Specifications

Enabling Technology

StackLink Mechanism

The StackLink is a pass-thru "elevator" mechanism that connects multiple Sun StorEdge

L25 and/or

L100 units by enabling cartridges to be passed from a slot in one module to an available drive in another

module. This operation is completely transparent to the application software. The StackLink mechanism

can move a cartridge from any module to any other module in less than 4 seconds (fully scaled

configuration).

The following StackLink configuration table lists how many modules of each type can be used with the

appropriate StackLink model number.

Sun StorEdge L25 and L100 Library StackLink Configurations

StackLink Type Part

Number

Rack

Units

L25 only

configurations

L100 only

configurations

Mixed

Configuration

StackLink2 SG-XSTACK2-MOD 8 2 0 Not applicable

StackLink5 SG-XSTACK5-MOD 20 5 0 1 L100

1 L25

StackLink7 SG-XSTACK7-MOD 28 7 2 1 L100

3 L25s

Unlike other elevator mechanisms, StackLink is not bolted to the back of the libraries. Instead, it sits

independently in a "U" channel at the back of the library that allows modules to be removed and replaced

in the rack without disturbing the operation of the StackLink itself. Therefore, all the other libraries in the

stack continue to operate and can pass cartridges to other units even with library modules missing in the

stack.

Visual representations of the some of the available StackLink configurations are shown below.

Just the Facts May 2003 13

2 L25 libraries 1 L100 and 3 L25 libraries 2 L100 libraries

Figure 2. Example StackLink configurations