Mainframe Solutions

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

SecureAgent is introducing a game-changing mainframe tape and virtual tape migration strategy. The new approach completely alters the landscape of how mainframe tape and tape library migrations can be implemented. 

It does this by eliminating any involvement from the mainframe host. Host-free migration provides:

• Migration using no expensive mainframe cycles.

• Migration using no expensive third-party tape copy software.

• Migration requiring a minimum of expensive migration management. 

Traditional tape library migrations are labor intensive and require monitoring of the process and the third-party software.

The new method explained here is simple and straight-forward, and the automated processes can be left to run unattended.

The new host-free, transparent tape migration strategy moves data directly from any existing mainframe tape library, either virtual, physical or both to the SecureAgent VTL solution without requiring any impact to the mainframe host or existing mainframe operations.   The host system continues with normal production while the SecureAgent Tape Migration Interface does all the work of the migration.

The Migration Interface is directly FICON attached to the target library as an additional Mainframe LPAR and appears to the library as a mainframe host.   The Migration Interface running beside the mainframe issues tape mount commands and directly reads VOLSER tape ranges provided by the customer simultaneously copying them to attached fiber channel storage.

Transparent to the Host

The mainframe host has no awareness of the Tape Migration Interface and continues with its normal operations.  At the completion of the migration import, the SecureAgent Migration Interface is FICON attached to the mainframe host and becomes the new Virtual Tape Library, at which point the original tape infrastructure can then be decommissioned. 

Data Security, Data Protection

All mainframe tape data read by the SecureAgent Tape Migration Interface is simultaneously compressed and encrypted before being stored on disk.  The Migration Interface will immediately begin securely replicating the newly migrated data to a remote SecureAgent VTL thereby protecting redundant copies at various geographic locations. 

This new SecureAgent mainframe tape migration strategy provides the fastest, most efficient and most secure method of moving out of an existing tape library and into a new state of the art SecureAgent VTL.