5 1 0:Configuring ACSLS-Managed Libraries

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Welcome to the latest SEP sesam documentation version 5.1.0 Apollon. For previous documentation version(s), check documentation archive.


Overview


This article describes how to configure a StorageTek ACSLS Library in the Oracle Linux environment.

SEP sesam supports configuration of tape libraries controlled by StorageTek Automated Cartridge System Library Software (ACSLS) as SEP sesam backup devices. The system on which you install and configure ACSLS is called ACSLS Device Server; currently SEP sesam only supports ACSLS on Oracle Linux server.

ACSLS controls a StorageTek ACS tape library, while SEP sesam Server accesses the library robotics through ACSLS to manage media and drives specifically configured for use with SEP sesam.
For detailed information on ACSLS configuration and system administration, refer to the official StorageTek documentation.

Prerequisites

  • ACSLS-managed libraries require a special license for use with SEP sesam. For details, see Licensing.
  • The ACSLS server and the SEP sesam Server must be on different systems.

Configuration steps

  1. Install the SEP sesam Server and ACSLS Device Server (Oracle Linux Server).
  2. Add the ACSLS Device Server as SEP sesam Client.
  3. Create a new loader which uses the Oracle Linux Server as the Device Server.
  4. Connect the ACSLS drives to the SEP sesam Server.
  5. Create a drive group and add the drives connected to the SEP sesam Server.
  6. Create a media pool.
  7. Perform an archive adjustment.

Install the SEP sesam Server and ACSLS Device Server (Oracle Linux Server)

Configure the ACSLS Device Server as SEP sesam Client

  1. In the SEP sesam GUI: Main selection -> Components -> Topology, select the desired location (LOCAL is always created by default), and then click New client. Enter the name of your ACSLS Device Server (Oracle Linux Server) – this has to be the network hostname of your server. The name has to be resolvable either via DNS or the hosts file. If there is a name server (DNS) in the network, SEP sesam automatically selects the TCP/IP address. Otherwise, you have to enter it manually in the etc/hosts file.
  2. From the Platform drop-down list, select LINUX. (In the Operating system drop-down list the Linux operating system is then selected by default.)
  3. In the Access mode drop-down list, the communication method and access type between the client and the SEP sesam Server is set to SMSSH by default. Click OK.

Your ACSLS Device Server should now be displayed in the Topology content pane. For more details and additional options, see Configuring Clients.

Create a new loader

Create a new loader which uses the Oracle Linux Server as the Device Server and the identifier (number) of the ACSLS loader as the device name.

  1. Manually configure your ACSLS loader in the SEP sesam GUI: Main selection -> Components -> Loaders. Click New Loader.
  2. In the New Loader window, enter its properties.
    • Device name: Enter the identifier (number) of the ACSLS loader as the device name. You can estimate the identifier as shown in the following example:
    •  ACSSA> query acs all
       2020-02-06 09:49:38 ACS Status
        Identifier State Free Cell Audit Mount Dismount Enter Eject
                                     Count C/P C/P C/P C/P C/P
         0 online 27 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0
         1 online 30 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0

      In this example it is "0" or "1".

    • Device server: From the drop-down list, select the previously added ACSLS Device Server (Oracle Linux Server) to which the loader is connected.
    • Type: Enter the device type.
    • Ctrl : Select DIR_ACSLS.
    • Slots: Number of slots in the loader.
    • Ports: Number of mail slots in the loader.
    • Barcode: Depending on whether the loader has a barcode reader or not, select yes or no.
    • Auto unload function: Almost all autoloaders and tape libraries allow explicit commands to transport tapes to and from the loader mechanism. It is strongly recommended to disable the Auto unload function by setting it to No and allow the manufacturer's drive settings to perform as designed.
Tip
It is recommended to configure persistent naming, which enforces file names for loaders and tape drives so that they persist across operating system reboots. The configuration of persistent naming depends on the used driver and is not part of SEP sesam as each hardware vendor handles this differently. If you need help, contact your respective OS and the hardware manufacturer's support. SEP sesam only provides basic information, as described in Enabling persistent naming for tape devices.

