HP StorageWorks 1000i HP StorageWorks 1000i Virtual Library System User Guide - Page 15

Introduction

Page 15 highlights

1 Introduction This section describes the HP StorageWorks 1000i virtual library system features, models, and concepts. Features The HP StorageWorks 1000i virtual library system (VLS) is a RAID 5, serial ATA disk-based LAN backup device that emulates standalone HP LT02 drives and HP Autoloader 1/8 with LT02 physical tape drives, allowing you to perform disk-to-virtual tape (disk-to-disk) backups using your existing backup applications. The VLS emulates the HP Autoloader 1/8 with LT02 physical tape libraries, including the tape drives and cartridges inside the libraries. You determine the number of tape libraries a VLS emulates, and the number of tape drives and cartridges included in each tape library to meet the needs of your environment. You configure the size of the virtual cartridges in your VLS, which provides even more flexibility. The VLS emulates up to 6 tape libraries, 12 tape drives, and 180 cartridges. The VLS accommodates mixed IT platform and backup application environments, allowing all your servers and backup applications to access the virtual media simultaneously. You specify which servers are allowed to access each virtual library and tape drive you configure. Benefits Integrating a VLS into your existing storage and backup infrastructure delivers the following benefits: • Faster backups The VLS is optimized for backups and delivers faster performance than a simple disk-to-disk solution. The VLS emulates many more tape drives than are available in physical tape libraries, allowing more hosts to run backups concurrently. • Faster single file restores A single file can be restored much faster from disk than tape. • Lower operating costs Fewer physical tape drives and cartridges are required as full backups to tape are eliminated. Also, fewer cartridges are required as small backups stored on multiple virtual cartridges can be copied to one physical cartridge. • More efficient use of storage space Physical tape libraries cannot share storage space with other physical tape libraries, and physical cartridges cannot share storage space with other physical cartridges. This unused storage space is wasted. Storage space is not wasted in a VLS, because VLS storage space is dynamically assigned as it is used. Storage space is shared by all the libraries and cartridges configured on a VLS. • Reduced risk of data loss and aborted backups RAID 5-based storage is more reliable than tape storage. Aborted backups caused by tape drive mechanical failures are eliminated. HP StorageWorks 1000i Virtual Library System 15

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1 Introduction
This
section
describes
the
HP
StorageWorks
1000i
virtual
library
system
features,
models,
and
concepts.
Features
The
HP
StorageWorks
1000i
virtual
library
system
(VLS)
is
a
RAID
5,
serial
ATA
disk-based
LAN
backup
device
that
emulates
standalone
HP
LT02
drives
and
HP
Autoloader
1/8
with
LT02
physical
tape
drives,
allowing
you
to
perform
disk-to-virtual
tape
(disk-to-disk)
backups
using
your
existing
backup
applications.
The
VLS
emulates
the
HP
Autoloader
1/8
with
LT02
physical
tape
libraries,
including
the
tape
drives
and
cartridges
inside
the
libraries.
You
determine
the
number
of
tape
libraries
a
VLS
emulates,
and
the
number
of
tape
drives
and
cartridges
included
in
each
tape
library
to
meet
the
needs
of
your
environment.
You
con
gure
the
size
of
the
virtual
cartridges
in
your
VLS,
which
provides
even
more
exibility.
The
VLS
emulates
up
to
6
tape
libraries,
12
tape
drives,
and
180
cartridges.
The
VLS
accommodates
mixed
IT
platform
and
backup
application
environments,
allowing
all
your
servers
and
backup
applications
to
access
the
virtual
media
simultaneously.
You
specify
which
servers
are
allowed
to
access
each
virtual
library
and
tape
drive
you
con
gure.
Bene
ts
Integrating
a
VLS
into
your
existing
storage
and
backup
infrastructure
delivers
the
following
bene
ts:
Faster
backups
The
VLS
is
optimized
for
backups
and
delivers
faster
performance
than
a
simple
disk-to-disk
solution.
The
VLS emulates many more tape drives than are
available in physical tape libraries,
allowing
more
hosts
to
run
backups
concurrently.
Faster
single
le
restores
A single
le
can
be
restored
much
faster
from
disk
than
tape.
Lower
operating
costs
Fewer
physical
tape
drives
and
cartridges
are
required
as
full
backups
to
tape
are
eliminated.
Also,
fewer
cartridges
are
required
as
small
backups
stored
on
multiple
virtual
cartridges
can
be
copied
to
one
physical
cartridge.
More
ef
cient
use
of
storage
space
Physical
tape
libraries
cannot
share
storage
space
with
other
physical
tape
libraries,
and
physical
cartridges
cannot
share
storage
space
with
other
physical
cartridges.
This
unused
storage
space
is
wasted.
Storage
space
is
not
wasted
in
a
VLS,
because
VLS
storage
space
is
dynamically
assigned
as
it
is
used.
Storage
space
is
shared
by
all
the
libraries
and
cartridges
con
gured
on
a
VLS.
Reduced
risk
of
data
loss
and
aborted
backups
RAID
5-based
storage
is
more
reliable
than
tape
storage.
Aborted
backups
caused
by
tape
drive
mechanical
failures
are
eliminated.
HP
StorageWorks
1000i
Virtual
Library
System
15