Multiple logical libraries

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The TS4500 tape library supports multiple libraries to share the physical library between applications, or to support mixed drive types for any application.

You can create multiple logical libraries by partitioning the library’s tape drives and tape cartridges into two or more logical libraries. Each logical library consists of:
  • Tape drives
  • Tape cartridges in storage slots
  • Tape cartridges in input/output (I/O) slots

Each logical library has its own control path. A control path is a logical path into the library through which a server sends standard SCSI Medium Changer commands to control the logical library. For frames that contain LTO tape drives and frames that contain 3592 tape drive, each logical library control path is available to servers through logical unit number (LUN) 1 of the first drive that is defined within that logical library. A LUN is a number that is used by a server to identify a drive.

In a TS4500 tape library, a logical library shares empty storage slots, empty I/O slots, and the cartridge accessor on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: When you are naming logical libraries, developing an enterprise-wide library naming convention leads to easier management of the libraries.

With automatic cleaning, cleaning cartridges are shared between logical libraries, so any appropriate cleaning cartridge is used to clean a drive in any configured logical library.