We have also just installed 3570/B02 tape libraries (three of them) on an
AIX RS/6000 server.  I have them defined correctly to ADSM, but have run
into a few questions about how best to make use of them.  Any advice on the
following questions would be welcomed:

1) ADSM configuration: the way I see it, three 3570/B02's give us three
ADSM LIBRARY definitions, each with it's own DEVCLASS definition, each of
which can be associated with one or more STGPOOLs.  This correct?  No
tricky way to have a single STGPOOL that spans multiple LIBRARY's?...

2) We only anticipate using the import/export capability on one of our
3570's.  We'd like to use all 20 slots in the other two, but DSMLABEL
ignores the priority cell.  Are we limited to 19 library volumes each 3570
(running in random mode/base configuration)?

3) We had originally planned to backup directly to tape.  Our unix sysadmin
went to a conference, however, where he was told that the fast-access
linear tape used by the 3570's would have a much longer life with a
high-speed data feed, due to a lot of "forward/backward tape adjustment" if
data feed was interrupted often due to network traffic, client speed, or
other factors.  He was told, therefore, that we should backup first to disk
and then migrate to tape, to maximize tape write speed and significantly
increase the magstar tape life.  Assuming I've explained this correctly, is
he giving us valid advice?


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Bo R. Ossinger                 email: ossinger AT wsu DOT edu
Washington State University    phone: 509-335-0920
Information Technology         fax:   509-335-6635,,,50920
Production Support Systems     http://www.wsu.edu/prod_supp/Pss.html
PO Box 641222
Pullman, WA  99164-1222
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