Glossary
This glossary defines terms and abbreviations in this publication.
Some of the definitions are taken from other glossaries. The letters in the parentheses that follow some definitions indicate the source of the definition:
(A) The American National Standard Dictionary for Information Systems, ANSI X3.172-1990, copyright 1990 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
(E) The ANSI/Electronic Industries Association (EIA) Standard-440-A, Fiber Optic Terminology.
(I) The Information Technology Vocabulary, developed by Subcommittee 1, Joint Technical Committee 1, of the International Organization for Standardization and International Electro-technical Commission (ISO/IEC/JTC1/SC1).
(IBM) The IBM Dictionary of Computing, copyright 1994 by IBM.
(T) Draft international standards committee drafts, and working papers being developed by the ISO/IEC/JTC1/SC1.
alphanumeric
A character or group of characters that identifies a register, a particular part of storage, or some other data source or destination. (A).
arm
The robotic assembly that is lowered between the columns of tapes. The arm hangs on four wires from the Z mechanism. The arm includes the hand, the rails the hand rides on, the track motor that moves the hand along the rails, and the KLT card.
bar code
A code consisting of a series of bars of varying widths. This code appears on the external label attached to the spine of a tape cartridge and is equivalent to the volume serial number (VOLSER). This code is read by the machine vision system of the library.
Base chassis
The sheet metal and plastic chassis that makes up the framework of the Base Module (Module 1).
Base Module
The smallest, fully functional library consisting of the base chassis with the robot, front control panel, mailslot, one or two power supplies, up to two half-height LTO Ultrium tape drives, left magazine, and right magazine. The Base Module is always mounted at the top of the library and identified as Module 1.
cartridge
A storage device that consists of magnetic tape on a supply reel in a protective housing. The spine of the cartridge usually contains a label listing the volume identification number. Also called tape, tape cartridge, tape volume, or cassette.
cleaning cartridge
A tape cartridge that contains special material to clean the tape path in a transport or drive. LTO Ultrium cleaning cartridge labels have a CLN prefix and a CU media identifier.
configuration
The manner in which the hardware and software of an information processing system is organized and interconnected. (T)
diagnostics
Pertaining to the detection and isolation of errors in programs and faults in equipment.
drive
A drive controls the movement of the tape and records or reads the data on the tape as desired by the customer (see tape drive).
dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
A network protocol that enables a server to automatically assign an IP address to devices on a network. DHCP assigns a number dynamically from a defined range of numbers for a given network.
encryption
The process of changing data into a form that cannot be read until it is deciphered, protecting the data from unauthorized access and use.
Ethernet
A local-area, packet-switched bus topology that enables the connection of several computer systems. The Ethernet architecture is similar to the IEEE 802.3 standard.
expanded mailsot
An optional library configuration to increase the capacity of the Mailslot from four to 19 cartridges. A logical entity containing four slots in the Standard Mailslot plus 15 slots in the Base Module right magazine (the Mailslot Expansion).
expansion cable
A cable used to connect Expansion Modules to the Base Module. Each end of the cable has a USB A style connector.
Expansion Module
An Expansion Module can be added to the bottom of an existing library to increase its capacity for drives and tape cartridges (tapes). The Expansion Module consists of the expansion chassis, a module controller, up to two power supplies, up to two half-height LTO Ultrium tape drives, a left magazine, and a right magazine. The Expansion Modules are always mounted below the Base Module and are identified as Module 2 through 15.
export
The action in which the device places a cartridge into the mailslot so that the operator can remove the cartridge. Also called eject.
fiber optics
The branch of optical technology concerned with the transmission of radiant power through fibers made of transparent materials such as glass, fused silica, and plastic. (E)
fiber-optic cable
A cable made of ultra-thin glass or silica fibers which can transmit data using pulses of laser light. Fiber-optic cables have several advantages over copper cables: they have much less signal loss; they allow information to be transmitted at higher speeds and over longer distances; they are not affected by external electrical noise; and they are better for transmissions which require security.
