How to connect a HP autoloader 1/8 on a clustered environment ?

[Nico Callens]

Dear,

How do I connect a HP autoloader 1/8 VS80 on a clustered environment? Windows 2000 cluster environment on 2 HP DL580 servers with a HP Storageworks smart array 1000. Do I use Y-cables and connect them to both of de DL580 servers or do I connect the tape library directly on to the SAN?

Actual status :
I installed and adaptec 29260 scsi card on the first server and then connected the HP autoloader to that card. In Windows I detected the device and installed the drivers. Veritas Backupexec 9 is installed for the cluster. In the Veritas interface I see the device appearing under the second server instead of the first. It is not possible to work with the tape-driver under Veritas. It appears but if I start an action on the tape-drive it can't connect to the device. If I move the scsi card to the second server and connect the tape library there. I get just the same. Under Veritas backupexec the tape-device appears then under the first server.

Thanks for any help,

Nico

[David Ruska]

Shared SCSI attached autoloaders are not a tested/supported configuration, and the 1/8 autoloader is not supported with any of our FC/SCSI routers.

The way tape libraries (not autoloaders) are typically shared is by having individual drives connected to different hosts, and then one host controls the robot. In a SAN, you can also switch attach the devices and multiple host can see each drive.

For your needs, can't you connect the autoloader to one host, and have that host aggregate the backups for the other servers across the LAN (1Gb connection preferred)?