Important:
A TS7700 tape-attach cluster that is attached to a TS3500 or TS4500 Tape Library can be
used in a grid configuration. Each TS7700 tape-attach cluster in a grid can be attached to a
separate physical library, or the clusters can share the same physical library.
However, sharing a physical library is not recommended and does not conform to best practices. A
single library in a grid configuration limits overall performance since systems in the same grid are
busy during the same batch windows. Furthermore, mount requests occur during these same peak demand
times, limiting performance. A single library in a grid configuration also negates the advantage of
independent and redundant subsystems for high availability. The redundancy available on the TS3500 or TS4500 Tape Library (dual
accessors, dual grippers, dual power, and the like) can help to mitigate this increased risk, but is
still not considered the best practice.