number of drives and slots can now be assigned to each logical library (Figure 2-19 on page 53). Begin with the first logical library and use the Tab key to jump from one field to the other. Every time you press the Tab key, the remaining number of drives and storage slots is re-calculated.
Select Next when finished.
Figure 2-19 IBM 3854 Tape Library Specialist drives and slots
8. A new window shows the selections. The configuration can now be reviewed before being applied. Select Next to accept the configuration, and then select Finish to apply the new configuration, which takes some minutes. After completion the library gives you a Library configuration successful message.
After setting a new configuration, the new logical libraries are simply named using numbers.
You may change this to more meaningful names: From the Manage Logical Libraries screen (Figure 2-15 on page 51), select the library to be renamed and click Rename. On the next screen (Figure 2-20 on page 54), enter a new name. The logical library name is only used by the Library Specialist, and has no effect on the communication with your backup application.
Note: All resources (tape drives and cartridge slots) must be assigned!
If you have both LTO and 3592 in the physical library, there will be more than one configuration range, and more than one selection and configuration info in the screens.
For example, you can first configure a range of LTO elements, and then a range of 3592 elements.
Figure 2-20 Rename logical library
Before we can work again with the library, we have to adjust the logical library configuration with the backup application that uses this library. If the storage slot capacity on the logical library is increased or decreased, the backup application must reflect this change. Refer to your backup application manuals for information on how to change an existing library configuration. Some applications like IBM Tivoli Storage Manager handle this easily; other applications like Legato NetWorker require that you run configuration wizards (NetWorker’s jbconfig) in order to reflect the changes.
Also, cartridges that belong to the logical library must be moved to the appropriate set of storage cells.
2.2.5 Partitioning the IBM 3584 with the Operator panel (ALMS not enabled)
These are the steps:
1. From the library’s Activity window, click MENU. The Main Menu displays (Figure 2-21).
Figure 2-21 IBM 3584 Operator panel: Main Menu
2. Click UP or DOWN to highlight Settings, then click ENTER. The Settings menu displays.
3. Click UP or DOWN to highlight Configuration and click ENTER. The Configuration menu displays.
Panel 0002 Main Menu
______________________________
Library Status Manual Operations Settings Usage Statistics Vital Product Data Service
______________________________
BACK DOWN ENTER
4. Click UP or DOWN to highlight Advanced configuration and click ENTER (Figure 2-22).
The library displays the message: If you continue with configuration the library will go offline. Click ENTER to continue.
Figure 2-22 IBM 3584 Operator panel: configuration
5. Click ENTER twice. The library displays the message: Searching for installed devices and may take several minutes to discover the physical configuration. The Physical Configuration panel displays, with the library’s existing physical configuration (see Figure 2-23). The panel shows the total quantity of drives, storage slots, and I/O slots in the library’s physical configuration. If the configuration includes both LTO and 3592 drives, the list will show them separately.
Check that the displayed configuration matches the real configuration. If not, stop here, resolve the problem and start again.
Figure 2-23 IBM 3584 configuration display
6. Click ENTER. The library displays the message: Do you want to commit the new physical configuration?
7. Click YES to accept the new physical configuration and to set up any logical library configurations. The Set Logical Libraries panel displays indicating the type of media used by the logical library (Figure 2-24 on page 56). The following panels will not display if the ALMS feature has been enabled.
Figure 2-24 IBM 3584 Operator panel: Set Logical Libraries
8. Specify the number of logical libraries that you want by clicking UP or DOWN to increase or decrease the value.
9. When the desired quantity of libraries displays, click ENTER. The Set Storage Slots panel displays (Figure 2-25).
Figure 2-25 IBM 3584 Operator panel: Set Storage Slots
10.Specify the quantity of storage slots that you want in the logical library by clicking UP or DOWN to increment or decrement the value. When the desired quantity of storage slots displays, click ENTER. The Set Drives panel displays (Figure 2-26 on page 57).
Panel 0105 Set Logical Libraries ______________________________
Media Type : LTO Frames 1 - 1
Number of Logical Libraries 1 Select 1 - 12
______________________________
CANCEL UP ENTER
Panel 0106 Set Storage Slots
______________________________
Logical Library 1 Storage Slots 139 Select 1 - 140
Cartridges in the following storage slots will now be part of logical library 2 Location Start: [F1,C07,R42]
Location End: [F1,C07,R43]
______________________________
BACK UP DOWN ENTER
Figure 2-26 IBM 3584 Operator panel: Set Drives
11.Specify the quantity of drives that you want in the logical library by clicking UP or DOWN to increment or decrement the value. When the desired quantity of drives displays, click ENTER.
12.It then displays the Configuration Summary panel for Logical Library 1 (Figure 2-27). The panel contains the range of SCSI element addresses for the cartridge storage slots and the drives.
Figure 2-27 IBM 3584 Operator panel: Configuration Summary
13.Click ENTER to display the Configuration Summary panel for each logical library. After displaying the panel of the last logical library, the library displays the message: Do you want to commit the new logical configuration?
14.Click YES to accept the new configuration (the library may take several minutes to process). When finished, it displays the message: The configuration process is complete.
2.3 ALMS
The Advanced Library Management System (ALMS), an optional extension to the IBM patented multi-path architecture (FC #1690), provides enhanced flexibility and capabilities for partitioning the IBM 3584. ALMS virtualizes the SCSI element addresses while maintaining the approach of the multi-path architecture and using SCSI-3 Medium Changer commands.
Without ALMS all library references are based on the SCSI element address
(location-centric). Partitioning is based on real cartridge slots and drive slots. With ALMS, there is no affinity between a real slot address and a SCSI Element address reported to the server and used by the server. Instead, there is now an affinity with the VOLSER (Volume Serial Numbers on the bar code label of the cartridge). ALMS allows the following new capabilities on the IBM 3584:
Dynamic partitioning – Storage slot pooling – Flexible drive assignment
Add / remove storage capacity transparent to any host application
Configure drives or Lxx storage capacity without taking the library offline
Virtualize I/O slots to automatically manage the movement of cartridges between I/O station slots and storage slots
The IBM 3584 is compliant with the SCSI Medium Changer standard whether ALMS is enabled or not, and once enabled, ALMS is completely transparent to the application. The SCSI Medium Changer can be thought of as a “location-centric” interface. The application controlling a SCSI Medium Changer device specifies a source and destination location for each request to move a cartridge. The traditional SCSI library does not have control of the cartridge locations; instead, the SCSI library just acts on behalf of the server.
2.3.1 Functional description
In this section, we give a functional description of the ALMS features. The information is based on the IBM TotalStorage UltraScalable Tape Library 3584 Advanced Library
Management System Technology White Paper, by Lee Jesionowski, which can be found at:
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/storage/tape/whitepapers/pdf/advanced_library_management_sy stem.pdf