Fibre Channel
The National Committee for Information Technology Standards standard that defines an ultrahigh-speed, content-independent, multilevel data transmission interface that supports multiple protocols simultaneously. Fibre Channel supports connectivity to millions of devices over copper or fiber-optic physical media and provides the best characteristics of both networks and channels over diverse topologies.
front control panel
An assembly mounted on the front of the base chassis. It includes the touch screen operator panel, various LEDs and switches, and associated electronics.
GUI
Graphical user interface. Software that allows the user to control the device through visual screens.
hand
The robotic mechanism that grabs tape cartridges and moves them between slots and the drive. It is a component of the arm. The hand has a reach mechanism that gets tape cartridges from slots or drives and puts them into slots or drives. The hand also has a wrist mechanism that rotates the hand to allow it to reach cartridges on either side or the drives at the back of the library.
hardware
All or part of the physical components of an information processing system, such as computers or peripheral devices. (T) (A)
host bus adapter (HBA)
A circuit installed in a multi-platform host or device that interfaces between the device and the bus.
host computer
In a computer network, a computer that usually performs network control functions and provides end users with services such as computation and database access. (T)
indicator
A device that provides a visual or other indication of the existence of a defined state. (T)
initial program load (IPL)
A process that activates a device reset and loads system programs to prepare a computer system for operation. Processors having diagnostic programs activate these programs at initial program load execution. Devices running firmware usually reload the functional firmware from a diskette or disk drive at initial program load execution.
initialization
The operations required for setting a device to a starting state, before the use of a data medium, or before implementation of a process. (T)
internet protocol (IP)
A protocol used to route data from its source to its destination in an Internet environment. (IBM)
inventory
The process of reading and storing in memory the bar code identification and location of all tape cartridges in a library.
LED
Light emitting diode. An electronic device that lights up when electricity is passed through it.
left magazine
A plastic assembly containing 15 tape slots that can be inserted into the left side (as viewed from the front) of Modules 1–15. Left magazines and right magazines are not interchangeable.
library
A robotic system that stores, moves, mounts, and dismounts tape cartridges that are used in data read or write operations.
LME
Library Managed Encryption. A feature introduced with library code 3.50 where the library manages the enrollment and key delivery for IBM LTO-7 and higher drives for use with OKM.
LTO
An acronym for Linear Tape-Open technology which is a set of data format standards created to enable data interchange among tape drives produced by a consortium of manufacturers. With LTO standards, the tape cartridges are interchangeable among tape drive brands.
LUN
Logical Unit Number. An address for a component of a SCSI device. In this device, the host computer sends the SCSI commands for the library to LUN 1 of the master tape drive and sends SCSI commands for the tape drive itself to LUN 0.
MAC address
The media access control address is a unique identifier assigned to devices for communication on a physical network.
magnetic tape drive
A mechanism for controlling the movement of magnetic tape, commonly used to move magnetic tape past a read head or write head, or to allow automatic rewinding. (I) (A)
mailslot
The standard mailslot is a plastic and metal assembly located in the upper right corner of the base chassis used to enter tapes into the library and to remove tapes from the library. Previous StorageTek libraries called this a CAP (Cartridge Access Port).
mailslot expansion
A term describing the Base Module right magazine (the magazine immediately below the Standard Mailslot) when the library has the expanded mailslot configuration. The mailslot capacity expands from four cartridges (Standard Mailslot) to 19 cartridges.
management information base (MIB)
An ASCII text file organized hierarchically that describes the elements (configuration and statistical information) of a managed device. When a manager requests information, or a managed device generates a trap, the MIB translates the numeric strings into readable text that identifies each data object within the message.
midplane
A card mounted in the base chassis or expansion chassis that is behind the tape slots and in front of the tape drives. Other cards connect to it either by direct connection or by a cable.
