ADIC Microscope Magnifier 6-00026-01 User Manual
AMASS Overview
AMASS Version 5.3
August 2002
6-00026-01 Rev A
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NOTES
Contents
Preface
Purpose of This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-3
Who Should Read This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-3
How This Book is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-3
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-4
Online Archiving with AMASS 1
Using AMASS to Archive Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3
Archive versus Backup and Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4
Files Viewed as Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4
Documentation Set Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-5
Benefits of Using AMASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Database Improves Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-6
Faster Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-7
Less Media Contention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-7
Automated Backups via Cron Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-8
Design Prevents Thrashing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-9
Cache Optimizes Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-9
Configurable Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-10
Virtually Unlimited File System Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-10
Volume Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-11
Uniform Media in Numerical and Cleaning Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13
Disparate Media in the Space Pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13
6-00025-01 Rev A Contents v
Accessing Storage Devices
Design Maintains Data Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13
File Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-14
Database Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Library Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Volume Verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-14
Increased Throughput . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-15
Scattered Writes Improves Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-15
Compression and Block Size Improves Throughput . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Tape Streaming Improves Write Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-17
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18
Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18
Scripts and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18
Automatic Drive Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18
Flexible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-20
Third-party Backup Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-20
Mixed Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-20
Optional Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-22
Offline Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-22
Text Import and Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-22
From the Source AMASS System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-22
At the Target AMASS System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-23
Volume Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
CD Import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-26
DataMgr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-26
Infinite File Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-27
vi Contents 6-00025-01 Rev A
Accessing Storage Devices
Accessing the Storage Network 2
Local and Network Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Local Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Network Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
Network File System (NFS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-4
Remote File Copy (RCP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Supported Libraries and Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6
Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6
Fibre Channel Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8
Technical Support 3
Phone Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
Solutions Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Contact Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Related Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-5
Secured Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6
Year 2000 Compliant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6
Glossary
6-00025-01 Rev A Contents vii
Accessing Storage Devices
Index
viii Contents 6-00025-01 Rev A
Preface
P
AMASS Overview
NOTES
P-2 Preface 6-00026-01 Rev A
AMASS Overview
Purpose of This Book
Who Should Read This Book
How This Book is Organized
This book provides an introduction or high-level summary of
AMASS, ADIC’s Archival Management and Storage System
software application.
This book is written for prospective customers as well as for the
system administrator who will be using and maintaining
AMASS.
This book contains the following chapters:
Chapter 1: Online Archiving with AMASS — The benefits
of using AMASS to archive your data
Chapter 2: Accessing the Storage Network — Supported:
access protocols, system security, storage devices, connectivity,
and Fibre Channel
Chapter 3: Technical Support — Technical support available
to you
Glossary — Defines terms
6-00026-01 Rev A Preface P-3
AMASS Overview
Conventions
The conventions used throughout the AMASS technical books
are listed below:
Convention Example
The word “library” usually includes “jukebox”
and “standalone drive” and is a generic way to
reference a storage device.
Screen text, file names, program names, and
commands are in Courier font.
The root prompt is shown as a number
symbol.
What you should type in is shown in Courier
bold font.
Site-specific variables are in a Ti me s italics
font.
A backward slash ( \ ) denotes the input is
continued onto the next line because the
printed page is not wide enough to
accommodate the line.
If using HP SunSpot jukeboxes, install patch
1234.
Request to add a new volume:
Volume group will be “20”
Volume position will be “A123”
# su root
bulkinlet 1,2-10,21,23
tar -xvf tapedevicename
# rsh nodename -n dd \
if=/cdrompath/amass/load.tar\
bs=20b | tar xvBfb - 20
(Type the entire command without the
backward slash.)
Pressing <Return> after each command is
assumed.
A menu name with an arrow refers to a
sequence of menus.
