Advanced Library Management System

The Advanced Library Management System (ALMS) virtualizes the locations of cartridges in the TS3500 tape library.

ALMS is an extension of IBM's patented Multi-Path Architecture. With ALMS, the TS3500 tape library is the industry's first standards-based tape library to virtualize the locations of cartridges (called SCSI element addresses) while maintaining native SAN attachment for the tape drives. ALMS enables logical libraries to consist of unique drives and ranges of volume serial (VOLSER) numbers, instead of fixed locations.

When you enable ALMS with its license key, you can assign tape drives to any logical library by using the Tape Library Specialist web interface. Logical libraries can also be added, deleted, or easily changed without disruption. Storage capacity can be changed without impact to host applications.

ALMS offers dynamic management of cartridges, cartridge storage slots, tape drives, and logical libraries. It enables the TS3500 tape library to achieve unprecedented levels of integration for functionality through dynamic partitioning, storage slot pooling, and flexible drive assignment. ALMS eliminates downtime when you add Capacity On Demand (CoD) or High Density Capacity on Demand (HD CoD) storage, add or remove logical libraries, or change logical library storage allocation. ALMS also reduces downtime when you add expansion frames, add or remove tape drives, or change logical drive allocation.

ALMS provides the following capabilities:

  • Dynamic partitioning (storage slot pooling and flexible drive assignment)
  • The transparent ability to add or remove storage capacity to any host application
  • The ability to configure drives or to configure Model L22, L23, L32, L52, or L53 storage capacity without taking the library offline
  • Virtual I/O slots to automatically manage the movement of cartridges between I/O slots and storage slots

If you purchase an entry-capacity or intermediate-capacity library, you can purchase the new Entry ALMS or Intermediate ALMS at a price lower than the Full ALMS. For more information, contact your IBM® marketing representative.

The sections that follow describe the capabilities of ALMS.