OpenVMS 8.4 $ BACKUP/LOG DISK:[TEST...] MGA0:TEST.BCK/SAVE not working

[Josef Stadelmann]

With OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 we used this command since years,!

And we fail catastrophic now on OpenVMS 8.4

We can not make an   /image   backup to tape and

we can not make a simple backup to tape!

We have initialized the tape and mounted it as ANSI Tape with the label initialized and we have tested the tape in ANSI mode that we can say; the tape can read and write correct; saying we have mounted the tape as ANSI tape and we do a $ COPY DISK:[DIR...] MGA0:  and it works, and then we do a $ DIR mga0: and it works

BUT

$ initialize mga0: RENEST

$ mount/foreign mga0:

$ show device mga0           shows tape mounted and label RENEST

$ backup/log dka3:[test...]*.*.* mga0:tests.bck/save/noassist/rewind

Doing this on our OpenVMS 8.4 it results in 2 failures

A) a tape label processing error AND then

B) a tape is not ANSI error

/ignore=label is a no go either

/label=RENEST fails as well

Please tell us the proper sequence to use on OpenVMS 8.4 to do a simple normal backup of a set of disk directories as given in the backup command above to a foreign mounted tape consisting 1 file called tests.bck

BUT be confident/warned.

We lost many hours until now;

HENCE I will explain to everybody here the outcome of your recommendation, of your commans   !     :-)

We do as given in BACKUP HELP Examples and we fail !!!

Josef Stadelmann

alias Sepp

And why can I not paste into this editor? You don't beleave it? just select  word, do ctrl/c and then use the mouse to do the paste? and nothing shows up in my window!

[Hoff]

The BACKUP command looks valid.

Download and install the ECO kits, if you have not already done so; vanilla V8.4 was not particularly stable until around UPDATE V5 or so, with various errors including UPDATE V4 having left the bootstrap in a state where the box eventually wouldn't boot, and having shipped with SYSTEM_CHECK enabled.  There have been other issues with the release.

If you're running the current UPDATE patch kit, then ring up HP support and see what they say about this.

And yes, the forum software is a mess, ranging from the problems pasting into the box to the problems starting up the text windows to the problems with the inconsistent button placement to the lack of an overt way to embed source code.

[Steven Schweda]

> A) a tape label processing error AND then

> B) a tape is not ANSI error

   It might help to see the actual error messages and other actual
output from these commands.  What is MGA0?  ("show device /full"?)

> /ignore=label is a no go either

> /label=RENEST fails as well

   As usual, showing actual commands with their actual output can be
more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.

> And why can I not paste into this editor? [...]

   Using what, on what?  Which Web browser, where?  SWB on a VMS system
seems not to work, but Firefox on a Mac is better.

[GuentherF]

The 'tape not ANSI labeled' error happens when BACKUP cannot find a good set of ANSI labels (80-bytes blocks at the beginning of the tape).

This could be caused by problems reading from the tape drive (most likely) or, the tape media. Or, a new bug in BACKUP (least likely - my guess).

For more information:

After the fresh initialized has been mounted /FOREIGN issue a "$ DUMP /BLOCK=COUNT:5/ OUTPUT=tape.log ..." and extract the records - if any - for blocks 80 bytes long and post them here.

You can also try to NOT pre-mount the tape and let BACKUP mount it. Then add /REWIND and /LABEL=... to the BACKUP command. This may give us also more information where the cause of the problem might be.

/Guenther

[Bob Blunt]

MGA0 is a SAN-based tape so we're going to need a bit more information.  What type tape drive, to what is it connected, path information from DCL (at least, may be more informative to use SDA), is it shared with other hosts on the SAN, is there any encryption device between the VMS host and the tape drive?

Is this a new installation or was the tape working reliably previously and now it isn't?  Dumping the ANSI headers on the tape should help but it should also show if the drive is really working or if there's a problem between VMS and SAN magic happening successfully.

bob

[Josef Stadelmann]

