IBM Tape Solutions for Storage Area Networks and FICON

Chapter 6. FICON attachment of IBM tapes 163

– Maximum 43 km

By using ESCON LED fiber or ESCON laser fiber cables, and 9032 or 9033 ESCON

Directors or the 9036 ESCON Remote Channel Extender, the maximum distance

between the ES/9000 or S/390 host and the tape subsystem attached using the IBM

TotalStorage 3590 Model A60 tape controller can be up to 43 km with minimum loss of

performance.

򐂰 256 logical paths

The number of logical paths for each physical path is 64. A total of 256 logical paths are

available with an IBM TotalStorage 3590 Model A60 tape controller.

򐂰 All paths to each drive

All the physical paths on the S/390 host are available to each of the tape devices. All

attached tape devices in the subsystem can use any path.

򐂰 Up to 12 3590 tape drives attached

An IBM TotalStorage 3590 Model A60 tape controller can attach up to 12 3590-B1A, E1A,

H1A, or 3592 J1A IBM TotalStorage tape drives, but the models cannot be intermixed

behind the same controller. Unlike the 3480, 3490, and 3490E, such tape control

operations as forward space file, back space file, and locate record do not hinder control

unit function. These operations are controlled by the drive itself, and the control unit

function in the 3590-A60 becomes free.

򐂰 Device type 3590 or 3490E

The IBM TotalStorage 3590 Model A60 tape controller has two device type options. It can

run in native 3590 mode and can provide a 3490E emulation feature that enables attached

IBM TotalStorage 3590 tape drives to appear to the host system as 3490E tape drives.

The 3490E emulation feature can be used with IBM TotalStorage 3590 tape drives

attached to an A50 or A60 controller installed in a 3590 Model A14 stand-alone solution,

or in rack-mounted subsystem solutions.

The choice of 3490E emulation or native 3590s is set by your service representative.

6.4.1 Installation options

The 3590 Model A60 may be installed in a number of ways as explained in the following

sections.

Stand-alone tape subsystem

The stand-alone 19-inch rack supports:

򐂰 Single cartridge solution (no ACL support)

򐂰 Up to 16 drives in a 2m rack without a controller

򐂰 Up to 12 drives in a 2m rack with a controller

򐂰 Up to 12 drives in a 1.8m or 1.6m rack without a controller

򐂰 Up to 8 drives in a 1.8m or 1.6m rack with a controller

Cradle features must be ordered on the 3592 J1A for this support. It contains power supplies,

shelves, etc.

Support is for stand-alone racks such as 7014 T00 and T42. No support planned with the

3590 A14 frame, no support for

Note: This feature is not available when the 3590 Model A50 or A60 is installed in an

IBM TotalStorage 3494 tape library.