Spectra Logic Spectra 12000 - Manual (Page 66)

66 Spectra 12000 User Guide
About TAOS ™
The Spectra Logic TAOS operating system architecture is an innovative
approach to sharing tape backup resources among hosts. The TAOS
enabled Spectra 12000 E-QIP has an ethernet interface and the ability to
enable one of two components: TAOS ITP or TAOS NDMP.
TAOS ITP
TAOS Internet Tape Protocol (ITP) is enabled on every TAOS enabled E-
QIP shipped from the factory. TAOS ITP is used by installing ITP drivers
on all hosts that require access to the library. Once the ITP drivers are
installed and configured the host sees the E-QIP as a locally attached
SCSI device. All applications that work with your existing SCSI devices
will work seamlessly with all TAOS enabled devices.
When an application runs, SCSI commands are issued to the ITP driver—
a virtual SCSI HBA. These SCSI commands are converted to IP packets by
the ITP driver, sent across the network to the E-QIP, then re-assembled
into SCSI commands before being sent to the drives.
NDMP Enabled by TAOS
TAOS Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) is an optional feature
that can be purchased and enabled with an activation key. TAOS NDMP
includes an NDMP agent built directly into the E-QIP, so that Network-
Attached Storage (NAS) devices that support NDMP can talk directly to
the library across the network.
Typically, a backup application host will initiate a backup job and
instruct the NAS file system and the library to get ready. They are then
instructed to talk to each other to complete the backup. Metadata and
management commands may involve the backup server, but the bulk of
the data—the information being read/written to tape—passes directly
from the NAS device to the tape drives, without detouring through the
backup server.
The E-QIP supports versions 2 and 3 of NDMP.