DLT1 Erase locks server

[Peter Wieland]

Backup Exec 8.0, Netware 5.1. Full erase causes server to go to 53% utilisation and users are unable to access server. The Backup Exec console screens are also locked up. I am not fully conversant with tape systems, but I assume that erase is a hardware function of the tape drive, and should not affect server utilisation. Can anyone put me right?

[Alexander M. Ermes]

Hi there.
Backup software takes away a lot of resources, especially with DLT drives. These resources will be used to keep the DLT drive in streaming mode ( to avoid something similar like buffer underrun while burning cd's ).
Rgds
Alexander M. Ermes

[Doug Rauenzahn]

Assuming the backup app is doing a scsi erase command without the immediate bit on, a full erase of a tape can take a few hours. The problem is, the driver is most likely stuck waiting for the scsi card driver to complete the erase command. The scsi card driver is waiting or sleeping for the command to finish which takes a long time. Who knows what the drivers are doing from a resource standpoint waiting? Also, the OS may be poor about handling sleeping driver processes.