An optional power configuration that provides both AC and DC redundancy. There is one power supply for every four tape drives and one supply for every robot. This configuration requires a second AC power source to support an additional system PDU. All four accessory racks are powered. See also N+1.
The number of storage slots the library is authorized to use for storage. This cannot exceed the installed capacity or the purchased capacity. Same as allocated capacity.
The number of active slots. Allocated capacity cannot exceed the purchased capacity defined by the hardware activation file. Same as active capacity. See also unallocated capacity.
An inventory of cartridge locations in all areas of the library, including the slots in the storage and reserved areas. Audits occur when:
The library initializes at power-on.
After either one or both access doors are opened and closed without activating the service safety door.
A physical audit request is made through SLC.
See also host audit, physical audit, verified auditand virtual audit.
The SL8500 library located on the left side of a home library, as viewed from the front. The away library does not supply power to, control, or recover the pass-thru port.
The storage capacity of the library. See also active capacityand installed capacity.
A container holding magnetic tape that can be mounted to a drive to read or write data. The library uses data, diagnostic, and cleaning cartridges.
A port built into the door panel of the library used to import or export cartridges.
A plastic housing that holds multiple cartridges when not in use. The inner walls of the SL8500 library consist of 14-slot arrays and the outer walls consist of 13-slot arrays.
A tape cartridge that used to clean the tape path in a drive. Cleaning cartridges are drive specific and should be replaced after a limited number of uses.
customer interface module (CIM)
The front module of the SL8500 library which contains the touch screen operator panel and allows service personnel to access the library and service bay.
See dynamic WWN.
drive and electronics module (DEM)
The module in the SL8500 library that houses the electronics control module, power distribution units (PDUs), power supplies, accessory racks and equipment, and tape drives for the library. The module is located at the rear of the library.
The metal housing installed in the drive and electronics module for mounting tape drive tray assemblies. The drive and electronics module holds up to four array assemblies, and each array holds up to 16 tape drive tray assemblies.
A two-digit integer (01–64) that represents the physical locations into which drive tray assemblies are inserted.
A metal chassis, cables, electronic cards, and tape drive used to interface the tape drive to the tape library. The drive tray contains the drive controller card (HBD or LOD).
Provides two separate host connections between the host software (ACSLS or HSC) and the library controller.
When enabled, dWWN assigns names to library drive slots rather than devices. When a drive is replaced, the new drive receives the same name as the one it replaced, thereby eliminating the need for system re-configuration. dWWN assigns names to individual tape drive slots rather than devices
See export.
electronics control module (ECM)
A module that includes the HBK card, HBC/HBCR card, and HBT card. The ECM Processes commands from a host system assembly, coordinates the activities of library components, and monitors status inputs from sensors and switches
The device that transports cartridges vertically. The SL8500 library features two elevators that move cartridges between the rails of the library.
emergency robotics stop switch (ERS)
A switch located on the CIM keypad that removes all power to the robots.
See import.
The software products that automate tape operations for mainframe clients.
The library places a cartridge into a CAP slot so that an operator can remove the cartridge from the library. Same as eject.
The module that houses the controller for the elevators, CAPs, turntables, and safety barrier.
The external portion of the CIM, between the access doors, that holds the keypad and local operator panel.
The library that provides power, signal, and control lines to the pass-thru port (PTP)mechanisms. This is the library on the right of a library complex as viewed from the front.
The process of updating the cartridge vol-ids and locations in a host database. This audit is initiated by a host command.
Removal and replacement of a system component while system power remains on and system operations continue.
The capability that allows an Oracle service representative to replace a system component while power to the system is maintained. This feature allows hardware maintenance actions and hardware upgrades to proceed without disrupting subsystem availability. Contrast with hot swap.
The process of placing a cartridge into the cartridge access port so that the library can insert it into a storage slot.
A storage slot that is explicitly deactivated and cannot be used for cartridge storage.
A switch that disconnects power to library mechanisms, excluding tape drives, when the front door is opened.
The interface located on the CIM. The keypad contains the CAP open/close buttons, safety door locks, and the ERS button.
Two or more SL8500 libraries attached to each other with a pass-thru port (PTP).
The HBC/HBCR card within the library that controls operations and communicates with the operator panel.
Software that provides content management for mainframe automated tape environments. Works with host software component, virtual storage manager and your tape management system.
Library component connected to other LSMs in a library complex with a pass-thru port. Same as an SL8500 rail.
A set of tape data format standards created to enable data interchange among different LTO Ultrium tape drive vendors. These standards allow data cartridges to be shared.
A removable array that holds cartridges and is placed into the cartridge access port (CAP).
Using TCP/IP connections to multiple libraries to provide redundant communication paths between the host software (ACSLS or HSC) and an SL8500 library complex.
