Virtuall Tape library (VTL) Usage with TSM

[rvillano]

Hello to all,



I am currently looking at a project where the customer wants a new TSM server installation whick will use a EMC Disk library exclusively. with the exception of the TSM database and recovery log to be place on traditional disk storage, all other storage pools

Primary and Copy will be on the VTL. Even the TSM Database backups will be on VTL.



Some of the specs I have learned so far are IBM 550 4 way for the TSM server, EMC DL 710, 150 clients most windows based & 12 sql clients with a backup window of 8 hrs. around 750GB backed up per night.



Does this sound like a good idea, are there any best practices, performance issues?



Your assistance and comments will be greatly appreciated.



Thanks, Bob

[sgabriel62]

Bob

The Clariion disk array will have a Falcon Stor frontend and emulate with EMC defaults. You do not want this since TSM at the present time does not know this configuration. You will have to reconfigure the Clariion to emulate another tape library - for example and ADIC, or IBM 3484 or STK L700 are simple examples. There is a complete database to choose from. Once this is configured correctly - then TSM can connect. Keep in mind - this will also be a SCSI attached device so you want Automated Library configuration and drives. I have matched TSM drive names to equal the EMCs nomemclature for simplicity sake.

Get the latest patch levels because there is a know memory leak from within the EMC device.

The throughput will vary on your load.

Hope this helps

Steven

[rvillano]

Steven,



Thank You for your quick responce, The Customer has stated the EMC will be Fiber attached via a SAN networked connection to the tsm server. Is the customer misled into thinking they can connect that way or is SCSI the only connection method available with TSM?

[sgabriel62]

Oh Yes - its going to be fibre connected alright. The mode or library type of the library will be automated or SCSI upon configuration. Do not let this confuse you. You'll also have to have the tape drives zoned correctly - then the host will have to have the mt.conf and lb.conf files populated with the correct info.

[sgabriel62]

One thing to note - we went into this blind and it took us upto a week to figure this thing out. Our configuration is on Solaris - so my mt.conf and lb.conf files may be different on IBM - do not have my IBM hat on at the moment. You'll have to to make sure you also have the correct ATape drivers of the library configuration you choose.

Give yourself plenty of time to play with this

[rvillano]

Steven,



Thank You for you help! I too will be going into this pretty much without any experience in this type of disk acting as a tape library. I am going to do some more research at the EMC site and then I can ask some more inteligent questions in this post!



Thanks again!

Bob

[sgabriel62]

This tour guide is not cheap

Kidding - it will cost you a few lunches and a few favors one day.

Come on back anytime - ask as many questions as you like - Dont spend too much time on the FalconStor frontend - its a Linux kernel which has a costly support package offered by EMC. Concentrate on the creations of different library types. And don't get deep into it - keep a simplistic mind - think of it as a library and that's all - and you'll do fine. Do not apply any production data to it until you are finished testing.

Take a look at the Vault function - consider this your CAP - to move between libraries. And do not enable auto expand option - this will run away from you quickly. Partition your tape volumes at the sizes similar to physical tape.

Lastly - depending on your business load - keep the volume sizes down below 200G or you'll run into a performance hit when it comes down to data movement, expirations, migrations etc. My current environment has alot of smaller tapes - we configured it to emulate an ADIC library where we have the option for alot of drives 48 I do believe and bookoo tape volumes close to 4096 slots - which meets our needs - we can reclaim and restore very quickly. We tried the larger sizes and it took forever to do anything constructive.

The advantage behind this - as a new disk tray is installed - you can make this tape media or additional libraries - its all upto you.







Good luck