> Documentation > Storage > Libraries > Tape Libraries > Tape Library Types > Libraries with Mixed Drive Types

Libraries With Mixed Drive Types - Configuration

Configure a Direct-Attached Library with Mixed Drive Types

  • This feature requires a Feature License to be available in the CommServe® Server.

    For general information about licenses, see the Commvault Licensing Program Guide. Also, Applying a License in the CommCell Console provides step-by-step instructions on how to view and apply licenses.

  • Display the Expert Storage Configuration window.

  • Detect the devices as described in Device Detection.

    Caution

    Do not perform the exhaustive detection now.

    If the library supports SCSI 3 drive identification, the system automatically detects the devices and displays them with detection status detect success, in the Expert Storage Configuration window.

    Note that the Expert Storage Configuration window displays a master drive pool (with a drive pool and the associated drives) for each of the drive types in the library.

    If the library does not support SCSI 3 drive identification, the system detects the Library with Empty Drive Slots and the drives as StndAln Library.

    Map the drives to the appropriate drive slots, by dragging the standalone drives and dropping them on the appropriate drives.

    Note

    Physically verify the drives and the appropriate drive slot numbers before performing this operation in the Expert Storage Configuration window.

    The Library tab provides the physical view of the devices (library and drives).

    The Data Paths tab provides a logical view of the data path used to access the devices - library, master drive pool, drive pool, drive.

  • Right-click the library and open the Library Properties window.

    Disable the option to Automatically create storage policy for new DataPaths.

  • Configure the library as described in Configuring Devices.

    If this Discover Media Options dialog box appears during the configuration process, click No.

    The status of the library changes to configured in the Expert Storage Configuration window.

    The Library tab provides the physical view of the devices (library and drives).

    The Data Paths tab provides a logical view of the data path used to access the devices - library, master drive pool, drive pool, drive.

  • Optionally, we recommend that you rename the Master Pools and Drive Pools with appropriate names, based on the drive type. This will help you to easily identify them later.

    To rename a Master Pool, right-click the MasterPool from the Data Path tab and then click Properties. Type the new name and click OK to save.

    To rename a Drive Pool, right-click the DrivePool from the Data Path tab and then click Properties. Type the new name and click OK to save.

  • The changed names are reflected in the Expert Storage Configuration window.

    Exit the Expert Storage Configuration window. To exit, click the Start menu and then click Exit.

  • From the CommCell Console, define the barcode patterns associated with the storage and cleaning media for each drive type.

    We highly recommend the usage of a specific barcode pattern for the media associated with each of the drive type in the library. This will help you to easily manage and administer the media in the library. (See Managing Barcodes in a Library for more information.)

  • Create new scratch media pools for the media associated with the various drive types.

    We recommend that you use appropriate names based on the drive type for each of the scratch media pools.

    Select the appropriate media type from the Default Media Type list.

  • Associate the appropriate barcode pattern in each of these scratch media pools.

  • Create new cleaning media pools for the cleaning media associated with the various drive types.

    We recommend that you use appropriate names based on the drive type for each of the cleaning media pools.

    Select the appropriate media type from the Default Media Type list.

  • Associate the appropriate barcode pattern in each of these cleaning media pools.

  • Open the Library Properties and enable the Auto-Discovery of Media into default scratch pool option.

    Select any one of the media as the Default Media Type.

    • If media is already available in the library, they will be automatically moved into the appropriate scratch pools. If the media is not moved, perform a Full Scan or Discover Media operation.

    • If media is not available in the library, the media will be automatically moved into appropriate scratch pools when you Import Media.

      If you import media that does not match the specified barcode patterns defined for the scratch pools, or is not of the media type associated with the defined scratch pools, the media will be moved to the default scratch pool. If necessary manually move them to the appropriate scratch pools.

  • Create new Storage Policies using the appropriate naming convention as recommended earlier. Associate the Storage Policy Copies to use the appropriate drive pools and scratch pools.

    If you have existing storage policies, reassociate them to the appropriate drive pools and scratch pools.

Post Configuration Considerations

If you are configuring libraries with mixed drive types in a SAN do not enable the options to automatically configure the data paths in the Storage Policy Copy. (See To automatically configure the data paths in the Storage Policy Copy for more information.)

Configure a Library with Mixed Drive Types in SAN

This procedure does not apply to NAS-attached libraries.

Considerations for a Library With Mixed Drive Types in SAN

  1. Configure any of the MediaAgents sharing the library as described in Configure a Library with Mixed Drive Types.

  2. After configuring the library: Display the Expert Storage Configuration window.

  3. Open the Library Properties dialog box and select the following option:

    • Auto Configure DDS DrivePool: Enable this option to automatically configure the DDS drive pools for MediaAgents sharing these drives.

    Optionally, consider the following options:

    • Auto Configure Failover Library Controllers: Enable this option to automatically configure the Failover Library Controllers in all the MediaAgents sharing this library.

    • Automatically create storage policy for new Datapaths: Disable this option for libraries with mixed drive types.

    Click OK.

    Note

    The option to automatically create/configure DDS DrivePools is not available for NAS-attached libraries; Dynamic Drive Sharing must be configured manually. For instructions on how to configure DDS for NAS-attached libraries, see Configure NAS-attached Libraries Shared Across a SAN.

Automatically Configure Other MediaAgents That Share the Library in SAN

  1. Install the library and ensure that the operating system detects the library. (See Driver Configurations for information on how to check this information for various operating systems.)

  2. Install the MediaAgent software on all the other computers that will share the library. (See MediaAgent Installation for information on installing the MediaAgent software.)

    If you have already installed the MediaAgent software, stop and start the MediaAgent Services on all the MediaAgents sharing this library.

    For more information on stopping and starting services, see the following topics:

    Open the Expert Storage Configuration window and verify that the libraries are configured from all the MediaAgents that share the library.

Post Configuration Considerations

Consider the following:

  • When you create new storage policies, or have existing storage policies, ensure that the appropriate combination of drive pool and scratch pool are associated with them.

  • Also when you configure the alternate data paths in a storage policy copy, ensure that the same combination of drive pool and scratch pool are added as the alternate paths.

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