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StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager System VSM 6 Planning Guide Release 6.0.7 E24924-10 |
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# 1 Introduction

Oracle's StorageTek Virtual Storage Manager System 6 (VSM 6) Virtual Tape Storage Subsystem (VTSS) supports emulated tape connectivity to IBM MVS hosts, attachment to Real Tape Drives (RTDs), and attachment to other VTSSs and Virtual Tape Libraries (VLEs) to provide virtual tape device emulation, virtual tape cartridge images, and additional buffer capacity for the IBM MVS environment.

Figure 1-1 VSM 6 VTSS

## 1.1 The VSM Solution

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.

VSM stores virtual tape volumes (VTVs) on a disk buffer on the VTSS and can optionally migrate them to Virtual Library Extension (VLE), Real Tape Drives (RTDs), or both. When needed by the host, if the migrated tape volumes are not VTSS-resident, they are then automatically recalled to the VTSS.

The VSM solution includes the following subsystems:

- VTSS hardware and software. The VSM 6 VTSS supports emulated tape connectivity over FICON interfaces to IBM MVS hosts and also FICON attachment to Real Tape Drives (RTDs) and IP attachment to other VTSSs and VLEs.

- Enterprise Library Software (ELS). ELS is the consolidated suite of StorageTek mainframe software that enables and manages StorageTek's Automated Cartridge System (ACS) and Virtual Storage Manager (VSM) hardware. ELS includes the Host Software Component (HSC), Storage Management Component (SMC), HTTP Server, and also the 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.

- Virtual Library Extension (VLE) hardware and software. The VLE subsystem functions as a migrate and recall target for VTSS Virtual Tape Volumes (VTVs). VLEs are IP-attached to the VSM 6 VTSS.

- Real Tape Drives (RTDs) connected to physical tape libraries. RTDs serve as migrate and recall targets for VTSS Virtual Tape Volumes (VTVs). RTDs are FICON-attached to the VSM 6 VTSS.

## 1.2 The VSM 6 Platform

The VSM 6 platform replaces the proprietary VSM 5 platform. This platform provides increased performance and greatly expanded storage capacity compared to previous VTSS versions, and it is scalable to meet a customer's current needs while providing a path for future growth.

The VSM 6 VTSS is packaged as a standard rack mount system built on existing Sun server, storage, and service platforms. The servers, disk shelves, and standard rack mount enclosure are delivered as a packaged system.

The Solaris 11 operating system is the foundation of the VSM 6 VTSS software environment, which also includes Solaris infrastructure components and VTSS function-specific software. The VSM 6 software environment is pre-installed and pre-configured for VTSS functionality so that limited site-level configuration is required to integrate the product into the customer's managed tape environment.

VSM 6 also includes the interfaces and support required for operation within an existing VSM Tapeplex, including VTCS support, legacy VTSS support, and support for ELS, HSC/SMC, NCS, VLE, SE Tools, VAT, LCM and CDRT.