Remote Storage and Removable Storage

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Remote Storage and Removable Storage

Remote Storage uses Removable Storage to access the applicable media in a library that are used for remote storage.

Remote Storage can support a multiple-drive automated library, but only if all the drives within it are identical. Within such an automated library, Remote Storage can access two or more drives at the same time. If the automated library contains two or more drives, Remote Storage can simultaneously copy data to, and recall data from, two or more different tapes or disks.

All remote storage tapes or disks used by Remote Storage exist in a single application media pool that is automatically created during Remote Storage Setup. You use Removable Storage to verify that sufficient media have been moved to a free media pool, so that Remote Storage can use tapes or disks from that pool if needed. You cannot move tapes or disks from the Remote Storage application media pool to another application media pool.

Remote Storage can support only a single tape or disk type for use as remote storage. You specify which type is supported when you run the Remote Storage Setup wizard. You cannot change this type later.

Recalling data from remote storage may take more time than usual. The amount of this time delay depends on several factors:

• Whether or not a tape or disk is already mounted in a drive.

• The speed of a library in mounting a tape or disk.

• Availability of the tapes or disks and drives in a library.

• Whether or not other file recalls are pending.

The following figure illustrates how Remote Storage recalls data from remote storage to local storage. Note that when data is recalled, it is copied back to the original volume and the file again takes up disk space.

Remote Storage does not support the use of QIC tapes as remote storage media.

Media used by Remote Storage contain only data that has been copied from managed volumes. However, the library can contain additional media used by other applications, such as Backup.

Remote Storage does not support recalling data for a volume that has been managed at different times by two different Remote Storage installations.