Virtual Library Systems; Vls Devices; Vls Defined - HP StorageWorks 12000 - Virtual Library System EVA Gateway Manual

5 Virtual Library Systems

VLS Devices

VLS Defined

The HP StorageWorks VLS12000 Gateway, the VLS6000–series, and the VLS9000–series are RAID
disk-based SAN backup devices. The Gateway platform and the VLS6000 and VLS9000–series
devices emulate physical tape libraries, allowing you to perform disk-to-virtual tape (disk-to-disk)
backups using your existing backup applications. The VLS12000 is FATA or Fibre Channel disk-based;
the VLS6000–series and VLS9000–series are serial ATA disk-based. A multi-node VLS behaves as if
it were a single device, making it easier to manage and integrate into the overall backup strategy.
The VLS emulates a variety of physical tape libraries, including the tape drives and cartridges inside
the libraries. You determine the number and types of tape libraries a VLS emulates, and the number
and type 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. With no deduplication, each node on a VLS12000, VLS6000, or VLS9000 can emulate
up to 16 tape libraries and 128 tape drives. With deduplication enabled, each node on a VLS12000,
VLS6000, or VLS9000 can emulate up to 96 virtual devices (0-16 tape libraries plus tape drives).
The maximum number of virtual cartridges that can be configured on a VLS device depends on the
firmware version and the VLS model:
• A VLS running firmware version 1.x/2.x can create up to 8192 virtual tapes, with each array
LUN adding up to a maximum of 1024 tapes capability. For example, on a VLS9000 with one
30 or 40 TB array (which contains one LUN per array enclosure and four enclosures) you can
create up to 4096 tapes; if you have two or more arrays you can create 8192 tapes. On a
VLS6227 (which contains one array enclosure with 750 GB disks) you can create up to 3072
tapes (with three LUNs per 750 GB array enclosure) in RAID 5 mode and up to 4096 tapes (four
LUNs per 750 GB array enclosure) in RAID 6 mode.
• A VLS running firmware version 3.x can create up to 32000 virtual tapes, with each array LUN
adding up to a maximum of 8000 tapes capability. For example, on a VLS9000 with one or more
30 or 40 TB arrays (each full array contains one LUN per array enclosure and four enclosures)
you can create up to 32000 tapes, but if you have a VLS9000 with a 10 TB array (one LUN) you
can create up to 8000 tapes. On a VLS6227 (which contains one array enclosure with 750 GB
disks) you can create up to 24000 tapes (with three LUNs per 750 GB array enclosure) in RAID
5 mode and up to 32000 tapes (four LUNs per 750 GB array enclosure) in RAID 6 mode.
VLS accommodates mixed IT-platform and backup-application environments. For more insight into
mixed-IT solutions and environment analysis, visit the HP StorageWorks Enterprise Backup Solutions
web site: http://www.hp.com/go/ebs
All of your servers and backup applications access the virtual media simultaneously. You can specify
which servers are allowed to access each virtual library and tape drive you configure. You can change
the default LUNs assigned to the virtual library and tape drives for each host, as needed, to
accommodate different operating system requirements and restrictions.
The virtual tape solution uses disk storage to simulate a tape library. That is, a virtual library simulates
libraries with tape drives and slots as if they were physical devices. Backup servers see the virtual
.
HP StorageWorks VLS and D2D Solutions Guide 101