Connect the ACSLS drives to the SEP sesam Server

Connect the ACSLS drives to the SEP sesam Server (or a remote device server RDS) via iSCSI connection.

Create a drive group and add the drives connected to the SEP sesam Server

The ACSLS library typically manages media used by different applications. Configure the drives (and media) you want to use with SEP sesam.

  1. From the Components, select Drives. In SEP sesam, every drive has to be a member of a drive group. Create a new drive group: Click the New Drive Group button and enter the name of the new drive group, e.g., ACSLS_Drives.
  2. Tip
    • It is recommended to group all drives that belong to the same loader in the same drive group.
    • Once you have created a drive group, you can double-click it and set a default interface for it. This interface will then be used automatically when you start a task by immediate start and when you create a new backup event under a schedule.
  3. Select the newly created drive group and create new drives by clicking New Drive.
  4. In the New Drive window, the following fields are available:
    • Drive number: The number is automatically assigned by SEP sesam; you can change it when you create a new drive.
    • Drive name: Optionally, enter a description, e.g., the logical identifier of a drive.
    • Drive type: Select the drive type from the drop-down list of existing drives, e.g., LTO.
    • Loader: From the drop-down list, select ACSLS.
    • Drive no. in loader: Check the information you got by using slu topology:
      For example, for Drive no. in loader with a value of 0 you would enter the related persistent name of the drive in the field Device (non-rewinding).
    • Device server: From the drop-down list of available hosts, select the name of the server (or RDS) to which the drive is connected.
    • Drive group: Is already selected, based on your previous choice when starting the drive configuration.
    • Device (non-rewinding): Based on the slu topology output, you have to match the drive's persistent name with the drive number. For details, see Using slu topology for detecting devices.
    • Device Block Size: The Device Block Size option allows you to change the default write density for tapes to achieve better tape performance. This setting only applies to LTO tapes when they are initialized. For details, see Setting the device block size.
    • Max. channels: Select the number of simultaneous backups that can be operated through drives.
    • Encryption capable: For drives that are already configured, this indicates whether they are capable of encryption. The field is shaded for new drives. Note that SEP sesam provides native support for managing LTO-based encryption; LTO encryption of tape drives can be enabled at the media pool level. For details, see LTO Encryption.
  5. Click OK to configure the drive.

Repeat the procedure for each drive.

Create a media pool

Configure a media pool that will be used for backing up directly to tapes and assign it to the drive group that contains your newly created drives. The way you set up your backup strategy depends on the data to be backed up. Note that SEP sesam does not make use of scratch pools.

  1. From Main Selection -> Media Pools, click New Media Pool. The New Media Pool window appears.
  2. In the Media Pool window, specify the required fields:
    • Name: Specify a name for a media pool, for example, MP_tape_day (for daily backups), MP_tape_week (for weekly backups), etc.
    • Description: Optionally, insert the description of the pool.
    • Drive group: From the drop-down list of all available drive groups, select the drive group you created earlier. For details on drive groups, see Drives.
    • Retention time [days]: Specify the retention time for the media pool. The retention time period starts with the date a saveset is written to the media and lasts for the period defined by the media pool retention time (in days). The expiration date of the retention time is the EOL of the saveset. When a saveset is stored on tape, every stored saveset has its own saveset EOL, however, the expiration date of the tape corresponds to the maximum retention time (the longest EOL) identified on the tape. For details, see Tape availability and retention.

Perform archive adjustment

You have to perform an archive adjustment after inserting new media or used media that has not yet been registered (initialized) by SEP sesam. Archive adjustment identifies the media in a loader and synchronizes the information with the SEP sesam media archive database. To start the adjustment, select Main Selection -> Components -> Loaders -> select your ACSLS library -> Archive Adjustment. For details, see Setting up Archive Adjustment.



See also

Configuring a LoaderSetting up Archive AdjustmentMedia PoolsMediaLTO EncryptionTape Management

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