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Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

 
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Alexey Borchev
Regular Advisor

AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

I've got old AS1000A 500MHz ev56 5.1b pk4, connected to HP SDLT 320 streamer via NCR53C895 SCSI adapter.
It is used as test\development system, and was OK to restore our 200 GB Database from the tape via vrestore.
Month ago restore stop working:
1) vrestore says
'restorinng filesystem / to /u02/tmp' then coredump.
2) interactive vrestore starts, sees files on the tape, allows to choose vmunix for restore -> coredumps at 'exit & start restore'.
3) mt -f <...> rewind works OK, but at the first time atfter booting it hangs -> Ctrl-C -> re-run again - works fine + error SCSI cc_abort done in errorlog.
Then mt is fine, mt -f <...> fsf 1 - fine.
4) dd if= of=/dev/null bs=8k and 64k -fine, no errors neither on the screen nor in syslog.
5) But Same tape gets restored by the Same streamer if attached to another system.

Then I call HP engineer, and we've done:
1) Replace tape.
2) Replace streamer.
3) Upgrade firmware to latest one.
4) Run ECU
5) Replace cable.
6) Replace adapter to another model.
7) Return to first adapter, but put it in the other PCI slot - move from secondary PCI bus to primary one.
- No sucsess.

8) Hardware terminate both ends of SCSI with terminator on streamer and Y-cable+terminator on controller.
- No errors in syslog, mt works from the first time, but vrestore coredumps.

We are out of ideas completely.
If anyone have an idea how to fix the issue?
The fire follows shedule...
10 REPLIES 10
Michael Schulte zur Sur
Honored Contributor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Hi,

did you always have 5.1B pk4 on the machine while it worked?
Could you post a sys_check as attachment please?

Thanks,

Michael
Ralf Puchner
Honored Contributor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

binary.errlog is the part which must contain information in case of a hardware problem (SCSI).

Is the scsi adapter identical on both systems? Maybe the tape is not qualified for the used controller... so it is worth to check support option matrix of machine.

Help() { FirstReadManual(urgently); Go_to_it;; }

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Hi,
You may get binary.errlog at
ftp://abb123:sizova1@hprc.external.hp.com/avon/binary.errlog
We are fail to run sys_sheck script at this system.
Binary.errlog show a lot of SCSI resets at controller KZPCA-AA (ncr53c895).
It's not at "supported" option list, but SRM
console look like good. It's show controller, and SDLT tape correctly.
We are solve termintion problem by install LVD terminator at both end of SCSI bus.
SDLT and controller can commuincate at simple asyn. mode. SCU give correct infomation about drive.

Best Regrds Alexander Bondarenko
alexander.bondarenko@hp.com
Alexey Borchev
Regular Advisor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Hi, all!
1)The 5.1B pk4 was installed initially, i.e. system was restoring OK with this patch kit.

I've done following exercises:
1) with Live, booted Unix
Power off streamer
hwmgr -scan scsi
Power on streamer + wait 2 min to init
hwmgr -scan scsi
Observations:
- Vrestore still does coredump
- First
mt -f <...> rewind
hangs, I see 2 errors on console log
Ctrl-├Р┬б + Ctrl-├Р┬б
re-run mt -> it does rewind OK.
Futher works just fine.
2) I've done:
dd if=/dev/ntape/tape3_d1 of=/u02/tmp/aaa bs=64k
cat /u02/tmp/aaa | vrestore -xf - -D /u03/tmp
- and got my files from the tape!!!
Block size 64k - because vdump was done with
-b 64 key.
The combination:
dd if=/dev/ntape/tape3_d1 bs=64k | vrestore -xf - -D /u03/tmp
works fine too.

Looks like vrestore bug to me
The fire follows shedule...
Mohamed  K Ahmed
Trusted Contributor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Alexy,

Here is my idea. Have you checked if the AS1000A is compatible with SDLT320 or the NCR card?
Have you checked if the NCR card is compatible with the SDLT320?

Here are some links that I figured from them that you have a compatibility issue:
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/storageworks/techdoc/ebs/EBSMatrix-1204.pdf
(Look at page 23, it mentions that only the KZPCA-AA is compatible)

http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/options/as1000a345/as1000a345_options.html
(Options for your server)

HTH

Mohamed
Alexey Borchev
Regular Advisor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

We've got a move on with rvrestore.

1) Fresh tape, AS1000 with vdump make a small backup of 1 file 10 kb size - OK.

2) vrestore on AS1000 fails again.

3) Put this tape into ES45, (with same 5.1b pk4 and similar SDLT320 streamer) => vrestore is OK

4) Tape in ES45, run rverstore on AS1000 => rvrestore FAILS with the same coredump.

5) Move tape back into AS1000, run rvrestore
on ES45 - OK.

6) Third system, ES40 (5.1.b pk4, no tape) -
doing rvrestore from both AS1000 and ES45-OK.

I.e. AS1000 works fine as 'tape server' and fails as 'vrestore client'.

I've Ftp-ed /sbin/vrestore binary from ES40 down to AS1000A.
- vrestore fails with the same coredump.
- vrestore on ES40 has different size than on AS1000.

Imho, on AS1000A hardware (SCSI controller, Tape) operates fine - it looks like software issue.
The fire follows shedule...
Ralf Puchner
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

If it is not on supported option list, why talking about it? If you have any problem with this machine you will get no support at all from HP because it it unsupported! Hell this is not a PC!

Help() { FirstReadManual(urgently); Go_to_it;; }
Alexey Borchev
Regular Advisor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Hi, Ralf!
>>If it is not on supported option list,
Yes, it seems 5.1b is not supported for AS1000A
>>why talking about it?
- I'm running Alpha for 8 years. It's the First time I see software issue. And I've got a job for AS1000.

>>>If you have any problem with this machine you will get no support at all from HP because it it unsupported!
- I know - no oficial support from HP ;-(((
Because HP is not server company - it's making money on toner & incs...
They've killed Alpha :-E

>>>Hell this is not a PC!
Yes, it's Alpha & Trunix. I'm just loving it.

P.S.
vrestore from 5.1A pk6 does the job.
The fire follows shedule...
Mohamed  K Ahmed
Trusted Contributor

Re: AS1000A + SDLT320 problem

Alexey,
What I meant in my reply is that the SDLT Tape Drive or the SCSI Card is supported with the AS1000A.
I didn't talk about the Tru64 UNIX version, I thought it is already working since you have it on the system.
But in the End, It might be a Hardware Compatibility issue between the system and the card and the tape drive.

Mohamed