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Description: Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library User's Guide
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Description: Dell
PowerVault
136T SDLT Library User's Guide
The Dell PowerVault
136T SDLT Library automates the retrieval, storage and control of Super DLT
(SDLT) cartridge tapes. Cartridges are mounted and dismounted on tape drives
via supporting software from the host without operator intervention.
Subsystem
Description
The Dell PowerVault
136T SDLT Library has expandable configurations. It can be configured from 1
to 6 tape drives; however, the storage capacity varies and is determined by
the media type and the number of drives installed. The following table illustrates
the possible Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library configurations.
Table 1. Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library Configurations
|
Number
of Installed Drives
|
Cartridge
Capacity
|
|
1 to 6
|
15/30/45/60
|
The maximum cartridge
configuration includes a mailbox feature that contains two removable magazines
and one fixed magazine. The
magazine capacity is dependent on the type of magazine and each SDLT magazine
is capable of holding a maximum of 5 cartridges. The
Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library is offered as either a stand-alone model or
as a standard 19 inch rack mounted model. All
of the above configurations can be field upgraded to the maximum drive and storage
configurations, and a redundant DC power supply. See Optional
Features for additional information.
Figure
1 shows an example of a Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library with a multiple slot
Mailbox.
Figure
1. Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library
Quick Start
Guide
Refer to the Quick
Start Guide, which guides the user through a simple setup of the Dell PowerVault
136T SDLT Library with Quick Start illustrations.
 NOTE: To view
the Quick Start Guide pdf, if Adobe™ Acrobat Reader is not already installed,
go to http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/
to download a free copy.
Host
Attachment
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library is a SCSI target device and must be connected to a Single Ended/Low
Voltage Differential SCSI bus. Both ends of the bus must be terminated and a
terminator is shipped with each library. Although the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library can be attached to a wide SCSI bus, it is not a wide SCSI device and
its SCSI ID must be in the range of 0 to 7. The
default SCSI ID for the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library is 0.
NOTE:
Typically, 7 is the ID set for a SCSI adapter.
The Dell PowerVault
136T SDLT Library can also be connected to a Fibre Channel Host Storage Area
Network (SAN) via the Dell PowerVault 136T Fibre Bridge. The Fibre Bridge module
translates (bridges) the SCSI protocol between the two media types.
Remote
Management Unit (RMU)
The Remote Management
Unit (RMU) resides in each system and is pre-installed at the factory. The RMU
allows remote access via a Web browser to the library. Microsoft® Internet
Explorer version 4.0 and above, as well as Netscape Navigator versions 4.01,
4.5, 4.7X and above are supported by the RMU.
The user is able
to remotely access library status and the library Operator Panel via the RMU.
The RMU also allows the user to remotely update firmware in the RMU, the drives,
and the library's controller, retrieve library command and error logs, and make
configuration changes. The RMU supports Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
version 2.0 and acts as an SNMP-server. The RMU acquires Tape Alert 3.0 compatibility
information from the library over the serial interface port and sends that information
to an SNMP server. The RMU also detects a power loss and generates an SNMP trap
for notification. For more information, refer to Remote
Management Unit (RMU).
Functional
Description
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library configuration must include at least one tape drive. A maximum of 6 drives
can be included. The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library system contains cartridges, library control
hardware, tape drives and a robotic system. The tape cartridges are stored in
removable magazines. The magazines are designed such that tape cartridges can
only be inserted in the proper orientation. Once inserted, the tape cartridges
will be retained in the magazine such that they remain in place even when the
magazine is inverted and shaken lightly. The magazines can only be inserted
one way into the mounting columns in the library.
The library
robotics system moves cartridges between storage slots, tape drives and the
Mailbox. A picker is used to get/put cartridges in a storage slot or a tape
drive feed slot. A barcode scanner on the picker identifies the cartridge or
slot. The Mailbox allows cartridges to be added or removed from the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library without interrupting the operation of the Library.
The cartridge
storage slots and cartridge picker are accessed for maintenance purposes by
opening the front door of the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library. The tape drives,
power supplies, and host interface PCBA are accessed from the back of the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library for maintenance purposes.
Requests
issued from the host result in cartridge movement in the library. The primary
requests issued are for mounting and dismounting cartridges to and from the
tape drives and for importing and exporting cartridges to or from the library.
The host has records of the physical location of a cartridge in the library.
