Proliant ML350-G4 will not even accept the cable for an HP DAT72 tape drive!!

[CA1256087]

Greetings!

I have just wasted hours trying to get a HP DAT tape drive fitted to a HP Server with an HP cable. Each time the server would hang when post checks the integrated SCSI ports. After trying two different drives (needing to bring a server down . . .) and two different cables, I eventually discover simply adding the cable (which is terminated and works fine in n ML310) and no drive is enough to stall the booting.

WHY?? Anyone any idea?

I have fitted a HP 641 RAID card to manage the disks - so there are two SCSI interfaces waiting to be used - why can I not find any information about how to set them to be comfortable with a simple tape device???

Nothing to help in the server documentation (on CD). Nothing in quickspecs. Nothing on the web site for the server or the drive . . .

I hope someone can tell me??

Thanks,

Jim Kelly

[CA1256087]

Clarifying my own question here . . .

It seems probable that the SCSI cable and/or terminator is not appropriate for the higher performance of the U320 controller(s) on the new server.

Our reading would lead us to expect that HP should be recommending us to use a woven/twisted/braided (call it what you will - but it is not 'flat') cable when connecting to such fast controllers. The terminator needs to support both LVD and U320. Such a combination would be somewhat backwards compatible - meaning it could safely be recommended for all DAT72i and 40i drives.

Now, when searching for HP cables - it is impossible to tell which is which. Really smart folks use descriptions like 'SCSI Cable' - no mention of connector types, quantity, termination or not, let alone cable type and supported speeds. For the price you'd think that an apt description could be used AND a definite recommendation of the cable to use with these drives. No wonder so many people tell me they have trouble with them . . .

Anyone able to declare which cable(s) can cut the mustard??

Thanks.

Cheers,

Jim Kelly.

[CA984331]

Hi,

does this help a little?
http://h40047.www4.hp.com/storage/bandlaufwerke/dat72_accessories.html

greetings,

Michael

[CA1256087]

Well, yes it might help . . .

C7458B Universal Connect Kit
A perfect example of a stupid, thoughtless description ;-)


C7424A Internes SCSI Kabel (4 connectors, 68-way, terminated, LVD/SE, 1m)
May well be what we need but I've determined that we should get a braided cable (not a completely flat one), and should see U320 support nominated.

Cheers,

Jim