You can use external removable media management software to help manage TSM tape and optical media. Removable media managers provide extended media control and automation to TSM, which primarily specializes in managing data. One of the supported removable media managers is Removable Storage Manager (RSM) (Windows 2000 only). RSM includes a Microsoft Management Console snap-in that provides a common interface for tracking removable storage media, and managing storage devices.
The principal value of using these media managers with TSM is the improved capability to share multiple devices with other applications. RSM requires some additional administrative overhead, which may be justified by the savings from sharing expensive hardware like automated library devices.
TSM also provides a programming interface that allows you to use a variety of external programs to control TSM media. See Appendix B, External Media Management Interface Description for a complete description of this interface. See Setting up TSM to Use the External Media Management Interface for TSM setup information.
The following topics are covered in this section:
TSM works cooperatively with removable media managers to control storage. Media managers help TSM make better use of media resources. While TSM tracks and manages client data, the removable media manager labels, catalogs, and tracks physical volumes. The media manager also controls libraries, drives, slots, and doors.
To use a media manager with TSM, you must define a TSM library that represents the media manager. Defining these libraries is similar to defining any other type of library to TSM, except that in this case, the library does not represent a physical device. Different library types are required for RSM control and External Media Management Interface control.
Administrators set up media management when they define RSM libraries to TSM. Library devices to be controlled by RSM must also be defined to the Windows RSM service. Normally, this will occur at system boot time when RSM will claim all supported removable media devices.
The following tasks are required to set up RSM media management:
Task | Required Privilege Class |
---|---|
Setting up RSM Device Control | System |
Defining RSM Libraries Using the Device Configuration Wizard | System |
Adding Media to RSM Libraries | System |
When the RSM service is started, it will automatically take control of all eligible storage devices. For a device to be eligible for RSM control:
RSM relies on native device drivers for drive support. This requires that you explicitly control the acquisition of devices by device drivers to use these media managers with TSM. You must either disable the TSM device driver or add devices to be controlled by the media manager to the TSM Device Exclude List before starting the RSM service. See Overview of Selecting Device Drivers.
It is recommended that you use the TSM Device Configuration Wizard to define RSM libraries. For example:
This procedure creates the following TSM storage objects:
When you create and configure an RSM library, typically with the TSM Device Configuration Wizard, TSM directs RSM to create:
Under the Tivoli Storage Manager media pool, TSM creates two storage pools that are media-type specific. The first pool is associated with the automated library and the second pool with an import media pool.
An RSM media pool is analogous to a directory or folder. The names of the volumes in the pool are listed in the folder. The volumes contain TSM data. RSM retains information that maps physical media to devices.
To add media to an RSM-controlled library device, you must activate the
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in for RSM, open Removable Storage,
and then request door access. Normally, the library door is locked by
RSM.
On RSM: |
|
You can use the library door to insert and remove media. After media is injected and the library door is closed, RSM automatically inventories the device. If the new media matches the media type for a defined RSM library, RSM labels the media and adds it to one of the following media pools in that library:
The following example defines an RSM library for an 8mm autochanger device containing two drives:
define library astro libtype=rsm mediatype="8mm AME"
Notes:
define devclass 8MMCLASS1 devtype=generictape library=rsmlib format=drive mountretention=5 mountwait=10 mountlimit=2
define stgpool 8MMPOOL1 8MMCLASS1 maxscratch=500
The External Media Management Interface is an API that allows you to use a variety of external programs to control TSM media. See Appendix B, External Media Management Interface Description for a complete description of this interface.
To use the External Media Management Interface with media management software to control TSM media, you must do the following:
The EXTERNAL library type specifies the installed path of the external media management software. This library type cannot be defined using the TSM Device Configuration Wizard. The following example uses TSM commands to define an EXTERNAL library for an 8mm autochanger device containing two drives:
define library medman libtype=external externalmanager=c:\server\mediamanager.exe
define devclass CLASS1 devtype=8mm library=medman mountretention=5 mountlimit=2
define stgpool POOL1 CLASS1 maxscratch=500
Administrators need not concern themselves with media-labeling issues because media management software handles this task. However, an administrator must ensure that an adequate supply of blank media is available for the configured media type.
Administrators need not concern themselves with library check-in procedures because externally managed media is not tracked in the TSM volume inventory.
Administrators protecting their data with DRM can exploit the benefits of external media management. You can use the MOVE DRMEDIA command to issue an operator request to remove the media from the library. For more information, see Chapter 24, Using Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager.
We strongly recommend that you not migrate media from a TSM SCSI library to an external media manager. Instead, use external media management on a new TSM configuration or when defining externally managed devices to TSM.
You may sometime need to modify the external media management environment, for example when a company is acquired and the tape rotation schema becomes that of the parent company.
Deleting externally managed storage pools requires that you delete any volumes associated with the TSM library. When the library is deleted, the externally managed storage pool associated with that library is also deleted. For more information, see Deleting a Storage Pool Volume with Data.
Procedures for changing device control vary, depending on the media management software product:
It is possible that error conditions may cause the TSM volume database and the media manager's volume database to become unsynchronized. The most likely symptom of this problem is that the volumes in the media manager's database are not known to TSM, and thus not available for use. You should verify the TSM volume list and any disaster recovery media. If volumes not identified to TSM are found, use the media manager interface to deallocate and delete the volumes.