The physical location is also managed by the library. Each cartridge needs a
machine and operator-readable external label to identify a volume serial number
(volser) in the library during initial inventory and any time a cartridge is
added to the library. The library stores the physical location of the cartridge
in an inventory database based on the cartridge volser. All host requests for
operations involving movement or use of a cartridge need only reference the
physical location of the cartridge for the library to perform the request.
In addition
to requesting movement of cartridges in the library, the host can obtain status,
performance, configuration information, and information about the cartridges
stored in the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library.
Functional
Units
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library consists of the following functional units:
- Tape
drives in Drive Modules
- Library
control hardware
- Cartridge
storage
- Robotic
system
- Mailbox
Tape
Drives
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library currently supports the following tape drives:
All tape drives
are packaged in a common Drive Module that is designed for quick removal and
replacement. The Drive Module is a Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) that is returned
for repair.
Library
Control Hardware
The library
control hardware controls all operations in the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library, including the interaction
between the library and operators. The library firmware creates and maintains
the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library configuration, the physical location of the robotic system and
the inventory of cartridges. The database is kept in the memory of the Library
control hardware.
Cartridge
Storage
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library contains cartridge storage slots in addition to any tape drives installed.
Storage Slot
Numbering
The following convention
is used to identify the coordinates of each Library element (storage slots or
drives).
Table 2. Storage Slot Coordinates
The columns are
numbered 1 to 5 from the mailbox column and continuing
clockwise. The magazines within each column are designated A
to C from top to bottom. The rows within each magazine are
numbered 1 to 5 from top to bottom for the
SDLT media type. The Drive magazine is designated A to F
from bottom to top. See Figure 3 below.
Figure 2. Storage
Column Configurations and Coordinate System
NOTE:
The fixed slot in columns 2, 4, and 5 does not have a magazine designation and
is always numbered 0 so the coordinate for the fixed slot in column 2 would
be 2-0 (the "-" indicates no magazine is present). The Drive column
(3) can have up to six drives. The magazine letter can be A through F.
To manipulate
the media within the library, the host must reference each movement with source
and target designations. This is done via element addressing, which specifies
precisely which slots within the library are to be used. The following addressing
scheme is used for the library.
Table 3. Element Addressing
|
Slot
Type
|
Starting
Address
|
|
Storage
|
4096 (0x1000)
|
|
Mailbox
|
16 (0x0010)
|
|
Drives
|
256 (0x0100)
|
|
Picker
|
1 (0x0001)
|
Robotic
System
The robotic
system identifies and moves cartridges between the storage slots, tape drives
and the Mailbox. The robotic system has:
- A picker assembly
for mounting a cartridge picker and the barcode scanner.
- A cartridge
picker for picking and placing cartridges in storage slots, tape drives or
the Mailbox.
- A barcode scanner
for reading the external labels on the cartridges. The barcode scanner is
used during the inventory process to locate and categorize all cartridges
installed in the library. The barcode scanner is also used during the teaching
process where it reads the fiducial labels to identify the types of storage
and tape drives installed in the Library.
- A Y-axis drive
for moving the picker assembly in a vertical position.
- An X-axis drive
for moving the picker assembly in a rotary position.
- A Z-axis drive
for moving the picker assembly forward and backward motion.
Mailbox
This facility allows
the insertion and ejection of cartridges without interrupting the normal operation
of the library. There are two models of the Mailbox:
- The
standard Mailbox has a capacity of one cartridge.
- The optional
Mailbox has a capacity of 10 SDLT cartridges contained in two magazines that
can be inserted or ejected by opening the Mailbox door plus one fixed magazine
containing 5 SDLT storage slots.
Tape
Cartridge
The Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library automates the retrieval, storage and control of SDLT cartridge tapes. The
corresponding tape drive types must be installed in the library.
Each tape cartridge
in the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library must have an external label that is
operator and machine readable to identify the volume serial number (volser).
The external label contains up to thirteen characters for the volser. They can
be uppercase A-Z and numerics 0-9.
NOTE:
The external labels on the cartridges identify the cartridges to the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library. Some software requires that the internal volser and the external
label on the physical volume to be identical.
Optional
Features
Optional features
for the Dell PowerVault 136T SDLT Library are as follows:
- Dell PowerVault
136T Fibre Bridge.
- Additional Storage
Columns (each column can accommodate up to 3 magazines).
- Additional SDLT
tape Drive Module.
- Casters for Stand-alone
model.
- Rackmount Kit.
- Redundant DC
Power Supply.
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