NOT Communicate

[Guenter Lehmann]

We have two HP SureStore Tape Library 20/700 in seperate computer rooms.
Every Library has 12 Ultrium 1 LVD / HVD Tape Drives ( 6xSCSI, 6xFC).
Backup Servers are L2000 - HP-UX 11.i, Backup Software Legato Networker

Every two or three days we run into the following error:
One or more Tape Drives NOT COMMUNICATE (Message LCD Display - Library)
SCSI Error in syslog.log, NO_HW (ioscan -fC tape) (Backup Server).
The only way to resolv the error is to power off / on the tape(s).
HP Support has chagne most Tape Drives.
I think HP Support to be stumped.
Any Ideas ?

Guenter

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Guenter,
I guess firmware is up-to-date (library's and drives')? Are all two libraries behaving the same way?
I think there's FC-SCSI bridges in the libraries. When next failure occur, try to figure out if bridge can be involved: drives shown faulty are connected to the same bridge, same switch port, etc.
How often do you clean drives? Do not force backup utility to do it. Drives should be cleaned only by their request.
Try HP LTT http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ltt/index.html
Eugeny

[Michael Steele_2]

Found a possible patch:

PHKL_28513

[Michael Tully]

Seeing there is a communication error, I would get HP to seriously look at the FC/SCSI bridge(s). Make sure that they have the latest firmware loaded. IU don't think it has anything to do with the drives themselves.

[Michael Tully]

One further thing. Get HP to check the Controller board at the front. This also could be dodgy and can cause this error.