Product Highlights

This section highlights key VSM features and functionality.

Oracle's StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) solution 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.

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.

The VSM solution 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 Oracle's StorageTek 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 Tape 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).
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 or FICON-attached to the VSM 7 VTSS.