HP B6960-96035 Large libraries, Handling of media, Size of a library, What are library devices?

Large libraries

What are library devices?

Library devices are automated devices, also called autoloaders, exchangers or jukeboxes. In Data Protector, most libraries are configured as SCSI libraries. They contain a number of media cartridges in a device’s repository and can have multiple drives writing to multiple media at a time.

A typical library device has a SCSI ID for each drive in the device and one for the library robotic mechanism that moves media from slots to drives and back. For example, a library with four drives has five SCSI IDs, four for the drives and one for the robotic mechanism.

Data Protector also supports silo libraries, such as HP StorageWorks Libraries, StorageTek/ACSLS and ADIC/GRAU AML. For a list of supported devices, see the HP Data Protector product announcements, software notes, and references.

Handling of media

The Data Protector user interface provides a special library view, which simplifies managing library devices.

Media in a large library device can all belong to one Data Protector media pool, or they can be split into several pools.

Configuring a library

When configuring a device, you configure the slot range you want to assign to Data Protector. This allows sharing of the library with the other application. The assigned slots may contain blank (new) media, Data Protector or non-Data Protector media.

Data Protector checks the media in the slots and displays the information about the media in the library view. This allows you to view all kinds of media, not just the media used by Data Protector.

Size of a library

The following may help you estimate the size of the library you need:

•Determine if you need to distribute the media to several locations or keep them in a central location.

162 Media management and devices