Technical information

Automated Cartridge System
1-2 Tenth Edition 9871
■ Automated Cartridge System
The Nearline ACS is a fully automated, cartridge-based, tape-library system. The
operating system host software component or library server software sends a
cartridge move request to an LMU. The Library Management Unit (LMU) sends
the request to the Library Control Unit (LCU), which controls the electronics for
the LSM robot. The robot retrieves stored cartridges and mounts them onto CDs
or tape drives for read/write operations. When the read/write operations are
complete, the robot dismounts the cartridges and places them back into storage
cells in the LSM.
■ Nearline Software
The Nearline software is the interface between one or more client operating
systems and the hardware components of the ACS. The software acts as the
overall manager of the system and directs the automated mounting,
dismounting, and moving of cartridges in the LSM.
The software can reside in the client operating system or run on a server
platform with a portion of the package running in the client system. The
configuration depends on the type of operating environment in which the ACS
is running.
Refer to your software publications for more information about the Nearline
software.
■ Electronics Module and Library Management Unit
A 9312 or 9315 EM is attached to each 9360 LSM. The 9330 Library Management
Unit (LMU) is a stand-alone version and is not attached to the LSM.
9315 EM Contains the LMU and the library control unit (LCU). Only one
9360 LSM in an ACS has a 9315 EM attached. This is because one
LMU can manage up to 16 LSMs in a maximum ACS
configuration.
9312 EM Contains one LCU. In an ACS configuration with more than one
9360 LSM, the 9312 EM is attached to the 9360 LSMs that do not
have the 9315 EM attached.
In an ACS configuration that contains a 9330 stand-alone LMU,
the 9312 EM is attached to every 9360 LSM.
9330 LMU Manages LSMs in an ACS configuration that includes a 9360
connected to 4410, 9310, or Extended Store LSMs.
The LMU manages the LSMs in an ACS. The LMU receives cartridge mount and
dismount requests from the client operating system by way of the Nearline
software.