ACS Concepts and Terminology

ACS has a System Administrator interface and a program interface. The System Administrator interface allows a system administrator to make requests. The program interface allows a program running on a client system, in this case DPX, to make requests. In effect, ACS manages the physical movement and storage location of tapes, while DPX manages the content of the tapes.

The following table defines terms and acronyms applicable to the configuration:

Term Description

Term	Description
ACS	Automated Cartridge System
ACSLS	Automated Cartridge System Library Software – Issues commands to the Library Management Unit
ACS System Administrator (acssa):	A user created during the ACSLS installation for managing volumes (tapes) and issuing commands directly to the LMU via the cmd_proc utility.
CAP	Cartridge Access Port – A sophisticated import/export drawer
Cell	A receptacle in the LSM in which a cartridge is stored. The term for a cell is “slot”.
Client System Interface (csi)	The software component that translates and routes messages between the LMU and the client running the ssi (or LibAttach). The CSI runs on the machine running the ACSLS software.
cmd_proc	The command-line interface through which an administrator (logged in as acssa) can issue requests directly to the ACS. The acssa user is created during the ACSLS installation. cmd _proc runs on the machine running the ACSLS software.
Drive (DRV)	Drive or drive number on the panel. An individual Drive is defined by its ACS number, LSM number, Panel Number, and Drive Number.
LibAttach:	LibraryAttach: a Windows-based software component that translates and routes messages between client applications and the CSI. LibAttach performs the same functions as the ssi and mini_el.
Library Management Unit (LMU)	Library Storage Module contains the robot, drives, and tapes. There may be multiple LSMs per ACS.
Library Storage Module (LSM)	A silo with drive(s), an arm, CAP and slots (called “cells”). LSMs can be daisy-chained within a single ACS.
LibStation:	LibraryStation: a mainframe-based software component that issues commands to the LMU. Basically, an MVS version of ACSLS.
mini_el	The UNIX client component that emulates the ACS event logger. The mini_el process runs on the same client as the ssi and the juker module. Writes to the `event.log` file.
PANEL (PNL)	A removable door or wall on the silo. Panels are approximately 3' x 7', and the interconnection of 8 panels forms an octagon (thus the term “silo”) with a 25' diameter that can house over 5000 cartridges.
Scratch Pool	A group of tapes of the same type – identified by a pool number – that are blank or have no useful data. Scratch Pools are defined from within the cmd_proc command-line interface.
Storage Server Interface (ssi)	A software component, residing on a client system, that translates and routes messages between client applications and the CSI. The ssi runs on the same client as the juker module.

ACS

Automated Cartridge System

ACSLS

Automated Cartridge System Library Software – Issues commands to the Library Management Unit

ACS System Administrator (acssa):

A user created during the ACSLS installation for managing volumes (tapes) and issuing commands directly to the LMU via the cmd_proc utility.

CAP

Cartridge Access Port – A sophisticated import/export drawer

Cell

A receptacle in the LSM in which a cartridge is stored. The term for a cell is “slot”.

Client System Interface (csi)

The software component that translates and routes messages between the LMU and the client running the ssi (or LibAttach). The CSI runs on the machine running the ACSLS software.

cmd_proc

The command-line interface through which an administrator (logged in as acssa) can issue requests directly to the ACS. The acssa user is created during the ACSLS installation. cmd _proc runs on the machine running the ACSLS software.

Drive (DRV)

Drive or drive number on the panel. An individual Drive is defined by its ACS number, LSM number, Panel Number, and Drive Number.

LibAttach:

LibraryAttach: a Windows-based software component that translates and routes messages between client applications and the CSI. LibAttach performs the same functions as the ssi and mini_el.

Library Management Unit (LMU)

Library Storage Module contains the robot, drives, and tapes. There may be multiple LSMs per ACS.

Library Storage Module (LSM)

A silo with drive(s), an arm, CAP and slots (called “cells”). LSMs can be daisy-chained within a single ACS.

LibStation:

LibraryStation: a mainframe-based software component that issues commands to the LMU. Basically, an MVS version of ACSLS.

mini_el

The UNIX client component that emulates the ACS event logger. The mini_el process runs on the same client as the ssi and the juker module. Writes to the event.log file.

PANEL (PNL)

A removable door or wall on the silo. Panels are approximately 3' x 7', and the interconnection of 8 panels forms an octagon (thus the term “silo”) with a 25' diameter that can house over 5000 cartridges.

Scratch Pool

A group of tapes of the same type – identified by a pool number – that are blank or have no useful data. Scratch Pools are defined from within the cmd_proc command-line interface.

Storage Server Interface (ssi)

A software component, residing on a client system, that translates and routes messages between client applications and the CSI. The ssi runs on the same client as the juker module.

Last updated 1 year ago