IA64-2>product show hist
------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- --- -----------
PRODUCT                              KIT TYPE    OPERATION   VAL DATE
------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- --- -----------
HP I64VMS LTT V4.13-0                Full LP     Install     Val 14-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS IDESERVER V6.52            Full LP     Install     Val 12-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS CSWS_PHP V2.20             Full LP     Install     Val 06-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS CSWS_PERL V2.1             Full LP     Install     (U) 06-JUL-2011
HP IA64VMS WSIT V3.0                 Full LP     Install     (U) 06-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS GNV V2.1-3                 Full LP     Install     Val 05-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS CSWS_JAVA V3.1             Full LP     Install     Val 05-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS CSWS V2.2                  Full LP     Install     Val 05-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS JAVA150 V1.5-5             Full LP     Install     Val 05-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS JAVA60 V1.6-2_P1           Full LP     Install     Val 05-JUL-2011
HP I64VMS PERL586_UPDATE V2.0        Patch       Install     Val 09-MAY-2011
HP I64VMS PERL V5.8-6                Full LP     Install     (U) 09-MAY-2011
IBM I64VMS WMQCLIENT V6.0            Full LP     Install     (U) 27-APR-2011
HP I64VMS DCPS V2.7                  Full LP     Install     Val 11-APR-2011
HP I64VMS CXX V7.4-4                 Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS C V7.3-18                  Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS WBEMPROVIDERS V2.0-4       Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS VMS84I_RMS V2.0            Patch       Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS VMS84I_IPC V1.0            Patch       Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS VMS84I_UPDATE V5.0         Patch       Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS VMS84I_PCSI V2.0           Patch       Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS WBEMPROVIDERS V2.0-4       Full LP     Remove       -  24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS AVAIL_MAN_BASE V8.4        Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS CDSA V2.4-322              Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS DWMOTIF V1.7               Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS DWMOTIF_SUPPORT V8.4       Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS HPBINARYCHECKER V1.1       Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS KERBEROS V3.1-152          Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS OPENVMS V8.4               Platform    Install     Sys 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS SSL V1.4-334               Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS TCPIP V5.7-13              Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS TDC_RT V2.3-20             Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS VMS V8.4                   Oper System Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS WBEMCIM V2.96-A100211      Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
HP I64VMS WBEMPROVIDERS V2.0-4       Full LP     Install     Val 24-MAR-2011
------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- --- -----------
35 items found
IA64-2>

Which patches are we missing on our brand new OVMS 8 Core server?

BTW: JVM machine 1.5 and 6.0 crashes as well executing a longer checkout command using SVNKIT

Indian OpenVMS/Java Engineering said that we have to patch our machine.

But that was OVMS 8.3-1H1 but now we have OVMS 8.4. patched as shown above, but crashing in JVM. But I will log a different topic for that.

Josef

alias Sepp

DEC BADGE 23914

[Volker Halle]

Sepp,

I don't see VMS84I_FIBRE_SCSI-V0100, although nothing in those release notes would provide an indication, that it would solve your problem - whatever that problem really is...

Please provide the DUMP data as requested by Guenter. Only if we get detailled data, we might be able to help you.

Volker.

[Josef Stadelmann]

Thank you gentlemens for your help. To answer open questions: Here a trace about how it is on our INTEG2 OVMS 8.4 machine.

IA64-2>dismount/nounload $2$mga0:
IA64-2>initialize $2$mga0: RENEST
IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, RENEST mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)

IA64-2>backup/log dka3:[stadelma]*.txt $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save/noassist/rewind

%BACKUP-W-MOUNTERR, volume 1 on _$2$MGA0 was not mounted because
 its label does not match the one requested
 specify option (QUIT, NEW tape or OVERWRITE tape)
BACKUP> OVERWRITE
%BACKUP-I-LBLOVRWRITE, volume label NON-ANSI     overwritten, new label is STADEL

%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, STADEL mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_ax.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_tm.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]b.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]DAV_LIST.TXT;3
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]DISTNETBEANS_IGUIDE_RELNOTES.TXT;2
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]JVM_ARGS.TXT;31
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]mylogicals.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]mysymbols.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]PHP_LIST.TXT;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]PL099.TXT;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]SYSGEN.TXT;2
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]utf-8.txt;2
IA64-2>

IA64-2>show dev $2$mga0:

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
 Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
$2$MGA0:      (INTEG2)  Mounted alloc        0     STADEL            0     1   1
                        foreign
IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save/rewind/noassist
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-LABELERR, error in tape label processing on $2$MGA0:[000000]stadelma.bck;
-BACKUP-F-NOTANSI, tape is not valid ANSI format
IA64-2>dismount/nounload
_Device: $2$mga0:
IA64-2>mount $2$mga0: STADEL
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, STADEL mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)
IA64-2>dir $2$mga0:

Directory $2$MGA0:[]

STADELMA.BCK;1

Total of 1 file.
IA64-2>copy $2$mga0:STADELMA.BCK dka3:[stadelma] /log
%COPY-S-COPIED, $2$MGA0:[]STADELMA.BCK;1 copied to DKA3:[stadelma]STADELMA.BCK;2 (28 records)
IA64-2>backup/list dka3:[stadelma]stadelma.bck/save
Listing of save set(s)

Save set:          stadelma.bck
Written by:        STADELMA
UIC:               [000201,000003]
Date:              20-JUL-2011 15:51:27.75
Command:           BACKUP/LOG dka3:[stadelma]*.txt $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/SAVE/NOASSIST/REWIND
Operating system:  hp OpenVMS I64 version V8.4
BACKUP version:    V8.4
CPU ID register:   80000000
Written on:        _$2$MGA0:
Block size:        8192
Group size:        10
Buffer count:      2116

[stadelma]axis2_jar_files.txt;1                              3  30-JAN-2008 10:20
[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_ax.txt;1                           3  18-JUL-2011 13:26
[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_tm.txt;1                           1  18-JUL-2011 13:26
[stadelma]b.txt;1                                           11  20-MAY-2010 17:41
[stadelma]DAV_LIST.TXT;3                                     2  20-JUN-2006 17:25
. . .

