This IBM® Redbooks® publication highlights TS7700 Virtualization Engine Release 2.0. It is intended for system architects who want to integrate their storage systems for smoother operation. The IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 offers a modular, scalable, and high-performing architecture for mainframe tape virtualization for the IBM System z® environment. It integrates 3592 Tape Drives, high-performance disks, and the new IBM System p® server into a storage hierarchy. This storage hierarchy is managed by robust storage management firmware with extensive self-management capability. It includes the following advanced functions:

• Policy management to control physical volume pooling
• Cache management
• Dual copy, including across a grid network
• Copy mode control
• The TS7700 Virtualization Engine offers enhanced statistical reporting. It also includes a standards-based management interface for TS7700 Virtualization Engine management.

The new IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 Release 2.0 introduces the next generation of TS7700 Virtualization Engine servers for System z tape:

• IBM Virtualization Engine TS7720 Server Model VEB
• IBM Virtualization Engine TS7740 Server Model V07

These Virtualization Engines are based on IBM POWER7® technology. They offer improved performance for most System z tape workloads compared to the first generation of TS7700 Virtualization Engine servers.

Part 1. Architecture and planning

Chapter 1. Introducing the IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700

Chapter 2. Architecture, components, and functional characteristics

Chapter 3. Preinstallation planning and sizing

Part 2. Implementation and migration

Chapter 4. Hardware implementation

Chapter 5. Software implementation

Chapter 6. Upgrade considerations

Chapter 7. Migration aspects

Part 3. Operation

Chapter 8. Operation

Chapter 9. Performance and Monitoring

Chapter 10. Failover and disaster recovery scenarios

Appendix A. Feature codes

Appendix B. IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 implementation steps

Appendix C. TS3500 and TS7700 checklists

Appendix D. JES3 examples and information

Appendix E. Case study for logical partitioning of a two-cluster grid

Appendix F. Sample JCL

Appendix G. Library Manager volume categories

Appendix H. DEVSERV QLIB command