IBM TS4500 R3 Tape Library Guide

IBM TS4500 R3 Tape Library Guide

by Larry Coyne, Michael Engelbrecht, Simon Browne
Released August 2016
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738441924

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Book description

The IBM® TS4500 tape library is a next-generation tape solution that offers higher storage density and integrated management than previous solutions.

This IBM Redbooks® publication gives you a close-up view of the new IBM TS4500 tape library. In the TS4500, IBM delivers the density that today's and tomorrow's data growth require, with the cost-effectiveness and the manageability to grow with business data needs, while you preserve existing investments in IBM tape library products. Now, you can achieve both a low cost per terabyte (TB) and a high TB density per square foot because the TS4500 can store up to 5.5 petabytes (PBs) of data in a single 10-square foot library frame, which is up to 3.4 times more capacity than the IBM TS3500 tape library. The TS4500 offers these benefits:

  • High availability dual active accessors with integrated service bays to reduce inactive service space by 40%. The Elastic Capacity option can be used to completely eliminate inactive service space.

  • Flexibility to grow: The TS4500 library can grow from both the right side and the left side of the first L frame because models can be placed in any active position.

  • Increased capacity: The TS4500 can grow from a single L frame up to an additional 17 expansion frames with a capacity of over 23,000 cartridges.

  • High-density (HD) generation 1 frames from the existing TS3500 library can be redeployed in a TS4500.

  • Capacity on demand (CoD): CoD is supported through entry-level, intermediate, and base-capacity configurations.

  • Advanced Library Management System (ALMS): ALMS supports dynamic storage management, which enables users to create and change logical libraries and configure any drive for any logical library.

  • Support for the IBM TS1150 tape drive: The TS1150 gives organizations an easy way to deliver fast access to data, improve security, and provide long-term retention, all at a lower cost than disk solutions. The TS1150 offers high-performance, flexible data storage with support for data encryption. Also, this fifth-generation drive can help protect investments in tape automation by offering compatibility with existing automation.

  • Support of the IBM Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Ultrium 7 tape drive: The LTO Ultrium 7 offering represents significant improvements in capacity, performance, and reliability over the previous generation, LTO Ultrium 6, while they still protect your investment in the previous technology.

  • Integrated TS7700 back-end Fibre Channel (FC) switches are available.

  • Up to four library-managed encryption (LME) key paths per logical library are available.

    • This book describes the TS4500 components, feature codes, specifications, supported tape drives, encryption, new integrated management console (IMC), and command-line interface (CLI). You learn how to accomplish several specific tasks:

  • Improve storage density with increased expansion frame capacity up to 2.4 times and support 33% more tape drives per frame.

  • Manage storage by using the ALMS feature.

  • Improve business continuity and disaster recovery with dual active accessor, automatic control path failover, and data path failover.

  • Help ensure security and regulatory compliance with tape-drive encryption and Write Once Read Many (WORM) media.

  • Support IBM LTO Ultrium 7, 6, and 5, IBM TS1150, and TS1140 tape drives.

  • Provide a flexible upgrade path for users who want to expand their tape storage as their needs grow.

  • Reduce the storage footprint and simplify cabling with 10 U of rack space on top of the library.


    • This guide is for anyone who wants to understand more about the IBM TS4500 tape library. It is particularly suitable for IBM clients, IBM Business Partners, IBM specialist sales representatives, and technical specialists.

