Sun Microsystems SL500 User Manual

Partitions and Library Resources

150 SL500 User’s Guide • July 2008

Revision: KA • 96116

SCSI element numbering uses a single integer to identify each library resource. SCSI 

element numbering within partitioned libraries is continuous for each partition, even if 

cell locations for the partition are not adjacent. SCSI element addresses for a partition 

start at the lowest module, row, and column within the partition, then proceed by row 

until the end of the column, then increment by column until the end of the module. 

When additional resources are allocated to an existing SCSI partition, the original 

resources are not renumbered. This helps to minimize disruption to the SCSI host. 

If a library’s base and storage expansion modules are allocated to Partition 1 and the 

drive module is allocated to Partition 2, SCSI element numbering is as follows:

■

Numbering for Partition 1 begins at the first available storage cell in the Base 

Module and continues through the last available cell in the storage module cell. 

■

Numbering for Partition 2 begins with the first available storage cell in the drive 

module PRC Address and ends with the last available cell in that module. 

Storage Cells and Drives 

All storage cells, tape drives, and cartridges allocated to a partition are owned 

exclusively by the assigned host and cannot be accessed by other hosts. For example, if 

a group of tape drives is allocated to a partition, only the host assigned to that partition 

can use those drives. 

Storage cells and drives that are not allocated to any partition cannot be accessed at all. 

For example, you can leave an area of cells unallocated in preparation for a planned 

future partition. 

On the SL Console screens and reports, storage cells and drives appear in any of the 

following states:

■

Allocated—Assigned to the current partition. 

■

Unallocated (or Unassigned)—Not assigned to any partition; available to be assigned 

to any current partition. 

■

Unavailable—Assigned to another partition. 

■

Not accessible—Not available for host operations; for example, cells reserved for 

diagnostic cartridges, cells that are physically blocked. 

HandBots are shared resources and cannot be allocated exclusively to a 

partition. 

To display partition assignments for storage cells and drives, see