P-4 Preface 6-00026-01 Rev A
Edit Policy —> Add Library
1
Online
Archiving
with AMASS
AMASS Overview
NOTES
1-2 Online Archiving with AMASS 6-00026-01 Rev A
AMASS Overview
Using AMASS to Archive You r D at a
The Archival Management and Storage System (AMASS) is a
management tool for your storage solution.
Files are archived to media stored in robotic libraries,
jukeboxes, and standalone drives. The archived file system
managed by AMASS is supervised by a system administrator
who oversees the following components:
• File System
- Directory information
- IO activity
• Libraries, Jukeboxes, Standalone Drives
Status of elements
• Drives
- Dedicate drives for write-only or read/write
- Toggle online and offline status of drives
- Clean dirty drives
•Media
- Load, unload, and move media
- Read offline media
- Assign volume groups
- Assign media to a home storage slot
- Make media read-only or read/write
- Delete files on media
6-00026-01 Rev A Online Archiving with AMASS 1-3
AMASS Overview
Archive versus Backup and Restore
Files Viewed as Online
Backup and restore applications are usually an automatically
scheduled operation aimed at protecting original data against
any kind of loss or damage.
The goal of archiving is usually to conserve online storage
space. It is more cost effective to store infrequently accessed
data on lower cost media.
When applications need to read from or write to archived files,
the files appear as a single, mounted file system on the UNIX
server.
Applications can read from the files or write to the files the
same way they would read or write to a hard disk. Therefore,
the extensive storage capabilities provided by storage hardware
appear as one large file system.
Although applications view their files as being located on the
UNIX server, in reality they are stored on multiple storage
system—or even on offline storage.
Enterprise Data
UNIX
Application
Server
IO Request
1-4 Online Archiving with AMASS 6-00026-01 Rev A
AMASS
Her files
are online.
His files are
in offline storage.
AMASS Overview
Documentation Set Overview
For system requirements and
installation steps, refer to
Installing AMASS
For system administrative
tasks, refer to Managing the
AMASS File System.
The figure below provides an overview of an AMASS-managed
storage solution and a reference to other books in the AMASS
documentation set.
For library-specific information, refer to
.
/(root)
AMASS
UNIX Server
UNIX Server
cache
Accessing Storage Devices
Library
d
e
h
c
a
t
t
a
-
I
S
C
S
a
c
h
e
d
t
t
a
c
h
e
d
Standalone Drive
Library
S
C
S
I
-
a
t
t
n
e
t
w
o
r
k
-
a
.
Offline Media
To use offline media,
refer to
AMASS File System
To use standalone
drives, refer to
Accessing Storage
Devices
To configure AMASS
as a client of library
interface software,
refer to
Storage Device
Managing the
.
Accessing
.
s.
To perform library sharing tasks, refer to
Installing AMASS
6-00026-01 Rev A Online Archiving with AMASS 1-5
.
AMASS Overview
Benefits of Using AMASS
The management tool for your storage system should provide:
• Performance
• Data integrity
• Ease-of-use
• Flexibility
The benefits of using AMASS are described in the following
table:
Topic Page
Database Improves Performance 1-6
Design Prevents Thrashing 1-9
Cache Optimizes Requests 1-9
Virtually Unlimited File System Size 1-10
Design Maintains Data Integrity 1-13
Increased Throughput 1-15
Tools 1-18
Flexible 1-20
Database Improves Performance
AMASS keeps a File System Database, resident on the UNIX
server’s hard disk, of attributes (commonly referred to as
metadata) describing the stored data. Attributes consist of
access time, user ID, block size, file size, and so forth. This
Database grows as files and directories are added to the file
system.
1-6 Online Archiving with AMASS 6-00026-01 Rev A
The following figure illustrates the concept of how the File
System Database maps the file system data to the volumes in
the library.
The File System Database contains metadata,
which includes the directory structure, file attributes,
media information, and storage information.
AMASS Overview
Volumes contain “real” data.
AMASS
File
System
Database
UNIX Server
Inodes
Inodes
Inodes map the metadata to “real”
data found on the media.
