Emptyhanded: Show Device Files

[Mike Thorne]

It was suggested that I include this question in the System Administration community - it started in Tape Libraries.

In SAM tape drive management, I select Show Device Files, expecting to see the typical list of device files.

Instead, I read "No device files for the selected device were found in /dev."

I have device files in /dev/rmt. (I've even started over and used Create Default Device Files.)

How do I help SAM to see my tape device files, again, that already exist in /dev/rmt?

We have two servers in this condition, and three that are able to display device files for tape just fine. Our servers are managed by a variety of folks, so I'm evaluating patch status.

"ioscan -fn" shows the tape drives as CLAIMED.

Thanks,
Mike Thorne

[Michael Tully]

Hi Mike,

Seeing that SAM doesn't see the devices
doesn't mean that they don't work....
Have you tried manipulating the devices.

like using:

mt -f /dev/rmt/0m stat

Utilising the 'mc' command if you have a
tape library.

In SAM attempting to create an 'fbackup'
backup?

Best suggestion it to look at the
cumulative patch level for SAM on each of
your systems.

Michael

[Scott Van Kalken]

first thing I'd do is an insf -e.

If it's a tape library, you may need to fiddle with the device driver, i remember using the spt driver once to get a tape library working.

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Mike,

I'd start with the SAM cumulative patches.

10.20 => PHCO_22268

http://us-support2.external.hp.com/wpsl/bin/doc.pl/screen=wpslDisplayPatch/sid=637e9fae073ea9b0e8?PATCH_PATH=/hp-ux_patches/s700_800/10.X/PHCO_22268&HW=s800&OS=10.20

11.x => PHCO_23876

http://us-support2.external.hp.com/wpsl/bin/doc.pl/screen=wpslDisplayPatch/sid=5d8d0144005e5b1519?PACH_NAM=PHCO_23876&HW=s800&OS=11.00

Specifically the 11.x patch addresses several tape drives not found/recognized.

HTH,
Jeff

[Mike Thorne]

Hi Michael, Scott, and Jeff,

Good suggestions, all. I'll step through your insights today, and compare notes with patches that I was sifting through yesterday.

I can read/write with the tape drives (and specific tape device files) fine, with mt and tar. I just had this unsettled feeling that if SAM could now Show Device Files, other utilities or conditions (that I haven't tested yet) may fail unexpectedly.

I appreciate the 10.20 / 11.x patch combo. We work in a community that standardized on the 10.20 baseline, so I'll check out PHCO_22268.

I'll run with your suggestions, today.

Thanks,
Mike Thorne

[Mike Thorne]

Sorry, my typo could matter:

I just wrote "could now Show Device Files" and it should have read "could not Show Device Files".

Thx,
Mike Thorne
:o