MSL2024 Fibre not showing up

[Kelly Martin_2]

We recently installed a new SAN and a MSL2024 tape autoloader. The MSL is not showing up on any of the servers connected to it. They do not even show unknown devices.

The MSL 2024 is connected to a StorageWorks 4/8 SAN Switch. A MSA1000 is also connected with 2 MSA30 drive arrays. All of these drive arrays are visible to both servers connected.

The servers connected are a ML370 G4 and a ML530 G2. The only server I care to see that autoloader is the ML 530.

I have backup Exec 10.1d, fully patched, with the SAN Shared Storage Option. Both servers are running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise SP1, fully patched.

The Fibre HBAs are HP StorageWorks FCA2214 2Gb PCI-X.

The switch sees the tape autoloader as the port status and port speed LEDs are lit. You can go to the management webpage and it shows to be connected at at 4GB.

I've tried just about everything I can think of, to no avail. For as much as that thing cost, it did not come with much documentation, and in fact, the documentation was all for SCSI and not FC, with the exception of an insert or two.

Any help would be appreciated.

[MSECO]

Hi KJ,

If you can see the autoloader on your SAN switch, it means that this is a zooning issue, so you need to add your FCA WWN in that zone.
What NSR (Network storage router) are you using
The NSR converts SCSI to fiber, it is for tape devices.

[Curtis Ballard]

While the 2024 can be connected with an interface controller (Compaq referred to them as NSR's) it usually is not so this one is probably connected directly from the fibre channel drive to the SAN switch.

Check the status information on the library display and verify that it also reports linked.

It is possible that the SAN switch has a zoning configuration applied that will not allow the host to connect to the library. The MSL 2024 does not have any built in zoning and will respond to any server that attempts to connect.

You could try a direct connection from one of the hosts to the library and see if that works.

There are several settings on the library for the link configuration. Usually Automatic speed and Automatic topology is the best but you may want to try manually configuring it to use Fabric topology and 4Gb speed.

Did you purchase the 4Gb or 2Gb drive? If you have a 2Gb drive and the switch is reporting 4Gb then the speed negotiation may not have completed correctly and you will need to set that port on your switch to 2Gb.

[Kelly Martin_2]

Ok, got the autoloader to been seen by the servers that need it. It was a zoning issue.

Here's the information requested by both of the responders for future use by others.

MSECO: Our tape library was native fibre. It plugged directly into our fibre swith. It was a zoning issue, you hit the nail right on the head.

Curtis: We purchased the 4GB drive. The MSA1000 and the servers were all in the same zone. I have no idea why the autoloader was not. After moving it, the servers all saw it. The everything shows it at 4GB, where it should be. Now to just get BackupExec to use it.

Thank both of you for the help. I was at my wits end, purchasing such an expensive piece of equipment and not having decent documentation to figure out how to connect it.

[MSECO]

Hi KJ,

If you need more information about your unit, you can download some documents from:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual〈=en&cc=us&docIndexId=179111&taskId=135&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=1809913

[MSECO]

Hi KJ,

If you need more information about your unit, you can download some documents from:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual〈=en&cc=us&docIndexId=179111&taskId=135&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=1809913

User and service guide (last one)is the most important for troubleshooting.

[Kelly Martin_2]

hehe, That's the problem, I did go through those documents. They were not much help. They all primarily deal with the SCSI based models and the fibre. Oh well, the help here was much appreciated.

[Curtis Ballard]

Thanks for your comments on the documentation. I'll go take a look and see if we can improve that material. We recently did a re-write on some of that material and will be releasing revised documentation sometime in the coming months (when the translators are done).