Help on SAN (Tape Library)

[raver_1]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to HP-UX (more familiar with Solaris), therefore, need your kind advise on the following.

I'm faced with a new challenge to setup a HP L1000 box with A5158A HBA card, 1 Brocade Silkworm 2800, a E Tape Library 700 with 2 E Bridge FC 4/1 HV and 6 SDLT tape drives.

Assuming I have make all the necessary hardware setup, may I know, on the OS level, what should be the proper and detail steps (with commands) required on the HP-UX box for me to "see" the library.
(e.g. installing the necessary patches, drivers and creating the necessary device file for both library robotic control and tape drives.

Furthermore, is there a way to hardcode the device file configured so that in the event of a hardware fault (e.g. FC switch failure).

Thank you.



Regards,
Jayce

[harry d brown jr]

Jayce,

To ensure you have the patches up to date, go to the "IT resource center home", then under "maintenance and support" select "more...", then under "Patching" select "Customized Patch Bundles (custom patch manager)" and follow the instructions.

>>>Assuming I have make all the necessary hardware setup....<<<

ioscan -fn
insf -e


>>>Furthermore, is there a way to hardcode the device file configured so that in the event of a hardware fault (e.g. FC switch failure).<<<

I'm not sure what you mean by this?

[Michael Tully · Accepted solution]

Hi Jayce,

You have many questions....
Start with the attached document so that at least
you have the drivers up and be able to speak
to the tape library.

Michael

[raver_1]

Hi all,

Thanks for the kind advise so far.

Micheal,

Your attached document is rather informative.

However, for the section on determining the driver to use for the picker (i.e. sctl or spt), it only reference to SCSI card.
For my setup, I'm using a A5158A HBA to connect to the 20/700 library (both drives and robot) thru a SW2800 and FC/SCSI router.

Therefore, can you please kindly advise. Thank you.



Cheers,
Jayce

[Michael Tully]

Hi Jayce,

I have the same setup. Even though your
going through a switch (which should be
fabric, as the bridges don't support loop)
you end up communicating with the tape
drives as SCSI. Using the information
in that document you should be able to
address this issue. If you have further
problems post a copy of your ioscan output
and I'll see what I can do to help.
Basically the steps for this model are:

1. Add 'schgr' driver to your kernel
and reboot.
2. Using 'lsdev' find the major number for
the sctl driver most likely '203'
3. Create the robot device as stated in
the document.
4. Test the robotics by trying to talk
to your tape library by using this command.

# mc -p /dev/robot -r IDSM

As I said, any problems let me know.

HTH
Michael

[raver_1]

Hi Michael and folks,

Actually I'm currently trying to gather as much information as possible since I'm new to HP-UX. Furtermore, I will not be able to test as there's some delay in the new libary shipment.

Anyway, am I right to say that I have to install the schgr and sctl drivers. As I'm using SDLT drives, is there any drivers required?
May I know the link to download all the above-mentioned drivers?

I would appreciate and welcome more advises if possible.
Thank you.



Cheers,
Jayce

[Michael Tully]

Hi Jayce,

You don't need to download anything. All drivers for tape drives and libraries come as part of the operating system. Adding a certain driver is just that, telling the kernel to include it, build a new kernel and away you go. You do need driver software loaded for A5158A FC cards. This can be found on your application CD set. You can add the tape drivers to the kernel by using SAM or from the command line.

-Michael

[raver_1]

Thanks all for the advices.

I have successfully configured the SAN drives using the following approach:

1) To get find the major number (203).
#lsdev -d sctl

2) Idenetify the instance number of the changer (schgr) from the ioscan -f output (5).
#mknod /dev/sctl/c5t0l0 c 203 0x050000

3) Create the dev path in /dev/rmt
#insf -eH



Cheers.
Jayce