The IBM TS7600 ProtecTIER Deduplication solution meets the disk-based data protection needs of the enterprise data center while enabling significant infrastructure cost reductions. The solution offers high-performance inline data deduplication, optional two-node clustering, and up to 1 petabyte (PB) of physical storage capacity per system. Combined with IBM storage, the ProtecTIER Gateway solution provides an optimal disk-based target for backup and archive data.

The IBM TS7600 ProtecTIER Deduplication solution can scale to meet the needs of small businesses to an enterprise-class data protection platform. It can quickly and safely protect business information while reducing the amount of space that is required for storage. Customers can experience up to 25:1 storage capacity reduction. Deploying this solution can help organizations more efficiently protect their corporate data on disk-based storage while helping them manage the exponential growth of new data through reduction or elimination of duplicate data in their backups. Starting with ProtecTIER Version 3.2, there is another feature available for order, the File System Interface (FSI). FSI and OpenStorage (OST) are mentioned briefly in this publication because they differ from tape solutions. Virtual Tape Library (VTL) is described in more detail and ProtecTIER Version 3.3 new functions are highlighted.

The TS7600 solution is designed to perform the following tasks:

This chapter includes the following topics:

IBM offers two ProtecTIER virtualization solutions: The TS7650G and the TS7620.

The terms presented here are for the IBM virtualization solution from the TS7650 family that does not include a disk storage repository, which allows you to choose from various storage options.

The TS7650G consists of the following components:

The system console is a TS3000 System Console (TSSC). This publication uses the terms system console and TSSC interchangeably.

The TS7650G gateway solution also connects to the following components:

The customer chooses the disk controller for use with the TS7650G. A list of compatible controllers is available at the following IBM Tape Systems Resource Library website:

Verify compatibility in the TS7650/TS7650G ISV and the interoperability matrix document that you find on the website.

The customer chooses the disk expansion unit for use with the TS7650G. A list of compatible expansion units is available at the following IBM Tape Systems Resource Library website:

Verify compatibility in the TS7650/TS7650G ISV and the interoperability matrix document that you find on the website.

The TS7620 appliance is the machine type 3959 SM2. Use this machine type and model for service purposes. The IBM ProtecTIER Entry Edition software is loaded on the IBM TS7620 ProtecTIER Deduplication Appliance to create a TS7620 ProtecTIER Deduplication Appliance solution. A separate order for ProtecTIER Entry Edition is required. Clients can choose between VTL configuration, OpenStorage (OST), or the newly available File System Interface (FSI), which supports Common Internet File System (CIFS) as a backup target.

The TS7620 appliance consists of the following components:

The TS7620 appliance uses the 3959 SM2 server. It is available in four configuration options with usable repository sizes of approximately 6 TB, 12 TB, 23 TB, and 35 TB. Upgrading from 6 TB to 12 TB requires only a license and a software upgrade. For the higher capacity configuration, expansion racks also must be installed. The TS7620 hardware consists of the left and right slide rails, support tray, cable management assembly, external USB DVD drive, 3959 SM2 server, and expansion controllers.

Components that can be safely and easily self-serviced by the client are CRUs. Component removal and replacement that requires a higher degree of technical expertise and system knowledge are FRUs, and are to be serviced by IBM personnel, only.

Internal components are inside the server chassis, and are accessible only if the server’s top cover is removed. External components are accessible with the server’s cover in place

Hot-swappable components do not require stopping input/output (I/O) activity or disconnecting the server from AC power before removing or replacing the component. Cold-swappable components cannot be removed or replaced while the system is running. I/O must be stopped and the server must be disconnected from the AC power source before removal or replacement is started.

Each component has a unique FRU ID (part number). If you must order a replacement CRU or schedule a service call for an FRU, you must provide the FRU ID to the IBM customer support representative.

The following definitions apply to ProtecTIER technologies:

A process that transfers logical objects such as virtual cartridges from one ProtecTIER repository to another. The replication function allows ProtecTIER deployment to be distributed across sites. Each site has a single or clustered ProtecTIER environment. Each ProtecTIER environment has at least one ProtecTIER server. The ProtecTIER server that is a part of the replication grid has two dedicated replication ports, Eth3 and Eth4 are used for replication. Replication ports are connected to the customer’s wide area network (WAN) and are configured on two subnets as default.

