IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library Connector
IBM has released a newly built mechanical shuttle-system on May 13, 2011 that can be used to link more than 16 tape libraries of TS3500, making its storage capacity up to an Exabyte in one archive.
IBM has also made announcement of its fourth generation of tape technology of 3592 series and has made some enhancement to solutions of disk based storage. IBM has described this storage capacity as “Extreme Scalability” with the new TS-3500 Tape library connector model SC1 that enables libraries of tape cartridges to connect more than 15 other connected Model S-24 or S-54 libraries of TS-3500.
Support for Enhanced Storage Capacity:
A fully occupied TS3500 string provides 300,000 LTO tape cartridges for storage into one library system, this associated with 450 Petabyte capacity of native storage, along with latest LTO-5 gear with native capacity of 1.5 TB per cartridge. The data capacity increases even more when it is equipped with the latest TS1140 tape drive technology. IBM has also updated the IBM 3592 Enterprise Tape-Drive with 4 TB packed into each of 3592 Advance Data Cartridge. Total capacity of fully outfitted TS-3500 string doubles to 900 PB; nearly to an Exabyte of uncompressed data capacity and with the use of compression of 3:1, this capacity reaches to 2.9 Exabyte. This is an enormous amount of data; for understanding, in 2.7 Exabyte, one can store three times more data of the total mobile data generated by mobile users in the United States in year 2010.
Highly Scalable:
IBM describes that this data is equal to three times fill up data by ORACLE into the largest tape library, the Storage Tek SL 8500 Modular Library-System. This library can hold up to 500 PetaByte of the uncompressed data or 1 Exabyte with the 2:1 compression of data.
This new TS3500 Tape Library Connector Model SC1 is designed to work as extremely scalable and auto programmed tape library, connecting automation technology of IBM from midrange to enterprise level.
L23 and D23 Tape Library models of TS3500 now integrate and provide support to Tape-Drive Model E-07 of TS1140 System storage of IBM that has enhance data rate up to 250 MB per sec and 4 TB physical capacity of data cartridge. They support the TS1140 Tape Drive.
Adding to the current features, the new Connector Model provides scalability of more than 300,000 cartridges in a one library image by providing support of transporting cartridges from TS-3500 library string to other TS-3500 library string. With the use of Application software, tape cartridges can be connected to logical library of destination. This connector model supports new and the existing TS-35200 tape library installation which is highly suitable for the highly performance Storage Systems (HPSS) environments.
While joining two different TS35200 library strings with each other, the tape cartridge is moved from one logical library to the other logical library via a shuttle car. This shuttle car will connect both libraries with a shuttle connection. And this connection will span HD TS35200 S24 or S54 frames from other TS35200 library strings and each connection will support exactly one shuttle car carrying once cartridge with a maximum of 15 parallel library strings. ALMS and enhanced node-cards are required for the Tape Library Connector Model SC1 of TS3500.
Software Requirement:
Storage and Tape management Software for the TS3500 Tape Library Connector Model SC1 are provided by the Tivoli Storage Manager and from other industry–leading compatible software vendors. Applications and supporting software must be obtained separately from IBM Business partners, IBM or ISVs.
Limitations:
- This Connector works only through high-density S24 or S54 frames between TS3500 Tape Library strings.
- Enhanced node cards and ALMS and electronics are required for recently announced functions.
- Insert Notification for Manual cartridge assignment is not supported on a high-density library.
- More data can be stored on the media with the use of compression technology, but this degree of compression will be highly sensitive to the characteristics of the date being compressed.
- The length of Fiber Channel cable is limited to 500 meters (1,650 ft).
- Multiple systems can be attached to a tape drive, but system will use only one drive at one time.
Security, adaptability and control:
Security, control and adaptability features of the hardware relay on the application software and customer is responsible for its security implementation and administrative tasks.
