jukebox LTO Ultrium -3 is seen by system?

[Pancevo1956]

I have problem understanding the output of the command inquire. "The inquire program lists SCSI devices available."
I do not understand what it means that scsidev@0.0.0GC is
only physical drive seen by the system?


what is the meaning of this line?
"scsidev@0.2.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk"

"scsidev@0.4.0:IBM ULTRIUM-TD3 64D0|Tape" means that system could see Jukebox Ultruim-TD3? Or maybe it could not see jukebox drivers?

Overall, I can to a certain extent use navisphere manager to have a look that this server consist of only Fibre Channel LUN SAN configuration. Where does this SCSI devices comes from?

C:\Program Files\Legato\nsr\bin>inquire -l

-l flag found: searching all LUNs, which may take over 10 minutes per adapter
for some fibre channel adapters. Please be patient.

scsidev@0.0.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk, \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE0
S/N: CK200071900247
WWNN=6006016049AD1C007C71FBA52644DC11

PORT=00000001
scsidev@0.0.1GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@0.1.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@0.2.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@0.3.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@0.4.0:IBM ULTRIUM-TD3 64D0|Tape
scsidev@5.0.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@5.0.1GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@5.1.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@5.2.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk
scsidev@5.3.0GC RAID 5 0326|Disk

 

[605]

INQUIRE is nothing else but a SCSI command: It returns the vendor and firmware code of a specific SCSI ID. The string is just returned by the device, whatever the firmware tells it report.

NW's inquire command just runs a batch that tests all individual SCSI busses and addresses - unavailable devices are not listed.

As you can see you have a lot of disks, each connected via an individual SCSI address, listed as b.t.l (bus.target.lun).

The missing device name (\\.\Tape0) indicates that you have not loaded an appropriate device driver. Consequently, Windows did not assign a name - a prerequisite for the configuration in NW.

 

[Pancevo1956]

The missing device name (\\.\Tape0) indicates that you have not loaded an appropriate device driver. Consequently, Windows did not assign a name - a prerequisite for the configuration in NW."

Ok, I was told as I have Windows 2003 SP1, that there is no need to load additional driver software to do that. So, where I could find the answer whether I have to load additional software or not. The people who have configured NW,believe that problem is either with switch or powerpath configuration, and my server simply could not see tape device. It is true that another storage node is operating. I can see in device manager two driver for two head of the LTO Ultrium tape device.

 

[605]

As you can only configure NW tape drives using the OS device name, it must exist first. And to be able to do this, the OS must either have in built-in device driver or must be extended via a 3rd party driver.

Windows 2003/SP1 is so old that i doubt that the appropriate LTO-3 device driver is built-in. Even if so, i assume this one would be obsolete. Query IBM for the latest version.

And BTW - the people configured NW should know that. NW is not any different with respect to other backup software. Did they ever run another program (MS Backup?) to check whether this software would run at all? - Get your money back.

 

[Pancevo1956]

I have begun to realise that. They had a sort cluster, which was not backed up. I broke the cluster because of variety of problems, then on these servers I have to establish proper back up. All of other servers function good and they have two tape drives visible on Device Manager. MSSQL works fine for them. Although they did not establish a sort of cleaning tape procedure, and the system function without cleaning at all. Let me leave cleaning for later.

I am able to do manual backup which as matter fact works from Networker Server. They had some sort of argument whether to use storage node or directly to Networker server. Some of them believe that for each server we have to use one storage node instead going directly to networker server. I do not quite well understand that.

 

[Pancevo1956]

Ok, on the server nodes that works I have the following from inquire:

scsidev@4.4.1:ADIC Scalar 24 310A|Autochanger (Jukebox), \\.\Changer0

S/N: ADIC_1_C00027529


It means that chareger is ADIC Scalar. What I am confused about is jbconfig. It works on autodetect, and I presume it is 2

jbconfig
1) Configure a SmartMedia Jukebox.
2) Configure an Autodetected SCSI Jukebox.
3) Configure an Autodetected NDMP SCSI Jukebox.
4) Configure an SJI Jukebox.
5) Configure an STL Silo.
6) Configure a Microsoft Removable Storage Jukebox.


I think that is option 2. Before I had to disable removable storage. I do not userstand whether jbconfig is the command create jukebox only or it is used as well to edit current only one jukebox?

 

[605]

Well, adding more Storage Nodes at least makes the configuration more expensive. But without knowing your environment extensively, i will not comment that any further.

Please keep in mind that the NW server must at least have one backup device/jukebox installed.

Disabling RSM is now a mandatory step. This is o.k.

jbconfig - option 2 fits for about 80% of all installations. But of course you can also do the (Auto-)Detection/ Configuration from the NW Admin GUI.

In fact, the GUI just runs jbconfig in the background ;-)

 

[a060463xyz]

With windows 2003 you can always use the ltotape.sys from Microsoft. It runs with all LTO-3-Tapedrives.
But you should upgrade to SP2 if possible :
The tape.sys driver of Windows 2003 sp1 has a hard coded max blocksize of 64K.
This is not sufficient for lto-3 (128K) !
If you are considering storagenodes this hard coded limit is a "pain-in-the-ass".
If you cant get rid of sp1 because of application compatibility, there is a hotfix available from microsoft, contact their support.

 

[605]

You can also use the tape.sys driver from the original release.

 

[Pancevo1956]

OK, I was able to backup through networker server manually and it takes neworker server's driver to talk to the jukebox. I do not know whether I have to go with an extra one more storage node or to stick to use networker server. I do not know where to find the answer on how to design optimal backup strategy in particular whether to use storage node or to send data through the network server. I presume there is a some limitation with device parallelism.

 

[605]

The guys who initially configured the system should know that ... or they just installed a 'demo' system.

For a true solution there are so many things to consider that you should ask a knowledgeable consultant. The device parallelism is in fact a minor issue.

 

[Pancevo1956]

OK,

what I have found is the following configuration on the storage node (Computer Management - Device Drivers), one that the " expert company" installed (not demo at all, but I have not read fine print of the agreement) and which is operating (still with problems):
ADIC Scalar 24 Tape is scalar24.sys File version1.0.0.2.
Hovewer for tape drivers: there are two (I presume due to there are two heads)each with three drivers installed ibmtp2K3.sys and ibmtpfp2K3.sys and ntutil.exe version 6.1.8.0 x64. Maximum Block size is 16 777215. While default Block size is 65535, is it problem? Max block size is greater than 64 k, but not default?

What is ntutil.exe?

 

[605]

Seems to be a TSM utility.