HP StorageWorks 1000i Virtual Library System User Guide (406685-002, October 2006)

1Introduction
This section describes the HP StorageWorks 1000i virtual library system features, models, and concepts.
Features
The HP StorageWorks 1000i virtual library system (VLS) is a RAID 5, serial ATA disk-based LAN backup
device that emulates standalone HP LT 02 drives and HP Autoloader 1/8 with LT02 physical tape drives,
allowing you t
o
perform disk-to-virtual tape (disk-to-disk) backups using your existing backup applications.
The VLS emulat
es the
HP Autoloader 1/8 with LT02 physical tape libraries, including the tape drives
and
cartridg
es
inside the libraries. You determine the number of tape libraries a VLS emulates, and the
number of tap
e
drives and cartridges included in each tape library to meet the n ee ds of your environment.
You configur
e
the size of the virtual cartridges in your VLS, which provides even more flexibility. The VLS
emulates up to 6 tape libraries, 12 tape drives, and 180 cartridges.
The VLS accommodates mixe d IT platform and ba ckup application environments, a llowing all your ser vers
and
backup applications to access the virtual media simultaneously. You specify which servers are
allowed to access each virtual library and tape drive you configure.
Benefits
Integrating a VLS into your existing storage and backup infrastructure delivers the following benefits:
• Faster backups
The VLS is optimized for backups and delivers faster performance than a s imple disk-to-disk
solution. The VLSemulatesmanymoretapedrivesthanare availableinphysicaltapelibraries,
allowing more hosts to run backups concurrently.
• Faster single file restores
Asingle file can be restor ed much faster from disk than tape.
• Lower operating costs
Fewer physical tape drives and cartridges are required as full backups to tape are
eliminated. Also, fewer cartridges are required as small backups stored on multiple virtual
cartridges can be copied to one physical cartridge.
• More efficient use of storage space
Physical tape libraries cannot share storage space with other
physical tape libraries, and physical cartridges cannot share storage space with other physical
cartridges. This unused storage space is wasted.
Storage space is not wasted in a VLS, because VLS storage space is dynamically assigned as it is
used. Storage space is shared by all the libraries and cartridges configured on a VLS.
• Reduced risk of data loss a nd aborted backups
RAID 5-based storage is more reliable than tape storage.
Aborted backups caused by tape drive mechanical failures are eliminated.
HP StorageWorks 1000i Virtual Library System
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