IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library

A highly scalable, automated tape solution to address information availability, security, retention and compliance

Management software options
IBM System Storage TS3500 command line interface (CLI)
  • Simple and concise for tape users wanting to write their own scripts to manage tape libraries and to quickly move from concept to production
  • Enables users to interact with the operating system by typing commands to perform specific tasks
IBM Tape System Reporter
  • Enables operators and administrators of the TS3500 Tape Library to monitor and report on storage devices in an enterprise environment
  • Enables users to monitor multiple TS3500 libraries using the Java-based server application
  • Enables users to generate custom reports for multiple TS3500 tape cartridges, tape drives and tape libraries with the optional Microsoft® Windows®-based client
IBM TKLM
  • Enhances data security while dramatically reducing the number of encryption keys to be managed
  • Simplifies encryption key management with an intuitive user interface for configuration and management
  • Helps minimise the risk of loss or breach of sensitive information
Crossroads ReadVerify Appliance*
  • Provides dynamic, multi-variable, user-managed reporting for understanding complex system interactions and projecting future budget and system needs
  • Helps maximise the performance and utilisation of tape drives and media in the TS3500 by providing system monitoring, policy-based alerting and reporting
  • Automates the verification of media quality in idle tape cartridges, while creating an audit to supplement any regulatory compliance for archiving enabled by the ArchiveVerify features
IBM Tape System Library Manager
  • Enables clients with large tape environments, spanning multiple TS3500 Tape Libraries, to manage them as a single system made up of one or more pools of drives and cartridges
  • Enables Tivoli Storage Manager support for the TS3500 shuttle complex
  • Can significantly simplify the creation and management of Tivoli Storage Manager tape drive paths to the TS3500 in storage area networks
  • Provides investment protection of tape drives and cartridges for customers using applications designed for the IBM 3494 Tape Library
 IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library at a glance
Characteristics
Frame definition L23 – Base frame for TS1140, TS1130, TS1120 or 3592
D23 – Drive-capable and storage expansion frame for TS1140, TS1130, TS1120 or 3592
S24 – Storage-only expansion frame for 3592 cartridges
L53 – Base frame for LTO
D53 – Drive-capable and storage expansion frame for LTO
S54 – Storage-only expansion frame for LTO cartridges
HA1 – HA service bay frame for use with the dual-accessor feature
SC1 – Library strings shuttle connector
Library shuttle connector IBM System Storage Tape Library Connector Model SC1
Tape drive types TS1140, TS1130, TS1120 or 3592 tape drives or LTO Ultrium 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 tape drives
Number of frames per library One base frame, up to 15 expansion frames
(TS3500 Model HA1 installation provides one of the two additional frames required as service bays in a dual-accessor library)
Number of libraries per complex Up to 15 libraries
Number of drives Up to 12 per frame
Up to 192 per library string
Up to 2,700 per library complex
Number of tape cartridges L23 – up to 260
D23 – up to 400
S24 – up to 1,000
Total supported per library: >15,000
Total supported per complex: >225,000
L53 – up to 287
D53 – up to 440
S54 – up to 1,320
Total supported per library: >20,000
Total supported per complex: >300,000
Number of I/O slots Up to 224 per library (16 I/O slots standard)
Up to 3,360 per complex
Number of logical libraries Maximum of 192 per library (up to number of drives installed)
Maximum of 2,700 per complex
Number of 3953 systems Maximum of four per TS3500 subsystem
Number of TS7700 virtualisation engines Maximum of eight per TS3500 subsystem
Number of tape controllers for System z Maximum of 16 per TS3500 logical library
Capacity** LTO Ultrium 6 cartridges: up to 50 PB per library (up to 125 PB with 2.5:1 compression), up to 1.875 exabytes (EB) per complex when compressed
3592 advanced cartridges: up to 60 PB per library (180 PB with 3:1 compression), up to 2.7 EB per complex when compressed
Media type L23/D23/S24 – IBM 3592 JA/JJ/JB/JC and JW/JR/JX/JY WORM cartridges
L53/D53/S54 – LTO Ultrium 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 cartridges
Dimensions (all frames) 70.9 in. H × 30.8 in. W × 47.7 in. D (1,800 mm × 782 mm × 1,212 mm)
Maximum weight L23 – 1,079 lb (490 kg); D23 – 994 lb (451 kg), S24 – 1,160 lb (526 kg)
L53 – 1,061 lb (481 kg); D53 – 970 lb (440 kg), S54 – 1,240 lb (563 kg)
Warranty One year limited warranty, on-site service, same day around-the-clock, service upgrades available

