With TSM V5.1 and below a drive has to be defined, visible, and online to
the TSM server and the SAN Storage Agent.  Essentially, the SAN Storage
Agent is a cut down TSM server code set that does its database I/O remotely.
You have another option, install the TSM server code where you were going to
install the SAN agent.  Consider one important item, even if TSM did support
what you wanted.  The link over the IP potentially has a lot of meta data to
move back and forth.  With a single thread SAN like solution, this may not
be the best choice.

TSM V5.2 will likely have improvements in SAN attachment configuration
operations to address drives being visible to the TSM server and all SAN
clients, but there is nothing announced.  So, we will have to see.

The library probably supports LAN-Free connections by using a SCSI address
to talk to the library.

Paul D. Seay, Jr.
Technical Specialist
Northrop Grumman Information Technology
757-688-8180


-----Original Message-----
From: Kai Hintze [mailto:kai.hintze AT ALBERTSONS DOT COM]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 6:33 PM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Scalar 24 remotely


1) Can you run LAN-free when your SAN and tape drives are in one location
and your TSM server is in another location?

We have our main data center with the big TSM server in Boise, Idaho. We
have a smaller data center with a small SAN in Phoenix, AZ, about 2000km
away. The Phoenix data center has its own SAN that is just a little too
large to back up across the WAN. We're wondering if we can avoid having to
buy a separate TSM server and just put a small library in Phoenix that would
run LAN-free, with IP robot controller that talks to the TSM server in
Boise. Conceptually, can it work?

2) What do you know about/think of Scalar 24 libraries, specifically for
LAN-free work?

The small library we are looking at is a Scalar 24 from Adic. I've never
actually seen one, but the brochures talk about LAN-free connections. If the
remote use concept is possible, will this library work?

Thanks,
Kai.