Omniback II error

[Satish Y]

Hi,

We are using OmniBack II A.02.55. Frequently we encounter mount requests. But when we replace the tapes in slots and try to initialize the tape on which mount request appeared, skipping the slot with error:

[Major] From: MSM@myhp.fsb.myfirm.com "myhp_dlt_3m" Time: 03/13/01 05:56:51
Slot 33 in use by some other OmniBack II process.
Skipping slot.

We are able to initialize same tape after backup is over.
(Mean while we r able to initialize other tapes and confirm mount request)

I referred Omniback documents too, but no solutions found.

Please help....

Satish.

[Andreas Voss]

Hi,

this situation is correct.
While mount request the drive is claimed to the backup session so you cannot use this drive with another session (ie. initializing).

Regards

[Satish Y]

The problem is NOT with drive, I am able to initialise other tapes from other slots in same pool with the SAME DRIVE, and even able to confirm Mreq and able to run rest of backup using same drive. The problem is with only perticular tape in perticular slot on which OB-II shows pending mount request....
We didn't have this problem previously.... this is only from few days back....

Thanks and regards,
Satish.

[Rita C Workman]

OmniBack has (for lack of a technical explanation) the habit of holding on to things as Andreas said. Now it should hold onto processes/devices and such during a backup...but when an problem comes up it just doesn't want to 'let go'.
I can say from experience I have run into similar. I had to shutdown OmniBack, bring it back up and run omnidbutil -clear because it would not release something. Seemed nothing I did would clear it - even call HP and they suggested doing the shutdown/clear.
I think you may have run into something similar. Now I'm sure there's an explanation that someone knows.

I have noticed since I've upgraded I haven't seen it very much, maybe I've cleaned up enough tape issues on the DLT...and now I've only caught it on workstation backups with dds tapes.

/rcw

[Satish Y]

As u said "...when an problem comes up it just doesn't want to 'let go'", but in my case it's letting me to go ahead and initialize other tapes and continue the backup.
But if I shutdown omniback what about other backups?... i don't want to loose other backups and at the same time I want to get it done. omnidbutil -clear can be run only when no backups running....this will not solve my problem...
Thanks for your help... any more ideas?.. please....

Cheers....
Satish.

[Clovis Borges_1]

Satish,


Try perform scan or barcode scan in your device after you change the tape and after that
perform the init.

Clovis Borges.

[Shannon Petry]

Unless you have changed the way OBII works, then NEW tapes are initialized by the backup when you confirm the mount request. the only time this is a problem is if you are trying to re-initialize OLD tapes! Try to have some tapes NEW and on-hand!

Again, this is the default mechanism for OBII.

BTW it is well worth the investment to upgrade to 3.5
There were tons of enhancements and bug fixes since 2.5 (also 2.5 is no longer supported).

As your licensing changes to client/disks instead of tape mechs, you will not have to worry about the session locking the license for the tape!

Regards,
Shannon