Total of 13 files, 352 blocks
End of save set

IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save
%BACKUP-F-MOUNTFOR, $2$MGA0:[]stadelma.bck; must be mounted /FOREIGN
IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:
%MOUNT-I-OPRQST, device is already mounted
%MOUNT-I-OPRQST, device _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2) is not available for mounting.

 Interrupt

IA64-2>dismount/nounload $2$mga0:
%MOUNT-I-OPRQSTCAN, operator request canceled
IA64-2>show dev $2$mga0:

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
 Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
$2$MGA0:      (INTEG2)  Online               0
IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, STADEL mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)
IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-LABELERR, error in tape label processing on $2$MGA0:[000000]stadelma.bck;
-BACKUP-F-NOTANSI, tape is not valid ANSI format
IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save/label=STADEL
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-OPENIN, error opening $2$MGA0:[000000]stadelma.bck; as input
-SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHFILE, no such file
IA64-2>

abd so on and so on --- the saga will continue

Hope this brings something to move ...

Josef

alias Sepp

DEC BADGE 23914

[Josef Stadelmann]

And one for the glory editor crew !!!

I have delivered my previous e-mail text

the HP system told me that I have delivered too much, more then 20'000 characters :-(

But as I count every fingertip 

I was asking the excellent MS word statistics for that

And word said me you have exactly 7700 characters ;-(

so the rest must be HTML overhead because all must be in HTML today :-)

So I have taken out a few things to make the system happy but would suggest to be a bit more friendly toward users as they may be able to count 20'000 charactzersbut not he htlm overhead, the markups

Bevore I forget something COPY/PAST works a bit better since last time.

:-)

Sepp

[Volker Halle]

Sepp,

please provide the output of DUMP/BL=(COUNT=5) of that tape. If you can't post the data into the WEB page, please consider paste it into a .TXT file and attach that .TXT file.

Volker.

[Josef Stadelmann]

HP Server rx2660 OVMS 8.3-1H1 (INTEG1) has an external SAS connector with the SAS controller integrated on motherboard

HP Server rx2800 OVMS 8.4 (INTEG2) has SAS on mother board too but no external connectors. For that we got a PCI controler card P812/1GB 6GB 4-P EXT PCIe     with 2 external connectors, one connecting our tape drive type HP Ultrium LTO4 1840

on the quick specs of that PCI card the tape drives are said to be not supported with the initial release;

what ever initial release in this context means :-)

Conclusion:

It still does not run our BACKUP properly

Sepp

[Josef Stadelmann]

I did as you said and issued the command
IA64-2>init $2$mga0: RENEST
IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:
IA64-2>DUMP $2$MGA0: /BLOCK=COUNT:5/OUTPUT=tape.log

type /page tape.log shows
IA64-2>type/page tape.log

Dump of device $2$MGA0: on 20-JUL-2011 16:49:49.93

Block number 1 (00000001), 65523 (FFF3) bytes

 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20205453 454E4552 314C4F56 VOL1RENEST                       000000
 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020                                  000020
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 33202020 20202020 20202020 20202020                3................ 000040
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000060
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000080
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0000A0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0000C0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0000E0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000100
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000120
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000140
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000160
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000180
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0001A0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0001C0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 0001E0
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000200
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 ................................ 000220
                                                      Press RETURN to continue

after that all 0000 until EOF

Sepp

[Ian Miller.]

Check SPOCK to see if that combination of rx2800 i2 server,  interface card and tape drive is supported.

I know SPOCK is not always up to date but you have start somewhere. Then contact HP or the reseller who sold you it.

[Josef Stadelmann]

Well my helpers, I landed in SPOCK at

http://h20272.www2.hp.com/Index.aspx?lang=EN&cc=EN&hpappid=hppcf#goconnect_hardware

and went down the nice matrix.

my tape is HP Ultrium 1840 and my server is rx2800i2 which has a SAS on bord but no external connectors.

from the matrix it looks as if the tape is supported - at least it is green :-)

but is it supported too if the PCI interface "am311a" (SAS controller) is inbetween motherboard and tape-drive?

I cant find that PCI card on the matrix. !!!