A set of repositories that share a common ID and can potentially transmit and receive logical objects through replication. A replication grid defines a set of ProtecTIER repositories and actions between them and is configured by using the ProtecTIER Replication Manager, which is a software component that is installed on a ProtecTIER server or a dedicated host. The ProtecTIER Replication Manager should recognize all the members of the entire network the ProtecTIER Replication Manager handles on both replication subnets. The ProtecTIER Replication Manager is deployed separately from the ProtecTIER Manager on the client’s ProtecTIER server. The ProtecTIER Replication Manager manages the configuration of multiple replication grids in an organization. An agent on every node in each ProtecTIER server interacts with the server and maintains a table of its grid members.

A number 0 - 63 that identifies a replication grid within an organization.

A repository that is a member in a replication grid.

A software component that is installed on a ProtecTIER server or a dedicated host. The ProtecTIER Replication Manager recognizes all the members of the entire network the ProtecTIER Replication Manager handles on both replication subnets. The ProtecTIER Replication Manager manages the configuration of multiple replication grids in an organization. An agent on every node in each ProtecTIER server interacts with the server and maintains a table of its grid members.

A replication and backup target. It receives replicated data from up to 12 spokes in a many-to-one replication system setup environment. In a many-to-many replication system setup environment, up to four hubs’ repositories can replicate to each other. In this case, the repositories are hub and spoke at the same time. In an OST mesh grid, the hub can be configured to replicate to another system and act as a source concurrently.

A backup source that can replicate only to a single hub in a many-to-one replication system setup environment. Spokes are not supported in a many-to-many replication group.

Two repositories within a replication grid that replicate from one to another.

A policy made up of rules that define a set of objects (for example, VTL cartridges) from a source repository to be replicated to a target repository.

A number that uniquely identifies the repository. The RID is created from the replication grid ID and the repository internal ID in the grid.

A scheduled time for replication to take place for all policies.

A container of VTL cartridges within a ProtecTIER repository. The ProtecTIER replication feature introduces the concept of a virtual shelf. Generally, replication always occurs from the source shelf to a destination shelf. As with physical tape shelves, there is a limit to the number of tapes that can be put on a virtual shelf. The limit is the result of subtracting the total number of tapes in all libraries from the total number of tapes supported in a single repository.

An automated process of the ProtecTIER replication feature that transfers the visibility of a cartridge from its master to its replica and vice versa. Just like a real physical tape, a virtual cartridge can be in or be visible only to the backup application in one location at a time. This is carried out by the ProtecTIER replication by using the VTL Import/Export slots.

The following interfaces are available:

The IBM ProtecTIER Virtual Tape service emulates traditional tape libraries. By using this configuration, you can move to disk backup without having to replace your entire backup environment. Your existing backup application can access virtual libraries to move virtual cartridges between virtual slots and virtual drives. The backup application perceives that the data is being stored on cartridges while ProtecTIER stores data on a deduplicated disk repository on the storage fabric.

With the OpenStorage (OST) API, ProtecTIER can be integrated with Symantec NetBackup software to provide backup-to-disk without having to emulate traditional tape libraries. By using a plug-in that is installed on an OST-enabled NetBackup media server, the ProtecTIER product can implement a communication protocol that supports data transfer and control between the backup server.

The ProtecTIER FSI emulates Microsoft Windows file system behavior and presents a virtualized hierarchy of file systems, directories, and files to Windows CIFS clients. Clients can perform all Microsoft Windows file system operations on the emulated file system content. The ProtecTIER FSI interface is intended to be used for backup and restore of data sets by using a backup application. It is single-node only, and FSI/CIFS cannot be deployed on dual-node clusters.

For more information about IBM ProtecTIER offerings, see IBM System Storage TS7600 with ProtecTIER Version 3.3, SG24-7968:

For more information about best practices for ProtecTIER offerings, see IBM ProtecTIER Implementation and Best Practices Guide, SG24-8025: