Different types of libraries supported by IBM Spectrum Protect (TSM)

Tape Library is one of the storage objects used in Tivoli Storage Manager for storing and moving data from one tape to another tapes. A physical library is a collection of one or more drives that share similar media-mounting requirements. That is, the drive can be mounted by an operator or by an automated mounting mechanism. Any tape library must be first defined in TSM server with appropriate commands to use the library. 

Types of Tape Libraries used in Tivoli Storage Manager

Shared Libraries
Shared libraries are logical libraries that are represented physically by SCSI, 349X, or ACSLS libraries. The physical library is controlled by the Tivoli Storage Manager server configured as a library manager. Tivoli Storage Manager servers using the SHARED library type are library clients to the library manager server. If you want to use a single library for 2 or more TSM Servers use this type to define the library.
Ex: define library sharedtsm libtype=shared primarylibmanager=libmgr1

Automated Cartridge System Library Software Libraries
An automated cartridge system library software (ACSLS) library is a type of external library that is controlled by Oracle StorageTek ACSLS media-management software. The server can act as a client application to the ACSLS software to use the drives. The StorageTek software performs the following functions
  • Mounts volumes, both private and scratch
  • Dismounts volumes
  • Returns library volumes to scratch status
The ACSLS software selects an appropriate drive for media-access operations. You do not define the drives, check in media, or label the volumes in an external library.
Ex: define library acslib libtype=acsls acsid=1 shared=yes



Manual Libraries
In manual libraries, operators mount the volumes in response to mount-request messages issued by the server. The server sends these messages to the server console and to administrative clients that were started by using the special MOUNTMODE or CONSOLEMODE parameter.
Ex: define library manualmount libtype=manual

SCSI libraries
A SCSI library is controlled through a SCSI interface, attached either directly to the server's host using SCSI cabling or by a storage area network. A robot or other mechanism automatically handles volume mounts and dismounts. The drives in a SCSI library can be of different types. A SCSI library can contain drives of mixed technologies, for example LTO Ultrium and DLT drives. Some examples of this library type are
  • The Oracle StorageTek L700 library
  • The IBM 3590 tape device, with its Automatic Cartridge Facility (ACF)
Ex: define library scsilib libtype=scsi
      define path server1 scsilib srctype=server desttype=library device=/dev/lb0

Also Read: Use these commands to fix Atape device drivers issues

Virtual Tape Libraries
A virtual tape library (VTL) is a hardware component that can emulate a tape library while using a disk as the underlying storage hardware. Using a VTL, you can create variable numbers of drives and volumes because they are only logical entities within the VTL. The ability to create more drives and volumes increases the capability for parallelism, giving you more simultaneous mounts and tape I/O. VTLs use SCSI and Fibre Channel interfaces to interact with applications. Because VTLs emulate tape drives, libraries, and volumes, an application such as Tivoli Storage Manager cannot distinguish a VTL from real tape hardware unless the library is identified as a VTL.
Ex:  define library vtllib libtype=vtl
       define path server1 vtllib srctype=server desttype=library device=/dev/lb0


349X Libraries
A 349X library is a collection of drives in an IBM 3494. Volume mounts and demounts are handled automatically by the library. A 349X library has one or more library management control points (LMCP) that the server uses to mount and dismount volumes in a drive. Each LMCP provides an independent interface to the robot mechanism in the library. The drives in a 3494 library must be of one type only (either IBM 3490, 3590, or 3592).
Ex:  define library my3494 libtype=349x scratchcategory=550 privatecategory=600                           wormscratchcategory=400

External Libraries
An external library is a collection of drives managed by an external media-management system that is not part of Tivoli Storage Manager. The server provides an interface that allows external media management systems to operate with the server. The external media-management system performs the following functions
  • Volume mounts (specific and scratch)
  • Volume dismounts
  • Freeing of library volumes (return to scratch)
The external media manager selects the appropriate drive for media-access operations. You do not define the drives, check in media, or label the volumes in an external library. An external library allows flexibility in grouping drives into libraries and storage pools. The library can have one drive, a collection of drives, or even a part of an automated library.
Ex:  define library extlib libtype=external        
define path server1 extlib srctype=server desttype=library externalmanager="/usr/lpp/dtelm/bin/elm"



Zosmedia libraries
A zosmedia library represents a tape or disk storage resource that is attached with a Fibre Channel connection (FICON) and is managed by Tivoli Storage Manager for z/OS Media.
A zosmedia library does not require drive definitions. Paths are defined for the Tivoli Storage Manager server and any storage agents that need access to the zosmedia library resource
Ex:  define library zebra libtype=zosmedia
       define path sahara zebra srctype=server desttype=library zosmediaserver=oasis

FILE Libraries
Specifies that a pseudo-library is created for sequential file volumes. When you issue the DEFINE DEVCLASS command with DEVTYPE=FILE and SHARED=YES parameters, this occurs automatically. FILE libraries are necessary only when sharing sequential file volumes between the server and one or more storage agents. The use of FILE libraries requires library sharing. Shared FILE libraries are supported for use in LAN-free backup configurations only. You cannot use a shared FILE library in an environment in which a library manager is used to manage library clients.
Ex:  define library file1 libtype=file shared=yes

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