CSI Delivers Software-based Virtual Tape Library (VTL) Solution in UK-first deal

Virtual Tape Library, VTL

In a UK-first, CSI has delivered a software-based Virtual Tape Library (VTL) solution running entirely on IBM Power Systems technology.

The new IBM Power VTL solution replaces the client’s existing unsupported ProtecTIER system backing up IBM i workloads.

By running a software-based VTL solution in a Linux LPAR on an IBM S922G server in an Enterprise Pool of POWER9s – the VTL will use only compute capacity from the pool when backups are running.

VTL storage is provided by increasing capacity on existing IBM FS7200 arrays.

CSI’s IBM Power Systems experts have also developed a service to migrate the data from the existing VTL system without needing additional costly software toolsets.

Client Needs & Benefits for Virtual Tape Library Solution

By leveraging the client’s existing IBM POWER9 Enterprise Pool and FlashSystems, CSI provided the new VTL solution with an efficient data centre footprint and extremely flexible compute capacity.

The VTL uses four cores to run backups, but otherwise, all cores are available for other functions, especially for AIX development and a Red Hat OpenShift containerisation proof of concept.

With the simple expansion of the FlashSystem infrastructure, the software-based solution sidesteps the growth limitations of physical appliances.

By avoiding any non-IBM appliances, the CSI solution also protects any future migration from the client’s on-premises estate to PowerVS in the IBM Cloud.

Read the case study

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