HP 9000 Virtual Library System - Manual (Page 12)

1 Introduction
The HP Virtual Library System (VLS) family consists of RAID disk-based SAN backup devices that
emulate physical tape libraries, allowing you to perform disk-to-virtual tape (disk-to-disk) backups
using your existing backup applications. The VLS family includes different series of models that
vary in storage capacity and performance. Firmware version 6.0.0 marked the change to a 64–bit
operating system on the nodes.
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 types 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.
The VLS offers many features such as:
•
deduplication — storing only a single copy of a data block
•
replication — transferring data from virtual cartridges on disk to a remote physical tape library
across the LAN/WAN
•
automigration — transferring data from virtual cartridges on disk to a physical tape library
across the SAN
•
Secure Erasure — overwriting data on cartridges to ensure that no data can be retrieved
The VLS accommodates mixed IT platform and backup application environments, allowing all your
servers and backup applications to access the virtual media simultaneously. You can specify which
servers are allowed to access each virtual library and tape drive you configure.
Data stored on a VLS is easily cloned to physical tape for off-site disaster protection or long-term
archival using a backup application.
VLS9000 Components
A typical VLS system consists of the following components:
•
VLS9000 nodes (at least one)
•
VLS9000 disk array enclosures (at least one per node)
You can add capacity by adding full arrays (one base enclosure and three capacity enclosures)
or individual capacity enclosures. The enclosures come with the option of 1 TB or 2 TB drives.
•
One VLS9000 20–port or 32–port connectivity kit
(The VLS9000 7.5 TB and 10 TB systems omit the connectivity kit.)
The 20-port connectivity kit includes two 10-port Fibre Channel switches and two Ethernet
switches. The 32-port connectivity kit includes two 16-port Fibre Channel switches and two
Ethernet switches. The 40-port connectivity kit includes two 20-port Fibre Channel switches
and two Ethernet switches. By connecting two 40-port connectivity kits using an HP 9000
Virtual Library System Interswitch Link Kit, you can expand the capacity of the VLS system
beyond 12 arrays to a maximum of 16 arrays. The two cabled connectivity kits function as
one logical set of switches.
The VLS9000 7.5 TB and 10 TB systems consist of one node, one Ethernet switch, one base disk
array enclosure, and up to three expansion disk array enclosures.
12 Introduction