    Table of contents

    1. Front cover
    2. Notices
      1. Trademarks
    3. IBM Redbooks promotions
    4. Preface
      1. Authors
      2. Now you can become a published author, too
      3. Comments welcome
      4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
    5. Summary of changes
      1. August 2016, Fourth Edition
    6. Chapter 1. IBM TS4500 tape library
      1. 1.1 Overview of the IBM TS4500 tape library
      2. 1.2 TS4500 product description
        1. 1.2.1 TS4500 tape library frames for IBM LTO Ultrium Fibre Channel drives
        2. 1.2.2 TS4500 tape library frames for IBM 3592 Fibre Channel drives
        3. 1.2.3 TS4500 tape library storage-only HD frames
        4. 1.2.4 TS4500 High Availability (HA) option
        5. 1.2.5 Mainframe-ready
        6. 1.2.6 External TSSC/IMC
        7. 1.2.7 TS4500 tape library top rack frame TR1
      3. 1.3 TS4500 tape library components
      4. 1.4 Feature codes for the TS4500
      5. 1.5 Host platforms and device drivers
      6. 1.6 Specifications
        1. 1.6.1 Physical specifications
        2. 1.6.2 Floor requirements
        3. 1.6.3 Operating environment
        4. 1.6.4 Power and cooling specifications
    7. Chapter 2. TS4500 Ultrium Linear Tape-Open and 3592 tape drives
      1. 2.1 IBM TS1100 tape drives for the TS4500 tape library
        1. 2.1.1 Technology enhancements
        2. 2.1.2 Reliability and availability
        3. 2.1.3 Features that are designed for capacity and performance
        4. 2.1.4 Performance or capacity scaling
        5. 2.1.5 Physical attachment
        6. 2.1.6 Media
        7. 2.1.7 3592 media cartridge
        8. 2.1.8 WORM functions
        9. 2.1.9 Tape encryption for TS1150 and TS1140
      2. 2.2 IBM TS1150 tape drive (Model 3592 EH8)
        1. 2.2.1 Physical attachment
        2. 2.2.2 TS1150 physical characteristics
        3. 2.2.3 Media
        4. 2.2.4 Capacity and performance
        5. 2.2.5 Access performance specifications and drive characteristics
        6. 2.2.6 Emulation
        7. 2.2.7 IBM Spectrum Archive and LTFS support
        8. 2.2.8 Data safe mode
        9. 2.2.9 Upgrade considerations
        10. 2.2.10 Firmware updates
        11. 2.2.11 RAS
        12. 2.2.12 Improved media Statistical Analysis and Reporting System
        13. 2.2.13 Encryption
      3. 2.3 IBM TS1140 tape drive (Model 3592 EH7)
        1. 2.3.1 Drive attachment
        2. 2.3.2 3592 media
        3. 2.3.3 Capacity and performance
        4. 2.3.4 Spectrum Archive and LTFS support
      4. 2.4 IBM LTO Ultrium tape drives for the TS4500 tape library
        1. 2.4.1 LTO core technology
        2. 2.4.2 Data compression
        3. 2.4.3 Ultrium tape media
      5. 2.5 IBM LTO Ultrium 7 tape drive (Model 3588 F7C)
      6. 2.6 IBM LTO Ultrium 6 tape drive (Model 3588 F6C)
      7. 2.7 IBM LTO Ultrium 5 tape drive (Model 3588 F5C)
      8. 2.8 IBM Spectrum Archive
        1. 2.8.1 Linear Tape File System (LTFS)
        2. 2.8.2 IBM Spectrum Archive Editions
    8. Chapter 3. Encryption
      1. 3.1 Tape encryption overview
        1. 3.1.1 Encryption-enabled tape drives
        2. 3.1.2 Encryption key management
      2. 3.2 Encryption policy
        1. 3.2.1 Encryption methods
        2. 3.2.2 Managing encryption on the TS4500
        3. 3.2.3 Application-managed encryption (AME)
        4. 3.2.4 System-managed encryption (SME)
        5. 3.2.5 Library-managed encryption (LME)
        6. 3.2.6 Prerequisites for using encryption on the IBM TS4500 tape library
    9. Chapter 4. TS4500 management graphical user interface (GUI)
      1. 4.1 Integrated management console (IMC)
      2. 4.2 Using the TS4500 management GUI
        1. 4.2.1 Connecting to the management GUI
        2. 4.2.2 System summary display
      3. 4.3 Settings
        1. 4.3.1 Library
        2. 4.3.2 Network
        3. 4.3.3 Notifications
        4. 4.3.4 Security
        5. 4.3.5 GUI Preferences
      4. 4.4 Access menu
        1. 4.4.1 Users
        2. 4.4.2 Roles
      5. 4.5 Cartridges menu
        1. 4.5.1 Cartridges
        2. 4.5.2 Cartridges by Logical Library
        3. 4.5.3 VOLSER ranges
        4. 4.5.4 VOLSER Range by Logical Library
      6. 4.6 Drives menu
        1. 4.6.1 Drives
        2. 4.6.2 Drives by Logical Library
        3. 4.6.3 Ports
      7. 4.7 Library menu
        1. 4.7.1 Advanced Library Management System
        2. 4.7.2 Create Logical Library window
        3. 4.7.3 Slots
      8. 4.8 Monitoring
        1. 4.8.1 System
        2. 4.8.2 Events
      9. 4.9 IBM Tape System Reporter
      10. 4.10 Tape System Library Manager (TSLM)
      11. 4.11 Remote support
        1. 4.11.1 Remote support through a system console
        2. 4.11.2 Remote support security
    10. Chapter 5. Command-line interface (CLI)
      1. 5.1 TS4500 command-line interface summary
      2. 5.2 Install the CLI
      3. 5.3 Commands
    11. Related publications
      1. IBM Redbooks
      2. Other publications
      3. Online resources
      4. Help from IBM
    12. Back cover

    Product information

    • Title: IBM TS4500 R3 Tape Library Guide
    • Author(s): Larry Coyne, Michael Engelbrecht, Simon Browne
    • Release date: August 2016
    • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
    • ISBN: 9780738441924