3584-L23: IBM TS3500 Tape Library base frame for 3592 drives

The 3584-L23 is the base frame of the IBM TS3500 Tape Library when the library is built around 3592 tape drives. It is a short-depth frame that holds up to 12 drives and up to 260 cartridges, equipped with the enhanced frame control assembly and optionally with backend Fibre Channel switches. The Ultrium-drive counterpart is the L53, and the older L22 can be converted to an L23.

The enhanced frame control assembly carries two power supplies, and either one can power the library and every drive in the frame; it combines drive power, library power and a standard dual AC power cord setup. It also gives the L23 two Ethernet ports per frame, which satisfies the library's two-port requirement for remote support without an extra feature.

Capacity is enabled in steps. The entry capacity of an L23 is 58 cartridge slots for 3592 cartridges, and the Intermediate and Full Capacity features raise it to 117 slots, or from 199 up to 260 slots depending on what is ordered. The I/O station has 16 slots in the upper station for 3592 cartridges and 16 in the lower station, which takes Ultrium or 3592 media.

IBM allows TS1160, TS1155, TS1150, TS1140, TS1130, TS1120 and 3592 J1A drives in L23 and D23 frames and no Ultrium drives. Library firmware G060 or later does not recognize TS1120 or 3592 J1A drives, and G060 is required for TS1160. An L23 stands 1800 mm high on casters, is 782 mm wide with covers and 1212 mm deep including doors, and weighs 361 kg with one drive and no cartridges. Expansion frames for 3592 drives are the D23; the high-density 3584-S24 expansion frame and 3584-S54 expansion frame attach to the same library; drives are in IBM tape and Storwize parts.