Make_tape_recovery and Tape Library

[Tim Rolling]

Does any one know if I can use an tape library with Ignite make_tape_recovery?

My library is a SureStore 20/700 with LTO drives, and is connected to a fabric SAN switch.

Can I boot from the library drive that contains a recovery tape?

[Sandip Ghosh]

It will not work, because from the BCH prompt you may only see the tape drive but from there you can't give any command to pick up the tape from the Library.

One thing you can do, Take the backup from the Library and for doing recovery you have to use the local tape drive.

Sandip

[Tim Rolling]

I do understand that I can not interface with the library and control the robotics at boot time. In fact, Ignite does not provide command control of those things anyway. Typically I would have to issue the mc and mt commands to manipulate the library even before Ignite is called into action. But I can manipulate the library manually if needed. I know it is possible to place a recovery tape in a library tape drive through other means. I would really like to know if I can boot from the library drive once the proper recovery tape is manipulated into position? Are there other issues that would prevent this?

[Sandip Ghosh]

In that case if you see the Tape drive from the BCH Prompt by search command, you should be able to boot from that and as well recovery.

Sandip

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

Regardless of how the tape drive is connected, LTO drives are not supported as boot drives on the machine.

From the make_tape_recovery man page: "make_tape_recovery is capable of creating system recovery tapes for all DDS and DLT tape devices, with the ability to span multiple tapes."

Now, considering how the tape drive is connected, I doubt that you would be able to boot from it anyway. I doubt you would be able to see the drive through the switch at the BCH level. You might be able to, I don't know. Regardless, the above doesn't allow you to boot from LTO anyway.

[Tim Rolling]

Thank you Sandip and Patrick. This is precisely what I wanted to know.