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This section describes using alternate control paths with the control path failover feature.
The TS3500 Tape Library offers an optional control path failover feature that enables the
host device driver to resend the command to an alternate control path for the same logical
library.
Parent topic:
Related concepts
Control path failover, data path failover, and load balancing
Advanced Library Management System
This section explains the Advanced Library Management System (ALMS), which virtualizes
the locations of cartridges in the TS3500 Tape Library.
ALMS is an extension of IBM's patented Multi-Path Architecture. With ALMS, the TS3500
Tape Library is the industry's first standards-based tape library to virtualize the locations of
cartridges (called SCSI element addresses) while maintaining native SAN attachment for the
tape drives. ALMS enables logical libraries to consist of unique drives and ranges of volume
serial (VOLSER) numbers, instead of fixed locations.
When you enable ALMS with its license key, you can assign tape drives to any logical library
by using the Tape Library Specialist Web interface. Logical libraries can also be added,
deleted, or easily changed without disruption. Storage capacity can be changed without
impact to host applications.
ALMS offers dynamic management of cartridges, cartridge storage slots, tape drives, and
logical libraries. It enables the TS3500 Tape Library to achieve unprecedented levels of
integration for functionality through dynamic partitioning, storage slot pooling, and flexible
drive assignment. ALMS eliminates downtime when you add Capacity On Demand (CoD) or
High Density Capacity on Demand (HD CoD) storage, add or remove logical libraries, or
change logical library storage allocation. ALMS also reduces downtime when you add
expansion frames, add or remove tape drives, or change logical drive allocation.
The capabilities of ALMS include:
•
Dynamic partitioning (storage slot pooling and flexible drive assignment)
•
The transparent ability to add or remove storage capacity to any host application
•
The ability to configure drives or to configure Model L22, L23, L32, L52, or L53
storage capacity without taking the library offline
•
Virtual I/O slots to automatically manage the movement of cartridges between I/O
slots and storage slots