What to know before upgrade a MSL6000 TL?

[Torsten.]

You can add slots by adding modules or swap drives from LTO-3 to LTO-4 or both.

By upgrading from LTO-3 to LTO-4 you double the capacity.

[ReynierPM]

But replacing LTO3 with LTO4 means buy new LTO4 drives and trash the old ones? Wich is the better strategy here in order to grow up the capacity of the library?

Cheers

[Torsten.]

You can probably even mix LTO-3 and LTO-4.

[Efrain Valencia]

Hello!


Ok yes, that's a completely different library hehehe :)

This seems to be the EML245e

Now, here comes a question:

Do you need more capacity (GBs) or performance (GB/s)?

And this can be answered in different ways...

- You can migrate from LTO3 to LTO4s (including the tape media) and you will boost the total capacity as the LTO4 doubles the size, and has better performance.

- You can also add CAPACITY modules to add more cartridges into the library, but this will only give you that... cartriges.

- On a EML245e you can install up to 8 tape drives (so you can add 4 more) and if you run multiple backups at a time (one per drive or so) you will be boosting the performance.

Here's the trick for adding drives:

If you want to add LTO3s (AD568B) [up to 4] you will need the drives of course and another interface controller (AD569B) [just one]

If you want LTO4s (AH682A) [up to 4] you need an internal LTO4 Network Kit (AJ001A) [just one]

And you need to verify if you need an extra power supply (AD563B)[I believe you do, but verify on the back of the library just in case]

*** You can still keep your LTO3 drives and Media, the LTO4s can read and write on them, but of course the performance will remain close to the LTO3s. What you need to be careful is not to use LTO4 media in the LTO3 tape drives, they don't like it ;-) ***

- Regards

[ReynierPM]

Thanks for this great reply it helps a lot but some questions remain. I don't have clear the definition (concept) about slots and drives. I tell you what I'm understand and you'll tell me if is right or not. By a slot I understood it's a hole where cartridge reside and by drive I understood there is a mechanical or robotic part of the library where cartridge is inserted when is needed (backups, cleanup and so on). If this is right and I understood well then by adding more drives I can run, simultaneously, more than one job (if the TL have 6 drives then 6 backups or cleanup jobs can run at same time). But if I have a maximum capacity of 245 slots (EML e71 + 245e Expansion I though) and saving spaces for mail slots and cleanup cartridges how many cartridges I can have with this configuration? I check the slots and are a lot clean (not cartridge presented) and around 3 or 4 badly.

Cheers

[Efrain Valencia]

Hi

Yes, a slot is just a hole/drawer/ where you keep the media while it is not used, and the drive is the unit that reads and writes the media (like a CD-ROM drive but with tapes :-) )

Yes, more drives = more simulatenous jobs with lower performance decrease, keep in mind that most applications will also let you run multiplexed jobs to the same tape drive.

So... If you have a total of 245 slots, it means you can "store" up to 245 cartridges inside the library which will be ready to use as soon as your backup application request them.

When you configure mailslots you usualy reserve some of those slots to act as mailslots, meaning that they will have a different "tag" and are usually used to insert fresh media into the library or to export media to be stored on a different location.

According to specs, you can have a maximun of 245 regular slots, and up to 15 configurable mailslots:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12238_div/12238_div.HTML


Hope I helped to ease the confusion

[ReynierPM]

Ok, I'm trying to build the list of components to be buyed but I have doubts. At first and based on reference you give me before I put this parts:

Drives: (2) HP EML LTO-4 Ultrium 1840 FC Drive
Controllers: (1) HP EML e2400-FC 4GB
Network Kit: (1) HP EML LTO-4 Ultrium 1840 Internal Network Kit
Power Supply: (2) HP EML Redundant Power Supply
Cartridges: HP LTO4 Ultrium 1.6TB RW Data Cartridge (2 pack) (I tough a package come with 20 cartridges)

Then this should be right but at the end of this page http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12238_div/12238_div.HTML I can see this others options (Step 3 Additional options):

(1) HP EML 4-Drive Expansion Module
(1) HP EML Capacity Expansion Module
(1) Redundant Power Supply for EML
(1) Additional Power Distribution Unit

and I want 245e/245 configuration. Can any explain me wich one to select?

Cheers

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

Rather than guess, why don't you talk to the people in HP Pre-Sales ?

Their job is to determine what customers need.

Then if something is wrong with your order you can go back to HP to get it corrected.

Explaining to your boss that you ordered the wrong kit on the back of what someone said in a forum post could be difficult !

Cheers,

Rob

[ReynierPM]

Well I'm not the guy who started this DC and the docs are lost at this point :( I don't know if HP sell this services because the first "stop" from my boss is don't spent money in this because then we need to cut out the equipment (meaning I don't know if this service is free or not) so I have the primary task to build the equipment solution and not just only for Tape Library because I need to upgrade a EVA and also buy a BladeSystem solution.