Using HP Storageworks 1/8 G2

[Daniel Bareiro]

Hi all!

I'm doing tests with a brand new HP Storageworks 1/8 G2 I plan to use
with Bacula on Debian GNU/Linux Lenny.

The tape autoloader is connected to a PC through an HP Smart Array P212
card. It is HP's entry level PCI Express Serial Attached SCSI RAID
controller.

In these initial tests I intend to make the autoloader and the drive to
recognize commands sent using mtx and mt, respectively.

However, in the operating system I'm only seeing the tape drive, but not
the autochanger:

backup:~# cat /proc/scsi/scsi
Attached devices:
Host: scsi3 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
Vendor: ATA Model: ST3160211AS Rev: 3.AA
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05


But I'm not seeing a /dev/st0 or /dev/nst0 device.

When I was installing Debian, the installer found a device /dev/cciss in
which the storage volume could not be determined. By canceling this, the
installation continued normally installing the OS on a SATA disk.

After it has finished installing the operating system and booted it, I
noticed the following error message in the front panel display:


ERR: 0:8D 14 00 (Related to the message "mechanical block")


I've seen in other previous installation with a internal HP RAID
controller the same type of message (unable to recognize the volume of
the storage device) because of not being created any locagicaldrive, so
maybe the problem was observed for the installation of Debian is due to
a lack of controller settings, although I'm not sure what that should be
configured on the controller to work with an autoloader (regardless of
whether the installation of Debian is not made in a cciss device).

The inability to detect the autochanger, the error shown in the display,
and the fact could not find a device for the tape drive may be due to a
lack of configuration of the SAS RAID controller?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Regards,
Daniel

[Daniel Bareiro]

> However, in the operating system I'm only seeing the tape drive, but
> not the autochanger:
>
> backup:~# cat /proc/scsi/scsi
> Attached devices:
> Host: scsi3 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
> Vendor: ATA Model: ST3160211AS Rev: 3.AA
> Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05
>
>
> But I'm not seeing a /dev/st0 or /dev/nst0 device.

Now that I see, this has nothing to do with the tape drive:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
backup:~# smartctl -i /dev/sda
smartctl version 5.38 [i686-pc-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce
Allen
Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 family
Device Model: ST3160211AS
Serial Number: 6PT56S0F
Firmware Version: 3.AAE
User Capacity: 160,041,885,696 bytes
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: 7
ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is: Sat Jun 12 14:49:31 2010 ART
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Disabled

SMART Disabled. Use option -s with argument 'on' to enable it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is the SATA disk, so this is consistent with that I didn't find the
special file for the tape drive. Also, if it were the tape drive, type
should be 'Sequential-Access'.


Regards,
Daniel

[Eemans Dany]

Hi,

If i am not mistaken, a tape drive is supported to a HP Smart Array P212, but not an autoloader.
To use the full advantage af an autoloader you need to install a separated SCSI card.

Second point, the smart array card is normaly used in a 64BIT PCI slot, and a PC is in general al 32BIT pci slot.

the 2 adapters availlable by HP are

» HP SC44Ge Host Bus Adapter (SERIAL ATA)

» HP StorageWorks U320e SCSI Host Bus Adapter (SCSI)

Be aware, these cards are only fitting in a PCI/Express slot.

Dany

[Daniel Bareiro]

Hi, Dany.

> If i am not mistaken, a tape drive is supported to a HP Smart Array
> P212, but not an autoloader.

> To use the full advantage af an autoloader you need to install a
> separated SCSI card.

Hmmm... this draws attention to me because when buying the StorageWorks
1/8 G2, the vendor was who provided this SAS P212 RAID controller.

> Second point, the smart array card is normaly used in a 64BIT PCI
> slot, and a PC is in general al 32BIT pci slot.

This card is PCI Express. Could it not work using it in a 32 bit slot? I
still did not try using it with a Proliant DL380 G6 server, but my idea
was to test it in a PC to use the Proliant for other important services.

Someone can give some more information on these considerations mentioned by Dany?

Thanks for your reply.

Regards,
Daniel

[Eemans Dany]

Daniel,

My mistake, I had mixed up a P212 raid controller with an older SCSI raid controller.

Dany

[Daniel Bareiro]

> Daniel,

Hi, Dany.

> My mistake, I had mixed up a P212 raid controller with an older SCSI
> raid controller.

I was able to fix the error that was observed in the display (mechanical
block). Accessing the remote management interface (RMI), I found a text
suggesting that this could be related to the shipping lock, which had
already been removed. But I've already done with the autoloader powered
on. I've tested restarting the autoloader and the error disappeared.
This makes me think that shipping Lock must be removed with the
autoloader powered off.

With regard to the P212 controller, could it not work if I use it in a
PC instead of a Proliant DL380 G6 server? My question is because this
controller is PCI Express and I suppose that this type of interface
should be standard. Also this card has come with an large adapter (to be
placed on a PC) as a short adapter (to be placed on a server).


Thanks for your reply.

Regards,
Daniel