Version 7 of Bus-Tech Mainframe Data Library

Bus-Tech, Inc. announced version 7 of its Mainframe Data Library (MDL), providing a combination of the latest Intel Server offering with release 7.0 of Bus-Tech’s Virtuent virtual tape technology.

Key features of Virtuent 7.0,
the engine common to all MDL models, include:

• an enhanced library file system,
• new easy-to-use HTML-based configuration utilities,
• z/OS Master Console support,
• enhanced data encryption using RSA Key Manager,
• phone-home capabilities and more.

The enhanced library file system simplifies configuration and administration functions making it easier than ever to add storage to the virtual tape library as needed and introduces storage classes; allowing customers to manage the overall cost and effectiveness of the VTL’s storage.

z/OS Master Console support allows customers to configure their MDL to direct informational, warning and/or error messages to a z/OS master console allowing the mainframe operators to easily monitor the operation of their virtual tape library.

Operators can use the z/OS console to issue commands to the MDL in order to query the status and operate the library. Together the messaging and command capabilities of this new feature allow centralized operation of the MDL and eliminate the necessity of managing the MDL from a separate console.

The MDL now supports RSA’s key management. An RSA client is pre-installed in each MDL. The customer can then include the MDL into their existing or new RSA Key Manager and enjoy the benefits of security from the premier provider of security solutions for data protection.

The MDL has also been enhanced to provide phone-home capabilities. In the MDL-4000 and 6000 models, the Emulation Nodes forward alerts to one of the dual Access Control Points (ACPs). The ACPs run an intelligent phone-home application that filters the alerts and, based on severity, sends the alerts to the SNMP manager or as an e-mail alert to the customer and Bus-Tech support. This allows the Bus-Tech support group to receive notification of a potential problem and proactively apply fixes.

"These technical, security and performance improvements to the Mainframe Data Library were driven by customer requirements and show our capability to respond to our customer’s needs," stated Al Brandt, president of Bus-Tech, Inc. "This is just another step in our quest toward advancing data protection and improving overall functionality in the Mainframe VTL marketplace."

MDL version 7 uses a 64-bit operating system and is built on Intel SR2600 using Intel’s latest XEON 5500 Quad-Core processor technology. The MDL-4000 and 6000 models support newer switching technology which will pave the way for the implementation of 10Gb Ethernet later this year.