I at one time had my primary backup pool go into a VTS. Mine is a 3494-B18, older model. TSM likes to append to tape volumes until they are full. The recall process to stage a virtual volume from tape back to disk cache will take from 4 to 6 minutes and then TSM will start appending the tape and then it is written back to tape back end. When you start tape reclamation, it will take 4 to 6 minutes to load each 800 MB volume that needs to be reclaim. Tape reclamation is a real pain, at one time I was reclaiming 50 volume daily. I had 1200 virtual volumes before I decided to convert it all to native 3590 cartridges.
I backup my database to VTS, but my offsite I take a DB SNAPSHOT to a 3590 cartridge. -----Original Message----- From: Steve Harris [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 4:38 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Changes to Tape Management hardware in Data Center Shannon, What was the reason for purchasing the VTL? I'd surmise it is probably to do tape consolidation on your mainframe operations. *caveat! I have not actually used a 3494 VTL* Past posts here have indicated that TSM is not a good fit for the VTL because of the overhead of staging data that will only be used once and then destaged. I'd have to question why there is a perceived need to keep the archives in 3480 format. I can think of no reason to when native 3590s are available, other than a larger number of available drives. Sure, copy them over that way at conversion time if there is a co-existence issue with the new and old libraries, but new ones, nah. I understand that the VTL can be logically split into a native library and a VTL. I'd suggest for TSM that you use the native library. See the other posts earlier today about how to migrate to the new media. Regards Steve Steve Harris AIX and TSM Admin - ex mainframer 1980-1997 Queensland Health, Brisbane Australia I do have a question here about backing up the TSM database. Will it be possible to do some kind of DB Backup to the VTS and still keep my DB Series that is going offsite? 2. In addition to the VTS and our current Magstar, we are adding a 3494 -D14 and a 3494 -D12, that have a total of (6) 3590E drives. As with the Magstar, it will use the 3590J cartridges but will they should hold more data because of the difference between the Magstar 3590B drives vs. the 3590E drives on the new ATL. The following is the how this hardware change will have an effect on our TSM backup environment,