Operating environment
Temperature 16°C - 32°C (61°F - 90°F)
Relative humidity 20% - 80% (non-condensing)
Wet bulb maximum 23.0°C (73.4°F)
Electrical power 8.0 A at 200 V - 240 V ac; 1.6 kVA
Attachment and systems support Can attach to IBM Power Systems; IBM System p, IBM System i and IBM System x servers; and non-IBM servers and workstations.
(Attachment to System z can be made via the 3953 Tape System, the Virtualisation Engine TS7740 or the System Storage Tape Controller for System z)
Operating systems support Device driver support is available for:
IBM system platforms
  • System z – SUSE Linux® Enterprise Server (SLES), Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
  • System p – IBM AIX, SLES, RHEL
  • System i – IBM i, IBM i5/OS
  • System x – Microsoft, SLES, RHEL, Solaris
Other vendor platforms
  • Oracle – select SUN Servers/Fibre Channel (FC) host bus adapters (HBAs), Solaris
  • Hewlett Packard – select HP Servers/FC HBAs, HP-UX
  • Microsoft – Windows Server 2008
  • Linux – RHEL, SLES
 IBM System Storage 3953 Tape System at a glance
Characteristics
Frame 3953 Model F05 + feature code 5505 – base frame for the 3953 Tape System, consisting of the mechanical frame, power and cabling infrastructure to support the library manager(s) and a single TS1120 tape controller
(up to five additional F05s can be configured as expansion frames, each capable of supporting up to three TS1120 tape controllers)
Library manager 3953 Model L05 – single library manager; maximum of two (redundancy only) per 3953 tape system
Number of frames Six total – one base frame and up to five expansion frames
IBM System Storage TS3000 System Console One per 3953 tape system
TS7700 Virtualisation Engine support Maximum of two TS7700s per 3953 tape system, maximum of eight per TS3500 Tape Library
TS1120 Tape Controller support Maximum of 14 with two TS7700s, up to 16 with zero TS7700s
System Storage TS3000 System Console capability Yes, required
Dimensions (all frames) 71 in. H × 43.4 in. W × 25.4 in. D (1,804 mm × 1,102 mm × 644 mm)
Weight 3953 Model F05 – 620.4 lb (282 kg)
Warranty One year limited warranty, on-site service, same day around-the-clock, service upgrades available

Operating environment
Temperature 16°C - 32°C (61°F - 90°F)
Relative humidity 20% - 80% (non-condensing)
Wet bulb maximum 23.0°C (73.4°F)
Electrical power 8.0 A at 200 V - 240 V ac; 1.5 kVA
Attachment and systems support The 3953 Tape System enables the TS1140, TS1130, TS1120 and 3592 J1A tape drives within the TS3500 Tape Library to attach to System z hosts or the TS7700 Virtualisation Engine
Operating systems support IBM z/OS
 IBM Tape System Library Manager at a glance
Hardware requirements
Tape systems IBM System Storage TS3500 Tape Library
Tape drives IBM System Storage TS1140 Tape Drive
IBM System Storage TS1130 Tape Drive
LTO Ultrium 6
LTO Ultrium 5
LTO Ultrium 4
LTO Ultrium 3
Server Any IBM System x, IBM System p or Intel® server
HBA Dependent on the server and operating system selected
Operating systems support (server) AIX 6.1, 7.1
RHEL 5.x, 6.x
SLES 11
Operating systems support (client) AIX 6.1, 7.1
RHEL 5.x, 6.x
SLES 11
Windows Server 2008
Solaris 10 for SPAC processor
HP-UX 11i v3
Hard disk drive (HDD) requirements File system Size
  /opt 5 GB
/home/db2inst1 20 GB
/tmp 7 GB

* Available only in the US, Canada and Europe.
** Capacity depends on drives installed, number and type of cartridges used and compression ratio achieved. Listed capacity is physical. Usable capacity may be less.

We're here to help

Browse System Storage

Shop online

Browse and Buy Online the best deals and offers on System x accessories, options, upgrades and also find cost effective Storage solutions.

Buy now

Related links