Drive configuration for virtual tape libraries

Drive configuration in a virtual tape library (VTL) is variable, depending on the needs of your environment.

Most VTL environments use as many drives as possible to maximize the number of concurrent tape operations. A single tape mount in a VTL environment is typically faster than a physical tape mount. However, using many drives increases the amount of time that the IBM Storage Protect server requires when a mount is requested. The selection process takes longer as the number of drives that are defined in a single library object in the server increases. Virtual tape mounts can take as long or longer than physical tape mounts depending on the number of drives in the VTL.

For best results when you create drives, check with your VTL vendor about device-specific recommendations. If more than 300-500 drives for each VTL are required, you can logically partition the VTL into multiple libraries and assign drives to each library. Operating system and SAN hardware configurations could impose limitations on the number of devices that can be utilized within the VTL library.