HP StorageWorks Enterprise Modular Library E-Series User Guide (AH876-96001, September 2007)

Functional desc
ription
The library rec
eives commands and data throughout the SAN from hosts running applications from
approved indep
endent software vendors (ISVs) . Host bus adapters (HBAs) in servers send this trafficover
FC links, usually through FC switches. For LTO4 tape drives, the traffic goes directly to the tape drive;
butforLTO2andLTO3tapedrives,thetraffic first goes through an inter face controller. O ne interface
controller can connect up to four LTO2 or LTO3 tape drives. For all libraries, regardless of whether they
contain LTO2 and LTO3 or LTO4 tape drives, at least one interface controller is required to pass tape
cartridge changer (robotics) commands to the Interface Manager ca rd over a private network. The
Interface Manager card passes these SCSI commands on to the library robotics controller over the private
network, taking advantage of the error handling and retry capabilities of TCP/IP.
1
2
7
11
10
14
9
6
8
3
4
5
13
12
11612
1Hosts
8OCP
2
FC swit
ch (SAN)
9
Serial
connection
3
Interface controller
10
Telnet connection
4
Interface Manager card
11
Management station
5
LTO3 tape drives
12
Library boundary
6
Library robotics controller
13
LTO4 tape drives
7
Robot
14
Switch for the internal
network
Figur
e12Librarynetwork
In add
ition to receiving traffic from the interface controllers, the Interface Manager card receives
comm
and and diagnostic requests over an Ethernet connection from three other possible sources. The
majo
rity of requests come from a management station where Command View TL software resides. The
oth
er two sources are through a Telnet session or a serial interface. The Inter face Manager card works in
the
background to manage library functions. It configures the interface controllers to direct commands
fro
m host systems to the appropriate LTO2 or LTO3 tape drive or to the library robotics controller.
The library robotics controller receives commands over an internal private network and from the OCP.
It manages robotics movement, monitors the door and load port sensor status, and stores library
informationinvolatilememory.
28
Library over view