1 Introduction

Oracle's StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager System 7 (VSM 7) Virtual Tape Storage Subsystem (VTSS) supports emulated tape connectivity to IBM MVS hosts and attachment to Real Tape Drives (RTDs), Virtual Library Extensions (VLEs), and other VTSSs to provide virtual tape device emulation, virtual tape cartridge images, and additional buffer capacity for the IBM MVS environment.

See "The VSM 7 Platform".

Additionally, VSM includes the VSM Extended Storage (ExS) feature that allows the VTSS to access and utilize storage external to the VTSS, including access to the Oracle Cloud.

See "VSM Extended Storage Feature".

Figure 1-1 VSM 7 VTSS

Surrounding text describes Figure 1-1 .

The VSM 7 Platform

The VSM 7 VTSS is packaged as a standard rack mount system built on existing Oracle server, storage, and service platforms. The servers, storage disk enclosures, and standard rack mount enclosure are delivered as a packaged system.

The Solaris 11 operating system is the foundation of the VSM 7 VTSS software environment, which also includes Solaris infrastructure components and VTSS function-specific software. The VSM 7 software environment is pre-installed and preconfigured for VTSS functionality so that limited site-level configuration is required to integrate the product into the customer's managed tape environment.

VSM 7 also includes the interfaces and support required for operation within an existing VSM Tapeplex, including VTCS support, legacy VTSS support, and support for ELS, HSC/SMC, NCS, VLE, SE Tools, VAT, LCM and CDRT.

VSM 7 VTSS Functionality

The VSM 7 VTSS is a follow-on to the existing VSM 6 VTSS system, replacing the VSM 6 hardware stack with new Oracle servers, storage disk enclosures, and I/O cards. This new hardware stack provides increased performance and capacity to the VTSS.

For example, storage capacity is doubled from VSM 6, replication performance is improved with the move to all 10 Gb IP networks, and higher processor clock rates, faster internal memory, and faster I/O bus speeds provide noticeable improvements in system performance.

As a replacement for the VSM 6 VTSS, the customer view and functionality of the VSM 7 VTSS are generally equivalent, except where performance, connectivity, and serviceability have been improved.

The predominate VSM 7 VTSS platform differences from the VSM 6 VTSS are as follows:

  • Increased performance and storage capacity with upgraded servers and storage disk enclosures

  • 16 Gbps FC/FICON connectivity with eight ports

  • 10 Gbps IP connectivity throughout the VTSS and into the customer's network environment

  • Two network switches that aggregate or fan out network connections from the servers to the customer's network environment

The VSM Solution

Oracle's StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) System is the collection of hardware and software products that comprise a disk-based virtual tape system to provide enterprise-class storage management capabilities for the IBM mainframe environment. VSM optimizes streaming workloads and backup and recovery functions, reduces management overhead, and maximizes tape capacity utilization to reduce data protection costs in a wide range of storage environments.

VSM stores virtual tape volumes (VTVs) on a disk buffer on the VTSS and can optionally migrate them to Virtual Library Extension (VLE), Real Tape Drives (RTDs), or both. VTVs can be up to 32GB. When needed by the host, if the migrated VTVs are not VTSS-resident, they are then automatically recalled to the VTSS.

The VSM System includes the following subsystems:

  • VTSS hardware and software.

    The VSM 7 VTSS supports emulated tape connectivity to IBM MVS hosts over FICON interfaces, Fibre Channel or FICON attachment to Real Tape Drives (RTDs), IP attachment to other (VSM 7, VSM 6, or VSM5) VTSSs and VLEs, and remote host connectivity using ECAM over IP and VTSS-to-VTSS replication.

  • Virtual Tape Control Software (VTCS).

    VTCS controls virtual tape creation, deletion, replication, migration and recall of virtual tape images on the VTSS and also captures reporting information from the VTSS.

  • Enterprise Library Software (ELS).

    ELS is the consolidated suite of StorageTek mainframe software that enables and manages StorageTek's Automated Cartridge System (ACS) and Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) hardware in the IBM MVS environment. ELS includes the Host Software Component (HSC), Storage Management Component (SMC), and HTTP Server.

  • Virtual Library Extension (VLE) hardware and software.

    VLEs are IP-attached to the VSM 7 VTSS and function as a migrate and recall target for VTSS Virtual Tape Volumes (VTVs).

    Note:

    VLE supports migrate and recall to and from Oracle Cloud Storage. A VSM 7 that is connected to a properly configured VLE can use the VLE to migrate and recall VTVs to and from Oracle Cloud Storage instead of local disk. Refer to VLE publications for more information about this feature.

  • Real Tape Drives (RTDs) connected to physical tape libraries.

    RTDs serve as migrate and recall targets for VTSS Virtual Tape Volumes (VTVs). RTDs are FC-attached (for OSA) or FICON-attached to the VSM 7 VTSS.

VSM subsystems are shown in Figure 1-2.

Figure 1-2 VSM 7 Context Diagram

Surrounding text describes Figure 1-2 .