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Power Systems offers several integrated removable media devices that can be used for software distribution or as a save restore device. IBM i, Licensed Internal Code, Licensed Programs and Preventative Temporary Fixes (PTFs) are distributed on CD-ROM media. A minimum of one CD-ROM, DVD-RAM, or DVD-ROM drive is required on all IBM i systems, and must be ordered as a feature on the system unit. Customers can use DVD-RAM units for save restore purposes, but performance will be slower than tape backups.
Linear Tape Open (LTO) and 4mm DAT are the main Tape technologies offered for IBM i integrated devices. For a complete list, support for LPAR environments and IBM i release levels, see System i Overview.
IBM offers several state-of-the-art tape offerings, that are primarily fibre channel attached, that provide solutions for capacity, performance and tape library automation requirements.
The System i Overview contains a complete list of all supported external tape libraries. The IBM System Storage link has details on each of these libraries. Primary offerings include:
Single-Drive Removable Media Unit
Tape Automation:
NOTE: The 5749 PCI-x and 5774 PCI-e Fibre channel controllers support IPL from externally attached tape devices (Power 6 systems only). The older 5704 PCI-X Fibre Channel Tape Controller or the 2765 PCI Fibre Channel Tape Controller do not support the Alternate IPL Device function. A D-mode IPL is required using CD-ROM, DVD-RAM or another supported ALT-IPL tape device.
Tape Virtualization
Tape virtualization provides the ability to do backup to disks devices that look like tape devices to the host systems. The IBM i system has supported the TS7530 virtual tape library for several years.
In June of 2009 IBM i added support for the TS7650 virtual tape. This virtual tape, offered as an appliance and a gateway, incorporates deduplication technology. Deduplication is the capability to recognize similar patterns in the data and only save the same pattern one time, thus reducing the overall capacity required significantly. For details, see one of the TS7650 links above. Initial attachment of this device is via the IOP based adapters of #2765, #5704 and #5761 for POWER5 systems and #5704 and #5761 for POWER6 systems. Smart IOA adapter support (#5749, #5774 and #5735) is currently forecasted for 2010.
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