The IBM System Storage® 3584 Tape Library TS3500, with the added 3953 Library Manager, enables the open systems SCSI medium changer library to be connected and used by zSeries® attached hosts. The 3953 Library Manager provides capabilities similar in functionality to the 3494 Library Manager. As with the 3494 automated tape library, the 3584 tape library can be shared by multiple operating system platforms (open systems and System z® attached hosts) and can be partitioned across multiple System z hosts. However, the 3584 tape library supports only the 3592 tape drive technology and the Virtual Tape Server (VTS), unlike the 3494 tape library, which supports (by System z attachment) the 3490E, 3590 and 3592 native tape drive technologies as well as the VTS. For more detailed information regarding the hardware features of the 3584 automated tape library, see IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library Introduction and Planning Guide IBM 3584 Tape Library and IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library Operator Guide IBM 3584 Tape Library. For information on the 3953 Library Manager, see IBM 3953 Library Manager Model L05 Operator Guide and IBM 3953 Tape System Introduction and Planning Guide.

The 3584 automated tape library supports the IBM System Storage 3592 Model J1A, E05, and E06 tape devices (the same as with the 3494 tape library). In addition, the 3584 automated tape library also supports the 3592 Model E07. As with the 3494 automated tape library, the 3592 tape drives in the 3584 are supported in 3590-1 emulation mode only. Inside an IBM tape library, the SMS tape software support recognizes the 3590-1 emulated devices by their real device types, rather than by the drives they are emulating. This enables different model types to coexist in the same library.