rename tape device after upgrade to 11.31

[Scott Lindstrom_2]

Since the beginning of time our internal tape drive used for Ignite make_tape_recovery has always been device /dev/rmt/0m. After a 11.31 upgrade on one system it became /dev/rtape/tape1_BEST. If that can stay consistent that's great. But on another system the drive became /dev/rtape/tape58_BEST, and I can't seem to get it to be tape1_BEST.

When we rmsf the old path it recreates it again as tape58 as soon as we do an ioscan. Any thoughts on what we can do to keep the internal DDS drive the same name, or a way to detect what device name is associated with the internal drive?

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

Scott,

I ran into this years ago and documented the process:


First, let me echo Bill Hassell in saying you can simply rename the existing device file. There is no significance other than historical to the device names as we know them.

Second, if you're still nervous about it, you can use a link - linking the undesired name to the preferred name.

Third, if you really want to re-create the device names properly, here is a guide:

1. Use "ioscan" to find out what the current device files look like and what the instance number is:
ioscan -kfnCtape


2. Use "mksf" to create each of the four types of device files:

/sbin/mksf -d stape -I 12 -a -b BEST rmt/12m
/sbin/mksf -d stape -I 12 -u -b BEST rmt/12mb
/sbin/mksf -d stape -I 12 -a -n -b BEST rmt/12mn
/sbin/mksf -d stape -I 12 -u -n -b BEST rmt/12mnb


3. Use "ll" to compare your newly created device files with those created by the system. Major and minor numbers should match between corresponding entries (205
0x061000 for both 12m and the equivalent c6t1d0BEST):

ll /dev/rmt |more

crw-rw-rw 1 bin bin 205 0x061000 Mar 17 08:40 12m
.
.
.
crw-rw-rw 1 bin bin 205 0x061000 Mar 17 08:40 c6t1d0BEST
.
.
.



4. repeat the ioscan to double check that your new device files are associated w
ith the correct tape drive:

ioscan -kfnCtape



I was using 12m in the example but you can use anything you want.



Pete

[Scott Lindstrom_2]

Pete - thanks for all the info.

So far I have just gone with the rename. But if I want to recreate them as tape1_BEST (for compatibility with other 11.31 systems) what would be the syntax. I tried:

/sbin/mksf -d stape -I 58 a -b BEST tape1_BEST

but this comes back with:
mksf: Couldn't find driver matching arguments

(creating device files is not my strong suit).