storagetek L20 on hpux 11i

[Vermeulen Peter]

we're trying to configure a new storagetek tape library on our hpux 11i (rp2450) box.
It is connected through a fiber channel card (type A6795A)

We can see the device with ioscan, the picker device has been created, we can use the mc command to view info about the tapes in the library but we cannot write to any of the tapes. Do we need to configure anything else we don't know about ?

See below for system info:
ioscan:
ext_bus 8 0/4/0/0.1.22.255.0 fcpdev CLAIMED INTERFACE FCP Device Interface

target 10 0/4/0/0.1.22.255.0.0 tgt CLAIMED DEVICE

autoch 0 0/4/0/0.1.22.255.0.0.0 schgr CLAIMED DEVICE STK L20

# ll /dev/picker

crw-rw-rw- 1 root sys 203 0x080000 Dec 11 15:03 /dev/picker

# ll /dev/rac/c8t0d0
crw------- 1 bin sys 231 0x080000 Dec 16 17:12 /dev/rac/c8t0d0


# mc -p /dev/picker -r DS
DT_slot_1 FULL FRI003
ST_slot_1 EMPTY
ST_slot_2 EMPTY
ST_slot_3 EMPTY
ST_slot_4 EMPTY
ST_slot_5 EMPTY
ST_slot_6 EMPTY
ST_slot_7 EMPTY
ST_slot_8 EMPTY
ST_slot_9 EMPTY
ST_slot_10 FULL SAT003
ST_slot_11 FULL THU003
ST_slot_12 EMPTY
ST_slot_13 EMPTY
ST_slot_14 EMPTY
ST_slot_15 EMPTY
ST_slot_16 EMPTY
ST_slot_17 EMPTY
ST_slot_18 FULL WED003
ST_slot_19 FULL TUE003

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

Which command line/software are you using to try to write to the tapes? What are the tapes in question? Ultrium, 9840s?

Vince

[Vermeulen Peter]

- we use LTO ultrium tapes
- i tried both cpio and tar:
for example
# tar cvf /dev/picker /usr
or
# tar cvf /dev/rac/c8t0d0 /usr

(I'm sure which one to use)

It gives me the message: "tar: end of tape"

Also a rewind failes:
# mt -f /dev/picker rew
rewind 1 failed: Invalid argument

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

ioscan -fnkC tape yields all tapes as CLAIMED?

[Vermeulen Peter]

ioscan -fnkC tape doesn't find anything as tape !

the device is recognised as an autochanger (class schgr)
(See first message)

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

Make sure you have the tape drive stape installed in your kernel.

Enter sam, from Kernel configuration, select Drivers, and make sure that stape is in the "in" state. If not, bring it in. You will have to reboot the server when the kernel is rebuilt with the new driver installed.

HTH,
Vince

[Michael Tully]

Please post a full copy of your 'ioscan' output, after making sure that the 'stape' kernel driver has been loaded if the tape drive still doesn't work.

If your planning on using standard backup tools, then you'll need to load the tape into the drive first. e.g.

# mc -p /dev/picker -sS10 -dD1
run your backup
# tar cvf /dev/rmt/1m /home
offload the tape on completion.
# mt -t /dev/rmt/1m rew
# mt -t /dev/rmt/1m offl
# mc -p /dev/picker -sD1 -dS10

You can create scripts to do this. Search the forum, you'll be surprised what you'll find.

[Vermeulen Peter]

1. stape driver (and all others loaded into kernel)
2. tape is loaded in the drive with mc command without any problems
3. ioscan attached
4. REMARK: the device files /dev/rmt/0mn (or simular) don't exist !
Is there a way to create these manually (with mksf) and what would be the syntax?

[Christopher Rupnik]

insf -e will re-create all your device files. See if that creates your /dev/rmt/Xm files. However, have you hard wired the kernel file with sdisk entries? There should not no explicit definitions in the /stand/system file, which it looks like you are doing and that mis-identifies the tape drive as sdisk.

[Vermeulen Peter]

insf -e does not help. tried it before. Still no /dev/rmt/Xm files.
There is nothing in the kernel to link it with sdisk.
There are no explicit definitions in the /stand/system file.

If you look at the ioscan you'll see that it only sees the library (scsi id 0) and not the drive in it (should be scsi id 1)