Storix Software SBAdmin User Guide - Manual (Page 65)

Storix System Backup Administrator 65 Version 8.2 User Guide
11. Random Tape Libraries
A tape library is a device that contains one or more tape drives and is capable of moving tapes between the
tape drives and various tape storage slots.
Most libraries can be configured either as a sequential autoloader or a random library. If it’s set to sequential
mode, you don’t need to configure it as a random tape library in SBAdmin. But to use it was a sequential
autoloader, you need to
create a tape backup device and indicate that it is contained within an autoloader.
A tape library is a tape changer, not a backup device itself. Therefore, to use a tape library, you must create a
tape backup device and specify that it is contained in a random tape library.
Tape movement is performed manually by using sets of commands that the library driver can understand.
These commands vary depending on the operating system and the library, but generally the functions are to
move tapes from their current location in the library to the drive and back again.
SBAdmin can be configured to utilize a random library so that backups and restores can be performed as if the
library was a sequential autoloader. When a tape is ejected, SBAdmin will execute the necessary commands to
remove the tape from the drive and insert the next tape in the library as specified by the library configuration.
One advantage of using a random library instead of an autoloader is the ability to start a backup without having
a tape in the library.
Random tape libraries are not supported by the system installation process. If you
have a multi-volume backup to install from, you will need to insert volume one of the
backup, then set your library to work in sequential mode. Otherwise, you will need to
change tapes manually when prompted by the installation process.
Tape libraries are available in many different hardware configurations. The number of tape slots and the number
of tape drives are not always the same even for a particular brand and model of library. The configuration of all
tape libraries used by SBAdmin must be defined prior to their use. Before you configure a library, it is best to
get an understanding of the two main classifications of libraries used by SBAdmin –
Single Drive Libraries and
Multiple Drive Libraries .
Single Drive Libraries
A single library is defined as a library with either only one tape drive or it is configured to use only one of
the multiple tape drives available. The following picture illustrates a single-drive library configuration or a
two-drive library that has been split into two separate single-drive library configurations.