1Introduction
This section describes the HP StorageWorks 300 virtual library system features and models.
Features
The HP StorageWorks 300 virtual library system (VLS) is a RA ID disk-based SAN backup device that
emulates physical tape libraries, a llowing you to per form disk-to-virtual tape (disk-to-disk) backups using
your existing backup application(s). The many benefits of performing data backups to a VLS instead of
physical tape are described in Benefits.
The VLS emula
tes a variety of physical tape libraries, including the tape drives and car tridges inside the
libraries. Y
ou determine the number and types of tape libraries a VLS emulates, and the number and type
of tape drives and cartridges included in each tape library to meet the needs of your environment. You
configure the size of the virtual cartridges in your VLS, which provides even more flexibility.
The VLS accommodates mixed IT platform and backup application environments, allowing all your servers
and backup applications to access the virtual media simultaneously. You can specify which servers
are allowed to access each virtual library and tape drive you configure. You can change the default
LUNs assigned to the virtual library and tape drives for each host as needed to accommodate different
operating
system requirements and restrictions.
Data stor
ed on a VLS is e asily cloned to p hysical tape for off-site disaster protection or long-term archival
using a backup application.
Benefits
Integrating a VLS into your existing storage and backup infrastructure delivers the following benefits:
• Faster backups
BackupspeedsarelimitedbythenumberoftapedrivesavailabletotheSANhosts. TheVLS
emulates many more tape drives than are available in physical tape libraries, allowing more hosts
to run backups concurrently.
The VLS is optimized for backups and delivers faster performance than a simple disk-to-disk solution.
• Faster single file restores
Asinglefile can be restored much faster from disk than tape.
• Lower operating costs
Fewer physical tape drives and cartridges a re required as full backups to tape are eliminated. Also,
fewer cartridges are required as small backups stored on multiple virtual cartridges can be copied to
one physical cartridge.
• More efficient use of storage space
Physical tape libraries cannot share storage space with other physical tape libraries, and physical
cartridges cannot share storage space with other physical cartridges. This unused storage space
is wasted.
Storage space is not wasted in a VLS, because VLS storage space is dynamically assigned as it is
used. Storage space is shared by all the libraries and cartridges configured on a VLS.
• Reduced risk of data loss and aborted backups
RAID-basedstorageismorereliablethantapestorage.
Aborted backups caused by tape drive mechanical failures are eliminated.
HP StorageWorks
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