Faster Performance Because the File System Database is resident on the server’s
hard disk, utilities and system calls operate quickly because
they access the Database instead of the actual files on the
library.
Basic commands such as directory listings (ls), changing the
working directory (cd), and even searching through part or all
of the file system for files of given attributes (find), operate on
the File System Database—not the volumes in the library.
Less Media Contention
A secondary benefit of the disk-resident File System Database
is less media contention in the library when multiple users are
accessing the AMASS file system. Because only the actual read
and write system calls need to access the library, more
operations can be completed without waiting for media
changes.
6-00026-01 Rev A Online Archiving with AMASS 1-7
AMASS Overview
Automated Backups via Cron Job
Because the File System Database is extremely important, this
information must be protected. Consequently, the
amassbackup command, run from a cron job, regularly backs
up both the Database and the Journal. The Journal is a
transaction log of daily activity. This cron job is created when
AMASS is installed. The cron job backs up the Database and
Journal to a Backup Volume at 3 a.m. using the following
schedule:
• First day of the month—Full Backup
• All other days—Partial Backup
After the backup completes, AMASS truncates the Journal
file.
If the above schedule is not suitable for your site, modify the
schedule by editing the crontab and changing the
amassbackup entries. For detailed information on making a
Backup Volume and editing the cron job, refer to Managing the
AMASS File System.
Caution
Make sure these backups are successful. Look in the system log
every day for a “Backup was successful” message.
The full backup (backs up the Database and Journal) and the
partial backups (backs up just the Journal) will allow you to
successfully restore your File System Database (and, therefore,
allow you to know where data is located on what piece of
media) if your current File System Database gets corrupted or
the hard disk crashes.
1-8 Online Archiving with AMASS 6-00026-01 Rev A
AMASS Overview
Design Prevents Thrashing
Cache Optimizes Requests
In a storage environment, there are many volumes but only a
few drives. If several requests come in for many different
volumes, the potential exists for AMASS to spend most of its
time moving media in and out of drives and little of its time
actually processing requests.
The following items help AMASS handle many simultaneous
requests, thus preventing thrashing as well as optimizing
requests:
• Request queue sorting
• Read-ahead
• Write-behind
• Prioritizing algorithm
The AMASS cache resides on a hard disk attached to the UNIX
server where AMASS is installed. The cache implementation
follows all UNIX file system conventions for synchronous IO,
sync, and fsync functions.
Data caching provides the following benefits:
• Faster system performance
• Protection against thrashing
In addition, a large cache allows large files to be queued faster
before being moved to a library thus increasing throughput.
After files are in the cache, multiple writes to the same volumes
are grouped into single operation that minimizes volume
movement and maximizes throughput. Therefore, a high
aggregate throughput is achieved through the following items:
• Grouping write operations in the cache
6-00026-01 Rev A Online Archiving with AMASS 1-9
AMASS Overview
• Prioritizing reads-from-volumes over writes-to-volumes
UNIX Server where
AMASS is installed.
WRITES are written to cache.
READS are cached the same way.
UNIX Server
Cache is on the hard disk.
From cache, WRITES
are written to volumes
in the storage device.
Configurable Cache The cache size can be configured to take advantage of both the
application being used and the system environment where
AMASS is installed.
Applications running database tables in the library, may need a
larger cache configuration to optimize the number of cache hits
and allow updates to table headers to be predominantly cache
IO.
The cache parameters are configured during installation. For
information on sizing the cache, refer to Installing AMASS.
Virtually Unlimited File System Size
Although every attempt is made to keep files under a specific
directory on one volume, files can span media. Consequently, a
directory can reside on more than one volume.
Regardless of the physical size, all the volumes appear as a
single logical device, of admittedly large capacity. AMASS
supports a maximum of 65,000 volumes.
1-10 Online Archiving with AMASS 6-00026-01 Rev A
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