StoreEver Tape Storage
1748123 Members
3314 Online
108758 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

 
Matz Edelholt
Occasional Contributor

LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

We got a Ultrium 215 inserted in a ML350 and got problems with the drive.
Have already exchanged the drive (CarePack) and inserted a new one and it works form time to time.
Seems inlikely that this drive is broken also.

Started the Library & Tape Tools and tested to run some different tests.

The server got a Veritas BackUp Exec 10.x installed, closed down during the tests.
Server running 2000 Srver and SP4.

When running the test the LTT version .3.6 SR4a it's hung during testface.
Drive running frimware N27D/OEM9
Connectivity test/ OK
R/W 200 GB / OK
Device analysis / OK
RW test / OK
Device self test / OK
LTO Drive Assesment test /FAIL, Have to kill the LTT with the taskmanager and sometimes I have to reboot the server

Becasue the LTT can't be kill from the Task Manager.

Really need some help here and havent found any info on HP's site.

Looking forward to getting some advice on how to procced.

Regards Matz

7 REPLIES 7
Mark Poeschl_2
Honored Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Looks like there's some later firmware revs available at:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/information_storage/software/ltt/firmware/

but this doesn't sound like a firmware issue. Have you verified that the tape drivers installed on the server are the latest available from HP? How about trying a different SCSI controller?
David Ruska
Honored Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Are you using a supported HBA for this drive?

From www.hp.com/go/connect, the supported HBAs for an ML350G4 and the 215 are:

Embedded Ultra320 SCSI channel
268351-B21 - Dual-Channel Ultra320 SCSI HBA
374654-B21 - Single-Channel Ultra320 SCSI HBA G2

Usually an LTT tool hang that requires a reboot indicates that the SCSI I/O was hung in the kernel, and could be a connectivity issue (i.e. cabling, termination).

What kind of errors were you getting with your backup app (anything in the windows system/application event logs?)
The journey IS the reward.
Matz Edelholt
Occasional Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Hi,
Thanks for your answers.

The LTO 215 have been working before we run into this issues for well over a year.
Replaced the drive and it worked for a couple of days and then errors with the BackUp app.

The drive was replaced and is connected to the internal onboard scsi adapter.
Same cable and same SCSI config.

Because of the errors the firmware was upgraded and the newer LTT was installed.

The older LTT and firmware worked ok even that the LTT did complain on the performance
of the transfer rate on the SCSI.
Since it worked before I thought that this shouldnt be the problem.
Now I got this LTT problem that the application gets hung.
Do you think it's worth to upgrade to version 4.0 ?

The backup senario is very complex so I need to verify that the problem not is H/W releated before going ahead. This server is really critical so it's not that easy to reboot this server.

I got a other LTO 232 installed on a diffrent
ML350G3 and it works fine. Know that this is a different drive and firmware but anyway it works fine on the same ML350G3 and SCSI config/card.

Thanks a lot for helping out.
Regards Matz


Richard Bickers
Trusted Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Hi Matz,

It might be worth updating to LTT 4.0, though there are no particular fixes to the 'hangs' you're refering to, it will give us a little more flexbility when looking at tickets.

There seem to be two issues here;

One is a hang that is intermittant (?) and is so serious it sometimes needs a reboot. That does sounds like a kernel IO issue so checking BIOS, HBA, driver versions etc is a good start. Odd that it's been fine for the last year though - something's changed. Do you get regular patches?

The other is whether the 215 is healthy or not. We advise the LTT drive assessment test for this but that's the one that hung! Did you try this more than once? If you could pull a ticket and attach it we could take a look. 4.0 prefered but 3.5 SR4a will be OK too.

My feeling is that something in the OS has changed and there's an incompatibly snuck in somewhere. If it was the lab you could try switching your drives and see if the problem stays with the server or follows the drive. Doesn't sound like you can do that though...

Anyway, if you can pull a ticket from your 215 we'll take a look and give you a judgement on the drive's health.
It's more interesting when it's gone wrong
Matz Edelholt
Occasional Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Hi Richard Bickers.

Thanks a lot for your input.

I have compressed the logfiles and sent it to LTT (ltt.team)and the Scsi info, hopefully they can sheer some more light into this matter.
Is that the correct adress to send the info to?
Or do you got a better mailadd to use?

Thanks again for all your help.
Regards Matz.
Richard Bickers
Trusted Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

Hi Matz,

Correct address is LTT_team@hp.com. You'll get an auto-reply so you'll know it's got through.

I'll check with the guy who monitors the email and take a look at the support ticket.

Richard.
It's more interesting when it's gone wrong
Matz Edelholt
Occasional Contributor

Re: LTO 215 - Library & Tape Tools

LTT Team helped me out and new firmware and LTT v4.0 fixed the problem.
Thanks / Matz