Media Information Region (MIR). A kind of map or directory of the location of user data on the physical media. This capability allows the drive to optimize access to user data, saving vital time to data access. The MIR data on an encrypted tape is not encrypted.
The standard power configuration that provides DC power redundancy by adding an additional DC power supply to DC power grid. There is one power supply for every two robots plus one redundant supply and one supply for every eight drives plus one redundant supply. There are two PDUs: one system PDU and one N+1 PDU. Only accessory racks 2 and 4 are powered. See also 2N.
Replacement or service of a module while the library remains operational. The service person may be required to power off the module before removing or replacing it.
A cartridge in a partitioned library that is located in an unallocated slot or drive (that is, a slot or drive not allocated to any defined partition). Cartridges may become orphaned when partition boundaries are changed, partitions are deleted, or cartridges are manually moved to unallocated or inaccessible slots.
See pass-thru port (PTP).
An electro-mechanical device that allow one library storage module to pass a cartridge to another adjacent library storage module in the same complex. A library complex is a series of libraries connected with pass-thru ports. SL8500 libraries are joined together by four PTPs because there are four rails. See also home libraryand away library.
Physical audits occur when the robots:
Scan the cartridge locations in the library
Verify the volumes
Update the library control card inventory
Set the status of the cartridge location to true
The number of storage slots in the library. Compare to active capacity.
A device for the distribution of AC line power from one inlet to multiple outlets. Multiple PDUs provide higher availability because the power continues if one PDU (or its alternating current source if the PDUs use separate AC sources) loses power.
primary library interface (PLI)
The communication path between the operator panel and the library controller.
The total number of storage slots authorized for activation. The value is defined by the hardware activation file. See also allocated capacity and active capacity.
(1) That portion of the upper robot track assembly that provides power and communication to the robot. (2) All of the cartridge slots and drives accessible through a rail.
A feature that provides failover protection in enterprise libraries. RE uses a two sets of library controller cards. At any given time, one set is active and the other set is standby. The active library controller can failover to the standby in response to a command from ACSLS or the SLC. Automatic failover can be initiated by the library if a library card failure.
A mechanism that moves horizontally along a track to transport tape cartridges to and from other locations in the library.
robotics interface module (RIM)
The module containing the curved rails and pass-thru port (PTP)assemblies.
A storage slot that cannot currently be used for cartridge storage, but will be made active automatically by the library controller when activated capacity is increased.
An area between the access doors of the customer interface module and the safety barrier. In the service area, a redundant or inoperable robot can be stored for service and other mechanisms can be repaired or replaced.
A motor-driven barrier that lowers and raises. This door separates the service areas of the front interface assembly from the rest of the library. The SSD allows service personnel to safely repair or replace library mechanisms while the front access door is opened and closed., without interference with most library operations.
An electromechanical device that moves magnetic tape and includes mechanisms for writing and reading data to and from the tape.
touch screen operator control panel
A flat-panel display with a touch screen interface and a panel mount computer. This feature is attached to the front of the library.
The number of storage slots available for capacity activation. This value is equal to the purchased capacity minus the allocated capacity.
Volume ID assigned to a cartridge. Same as VOLSER.
Volume serial number. Same as vol-id.
Verified audits are invoked from the SLC and actually validate the status of a specific cartridge slot or range of slots.
Virtual audits are invoked from the SLC and only display the cartridge inventory in the console screen (either local or remote).
A storage solution that virtualizes volumes and transports in the buffer of a virtual tape storage subsystem to improve media and transport use.
virtual tape control system (VTCS)
The primary host code that controls activity and information about VTSSs, VTVs, RTDs, and MVCs.
An emulation of a physical transport in the VTSS that looks like a physical tape transport to MVS. The data written to a VTD is really being written to DASD. The VTSS has 64 VTDs that do virtual mounts of VTVs.
virtual tape storage subsystem (VTSS)
The DASD buffer containing virtual volumes (VTVs) and virtual drives (VTDs). The VTSS is a STK RAID 6 hardware device with microcode that enables transport emulation. The RAID device can read and write "tape" data from/to disk, and can read and write the data from/to an RTD.
A portion of the DASD buffer that appears to the operating system as a real tape volume. Data is written to and read from the VTV, and the VTV can be migrated to and recalled from real tape.
See World Wide Name.
A 64-bit address that uniquely identifies each individual device and vendor, much like the MAC address of an Ethernet interface. Each port on a Fibre Channel network must have a its own WWN. The WWN is not just a physical hardware address. It also serves as the logical address of a node on the SAN. The SAN configuration changes if any of the attached hardware changes. If a device fails and is replaced, the WWN of the node changes, forcing reconfiguration of the SAN. There are three World wide Names reserved for each drive bay: Node, Port A, and Port B.