SDLT 160/322 on AS2100A

[Nigel Wright_1]

I am thinking you using a SDLT 160/320 tape drive on a Alpha 2100A 5/250.

Does anyone know the min. version of VMS that I require?

Thnaks Nigel.

[marsh_1]

hi,

a previous discussion on this topic , with a reference to the supported options list which suggests v7.2 , but if you have the choice at least go for v7.3-2 as that is still supported , better still get v8.2 or 3.

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627+1245233696997+28353475&threadId=968902


hth

[Nigel_18]

Thanks for that.

I read that discussion but the link went to devices for a 1200.

I am at 7.1-2 at the moment, I just need a definative answer to very next version (up) that will support this hardware.

Thanks Nigel.

[marsh_1]

hi,

sorry dyslexia with 1200 and 2100 ! no sdlt listed in the supported options for that server :-

http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/options/as2100a/as2100a_options.html

as for the vms version if you are not worried about support then start with the version mentioned for the as1200.

fwiw

[Jon Pinkley]

Nigel,

You may have difficulty supplying data to the drive fast enough to keep it streaming.

If you can't keep it busy, it will "shoe-shine" and your performance will be bad.

What type of SCSI HBA were you planning to use? You need a Wide SCSI adapter.

See this thread about a faster drive being slower when nothing was changed but the drive.

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1343623

If you have a drive you can try, just try it and see if it works. VMS may not officially support it, but it may work as long as you don't need to specify density, etc. P.S. I have never used an SDLT 160/320, only the 110/220, and that on an ES40 6/667.

Jon

[Hoff]

Navigation to the supported options for most recent boxes:

Start at http://www.hp.com/go/server

select the Alpha or Itanium processor, as appropriate.

Keep clicking through until you get to the Alpha or Integrity server page; avoid all the other dreck you might encounter. When you get to a page that allows you to select from small, medium, large or gigantic server or select retired server, you're in the right place to dig further. If it's current, select the size of the box. If old (as is the case here), select retired.

Select the specific box.

Select the options link.

View.

Current direct link is here:

http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/options/as2x00/as2x00_15_82_options.html#OptListHead

For this case, an SDLT 160/320 will likely not be listed; the AlphaServer 2100A is just to old to have seen much testing with this gear; the TZ8x stuff is about the most recent pieces that were tested.

Now the configuration will probably work just fine; the only usual wrinkle here can be around selecting compression (or as it's often know in OpenVMS) compaction, and around being able to drive the I/O fast enough to keep the tape spinning, and with the basic steps of ensuring the SCSI is connected and terminated correctly.

It's unlikely you'll irreparably damage anything by testing SCSI tape gear yourself, either. (You might see the box wedge or toss diagnostics during testing, but - barring bent pins or dropped drives or such - physical damage to the server or to the tape drive is unlikely.)

OpenVMS Alpha V7.1-2 is going to have its own issues and bugs, as has been mentioned. And the AlphaServer 2100A is old and slow, and rather limited in bandwidth.