Storage Agents Alerts

[JLLeBoeuf]

Hi guys,
I have the following error appearing every minute or less.
Backup Exec 11d for Windows Servers
Date: 8/28/07
source: Storage Agents
Category (18)
Type: Warning
Event ID: 4611

Component: SAS Agent Error: Could not read the registry subkey: "CompaqStorage\SCSI\SASTapeDrv". Cause: This error can be caused by a corrupt registry or a low memory condition. Rebooting the server may correct this error.

I've read that rebooting doesn't fix the problem, The drive was recently replace due to a hardware failure, i also can't get a good backup because of this:
Final error: 0xe00084ec - A tape read/write error has occurred. This is usually caused by dirty read/write heads in the tape drive. Clean the tape drive, and then try the job again. If the problem persists, try a different tape. You may also need to check for problems with cables, termination, or other hardware issues.
Final error category: Backup Media Errors

But they are using new cleaning tapes as well as media, do we think this is faulty as well?

Thanks,
-Jessica

 

[SpRick3T]

If you had replaced the tape drive you can try running
the veritas tape device install wizard again so it'll
refresh the driver configuration.

What might be happening is that drive is just a bit
different so when its replying back commands to BE it might
be sending something that doesn't match up.

On the backups not completing... how far along are they
getting? Are they getting all the way thru and failing
at the end or are they complaning of crc errors pretty
quickly?

Also could probably use a quick look within the server
to be sure the cable going to the tape drive wasn't
damaged or maybe not seated perfectly.

Lemme know what kinda drive you have in there and
connection type and i'll see if i can think of anything
else that might be causing that error.

-= Gfense /

http://www.GFense.com

=-

 

[JLLeBoeuf]

I've finally contacted HP about this, now it's a big project. Apparently the Tape drive is getting to hot, which then gives out a hardware error.
There's a few things to check when you get this error:
1) Temperature of the server room
2) Location of server (on the floor, against a wall,etc)
3) The air Flow in the server room (If there are other servers, the air flow could be less..)
All of these could give out a hardware error because when it's warmer, the server and the tape drive have to work harder, the tape drive is possibly working beyong it's max capacity.
We're in the process of finding out the temps.

 

[SpRick3T]

Yeah running it to hot will really make the tapes suspect
as it might lengthen the tape media which might of been
the crc errors.

If its a dell server the open manage software will let you
know about all the stats of the system. I believe compaq
has a limited version of that and i'm sure IBM has
something althought the last two probably are not free like
the tools dell has.

Our facility here is a sealed room with seperate cooling
but i also use remote monitor stations so i can see what
the temps are of certain things. Its a GE Wireless Weather
station thing with 3 little remote sensors.

Alot cheaper than installing a system to monitor the entire
room thats for sure.

-= Gfense /

http://www.GFense.com

=-

 

[JLLeBoeuf]

This is a client that is off site, i have remote access to their server, so i wouldn't be able to see the temperature without going there on a daily basis...unless of course i asked the customer on a daily basis to give me the temp information. It's an HP Server.fairly new ML350 G4. Also, I think the server sits on the floor (tisk tisk...not supposed to that) ...but i'm thinking we need to possibly put in a KVM swithc, minimize the number of monitors, and keep the door of the server room closed,that way we can keep the air flowing and nothing over heats.
do you think we killed this drive?

 

[SpRick3T]

I don't know... it would have to get reaaaaaly hot
for a long time to do damage you would think.

Our cooling system died once and before we could get the
backup unit rolled up there it was around 140 degrees in
the room... ambient temp !!

Most of the servers were still on and things were so hot
you couldn't touch the metal. We didn't loose any of the
servers or tape drives that were in there.

You could get one of those Digital Doc 5 things that plugs
into the server/workstation and it'd give you multiple
places to check the temp. I think they have one that
can be monitored with software so you could RDP in
and see the stats.. for like around 35 / 50 bux.
Still alot cheaper than buying a rack mount environmental
monitor which start at like $250 somethin.

If the system really is getting that hot you might want
to check if the cable wasn't damaged and have them place
a small floor fan in front of it. I have a client with a
350 g4 and it does have alot of open room inside of it.
If something was blowing air at the front of it, it should
help circulate the air thru.

If you close the door you'd want to make sure they have
pretty good cold air coming in all the time and a return
vent to pull out the hot air. Just about any server that is closed up without some air movement will cook that
room in a matter of time.

If they wanted to get a seperate cooling device just for
that room, something as simple as one of those roll around
a/c units at home depot could do the trick for a handfull
of normal servers.

-= Gfense /

http://www.GFense.com

=-