fbackup: Could not open output file hostname:/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb

[Guillermo Rossney]

Hi everyone!

I issued the following command to backup a database:

fbackup -v -f /dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb \
> -f hostname:/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb \
> -i /PATH1 \
> -i /PATH2 \
> -i /PATH3 \
> -i /PATH4

Both servers, current and "hostname" has attached a
HP C1537A Drive, DDS-3 format

fbackup seems to run ok, until it needs to write in the tape of "hostname", and giving me the following error:

fbackup(3003): normal EOT
fbackup(3301): could not open output file hostname:/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb
fbackup(3019): would you like to enter a new output file?

Another information:
- Sentence was executed before with success.
- We have no "easy" physical access to the drives.. Servers are outside the company.
- performed "ioscan -fnC tape" in "hostname" returned:

Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
=====================================================================
tape 0 0/0/1/0.3.0 stape CLAIMED DEVICE HP C1537A
/dev/rmt/0m /dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTn
/dev/rmt/0mb /dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTnb
/dev/rmt/0mn /dev/rmt/c0t3d0DDS
/dev/rmt/0mnb /dev/rmt/c0t3d0DDSb
/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BEST /dev/rmt/c0t3d0DDSn
/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb /dev/rmt/c0t3d0DDSnb

- Performed mt -f /dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb status in hostname returned:

Drive: HP C1537A
Format: DDS-3 format
Status: [41112500] BOT online compression immediate-report-mode
File: 0
Block: 0

- Performed mt -f zeusapps:/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb status on host issuing fbackup, returned:

on tape open: No such file or directory




Anyone could help me to find what is wrong??



Thanks in advance!

[DCE]

Obvious question - have you verified there actually is a tape in the drive?

If you want, you can remove the device files and recreate them with rmsf -H and INSF -H

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

Far as I know fbackup can not use a tape drive on another system.

Try using a local tape drive with a tape drive in it.

SEP

[DCE]

SEP - fbackup does work on a tape drive on another system. I have successfully used it in the past, and the man page under the -f parameter states it will work

[Guillermo Rossney]

DCE: Thanks for your answer.
I put the tapes on the drives, last week.. i assume that tapes are still there.. Tomorrow i will go to the datacenter to ensure that.. But i think that tapes are in there.. There is any way to test that??

Removing and recreating the device files is a "secure" proccess?
We are currently without system administrator.. So i have to be careful..


SEP: Shalom, and thank you.

I'm not the S.A, but i've worked here since seven years ago, in collaboration with many system admins. As far as i know, we always made our backups in that way..
Two tapes drives, one attached to our database server, the other attached to our application server..
And the backup takes two volumes, so it starts writing on the tape at the local drive, and continues on the remote drive..

[DCE]

You can test the the tape drive with the mt command It has several options you could consider (man mt for specifics)

Your tape could be bad, or someone else may of accidently ejected it

Is Removing and recreating the device files is a "secure" proccess?

The rmsf and insf commands will need to be run from the root id. They do not require a reboot, and are pretty staight forward to use.

[Guillermo Rossney]

Thanks for your answer.

I tried to fbackup something locally, and the process was done succesfully. So, the tape is ok, and so is the drive.

But from the other server, i get the same error:

could not open output file hostname:/dev/rmt/c0t3d0BESTb

could be something about permissions?
We recently changed the IP address of the server performing fbackup (not the server with the remote tape drive)

[DCE]

could be something about permissions?
We recently changed the IP address of the server performing fbackup (not the server with the remote tape drive)

Check the /etc/hosts files on both servers to ensure each has the others correct IP address

Try pinging the system name of ech server from the other server. If there is a failure, then the /etc/hosts file on one of the systems did not get updated, or the DNS system was not updated correctly

[Torsten.]

After checking the name resolution (post above) check the tape and the drive.

Any I/O error related messages in syslog?

You can also download LTT from

http://www.hp.com/support/tapetools and do some tests on the drive.

[Guillermo Rossney]

Hi,

Ping is okey in both servers..
Checked syslog (both)and had no errors


Performed st -f device status and says Ok and available...

It seems like a permissions or communication issue between both servers..

I don't know where to look...

[Guillermo Rossney]

Finally, i found the solution.

Added the new hostname in .rhosts file on the remote tape drive server..

Thanks all for your time.