module controller
A card inserted into the back of Modules 2–15 that controls the operation of the module. It is connected to the robot by an expansion cable.
multimode fiber
An optical fiber designed to carry multiple signals, distinguished by frequency or phase, at the same time.
net mask
A 32-bit, or 4-byte number, in dotted decimal format (typically written as four numbers separated by periods, such as 255.255.0.0 or 255.255.255.0) that is applied to an IP address to identify the network and node address of a host or router interface. (Synonymous with subnet mask.)
network
An arrangement of nodes and branches that connects data processing devices to one another through software and hardware links to facilitate information interchange.
online
Pertaining to the operation of a functional unit when under the direct control of the computer. (T)
operator panel
A component of the front control panel consisting of a seven inch WVGA color touch screen.
partition
A segmented part of the library that acts to hosts as a separate and independent tape library. The partition must have one bridged drive and at least one magazine. Partitions share the mailslot and robot, but the tape drives and magazines within each partition are for use solely by that partition. Other partitions cannot use these tape drives or magazine storage slots.
port
A specific communications end point within a host. A port is identified by a port number. (IBM) (2) In Fibre Channel, an access point in a device where a link attaches.
power supply
An AC to DC power supply that mounts into the rear of a module Module (1–15). Referred to as top power supply or bottom power supply when referring to a power supply installed in a specific module.
power supply filler
A metal frame that slides into a power supply slot when a power supply will not be used in that slot.
right magazine
A plastic assembly containing 15 tape slots that can be inserted into the right side (as viewed from the front) of Modules 1–15. Right magazines and left magazines are not interchangeable.
robot
An assembly that incorporates the bulk of the Module 1 electronics and the robotic components. This assembly is a combination of mechanical components, electronics, and a sheet metal housing. It is located at the top of the base chassis and incorporates the arm, Z mechanism, a CPU board, plus the KLC and KLZ cards.
SAS
Serial Attached SCSI. A computer bus technology and serial communication protocol for direct attached storage devices, including disk drives and high-performance tape drives.
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface. A standard interface and command set for transferring data between mass storage and other devices. The host computer uses SCSI commands to operate the device. Depending on the model, physical connection between the host computer and the tape drive will use a parallel SCSI, SAS, or Fibre Channel interface.
SLAAC
Stateless automatic address configuration. The process of a host generating its own address by using a combination of locally available information, such as a MAC address, and information that is advertised by routers.
slot
An empty location into which something else may be placed. Most commonly used when referring to the locations in the magazine or mailslot where tape cartridges are placed. Power supplies and drives are also placed in slots.
switch
In Fibre Channel technology, a device that connects Fibre Channel devices together in a fabric.
tape cartridge
A container holding magnetic tape that can be processed without separating the tape from the container. The device uses data and cleaning cartridges. These cartridges are not interchangeable. See cartridge.
tape drive
An electro-mechanical device that moves magnetic tape and includes mechanisms for writing and reading data to and from the tape. The drive is mounted into a proprietary tray (sometimes called a sled).
tape drive filler
A metal frame that slides into a tape drive slot when a tape drive will not be used in that slot.
Ultrium
An LTO tape format optimized for high capacity and performance. The Ultrium tape format uses a single reel cartridge to maximize capacity.
World Wide Name
A unique identifier in a Fibre Channel or SAS storage network. The first three bytes are derived from an IEEE Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI), which defines the manufacturer or vendor. The remaining five bytes are assigned by the vendor.
WORM
An acronym for Write Once Read Many times, a class of recording systems that allow recording and adding data, but not altering recorded data.
Z mechanism
The robotic assembly mounted at the back of the robot that raises and lowers the arm. The Z mechanism includes a motor, gears, the bullwheel, and the wires and pulleys that hold the arm. As the motor turns, the bullwheel rotates and extends or retracts the wires to lower or raise the arm.