Sepp

[Volker Halle]

Sepp,

IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:

... the MOUNT-I-MOUNTED message is missing here ?!
IA64-2>DUMP $2$MGA0: /BLOCK=COUNT:5/OUTPUT=tape.log

type /page tape.log shows
IA64-2>type/page tape.log

Dump of device $2$MGA0: on 20-JUL-2011 16:49:49.93

Block number 1 (00000001), 65523 (FFF3) bytes

... The block size is WRONG. It must be 80 bytes for the VOL1 Header !

20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20205453 454E4552 314C4F56 VOL1RENEST 000000
20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 000020
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 33202020 20202020 20202020 20202020 3................ 000040

...

I guess there might be some problem with the physical tape drive connection/configuration ?!

Volker.

[Josef Stadelmann]

Volker,

I know the mount message is missing, but it has mounted it foreign, for shure it has.

I was just unable to scroll back that much. If you whish I can repet all? No problem.

AND to the length of the volume header, as you said, 80 bytes, I have no influence, do I?

At least the tape.log attached shows all what was dumpt by the command.

IA64-2>DUMP $2$MGA0: /BLOCK=COUNT:5/OUTPUT=tape.log

I am at SPOCK right now, and I can not see that OpenVMS is supported with that configuration.

Maybe SPOCK is wrong, as the one said leading me there.

Sepp

[Volker Halle]

Sepp,

you need to check the OpenVMS I64 V8.4 SPD, if such a tape drive is really supported behind a 'HP Integrity Smart Array P812/1GB 6Gb 4-p Ext PCIe SAS controller'. The latest QuickSpecs for this controller only lists HP-UX and Windows as supported operating systems.

INIT write 80 bytes to the tape for a VOL1 headers, has always done it and it's not going to change. If DUMP now reads more bytes from the tape, this is a problem. And most likely a configuration/hardware one.

Volker.

[Josef Stadelmann]

What is thze result of a widle card backup command?

IA64-2>show dev mga0:

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
 Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
$2$MGA0:      (INTEG2)  Mounted alloc        0     RENEST            0     1   1
                        foreign
IA64-2>show def
  DKA3:[stadelma]
IA64-2>backup/log dka3:[stadelma]*.txt $2$mga0:stadelma.bck/save/noassist/rewind
%BACKUP-W-MOUNTERR, volume 1 on _$2$MGA0 was not mounted because
 its label does not match the one requested
 specify option (QUIT, NEW tape or OVERWRITE tape)
BACKUP> OVERWRITE
%BACKUP-I-LBLOVRWRITE, volume label NON-ANSI     overwritten, new label is STADEL

%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, STADEL mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_ax.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]axis2_jar_files_tm.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]b.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]DAV_LIST.TXT;3
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]DISTNETBEANS_IGUIDE_RELNOTES.TXT;2
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]JVM_ARGS.TXT;31
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]mylogicals.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]mysymbols.txt;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]PHP_LIST.TXT;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]PL099.TXT;1
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]SYSGEN.TXT;2
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied DKA3:[stadelma]utf-8.txt;2
IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:*/save/rewind
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-LABELERR, error in tape label processing on $2$MGA0:[000000]*.;
-BACKUP-F-NOTANSI, tape is not valid ANSI format
IA64-2>

IA64-2>dismount/nounload $2$mga0:
IA64-2>mount/for $2$mga0:
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, STADEL mounted on _$2$MGA0: (INTEG2)
IA64-2>backup/list $2$mga0:*/save/rewind
Listing of save set(s)

%BACKUP-F-LABELERR, error in tape label processing on $2$MGA0:[000000]*.;
-BACKUP-F-NOTANSI, tape is not valid ANSI format
IA64-2>

Sepp

[Josef Stadelmann]

Thanks Volker
I agree with you 100%
We will check with HP this configuration
Thanks to everybody - I will let you all know here the outcome!
Sepp

[Volker Halle]

Sepp,

backup sets up a 90-byte buffer for reading the VOL1 header and EXPLICITLY checks the IO status block for 80 bytes being returned from the QIO and returns BACKUP$_NOTANSI, if that check fails.

So no reason to complain about OpenVMS I64 V8.4 yet...

Volker.

[Sepp Stadelmann]

We received the following alerts this morning, and it points very much to an area we beleave now we have problems with.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c02910650&jumpid=em_alerts_us-us_Jul11_xbu_all_all_1355694_90723_optionsandaccessoriesstorage_critical_006_0

LTT tool-suite-kit ---- used to test disk and tape drives and to upgrade controller firmware.

NONE OF THE LTT TESTS ARE RUNNING TOWARD OUR LTO TAPE

EVERY TEST RETURNS AFTER 5 SECONDS A STACK DUMP.

 So we called for an on-site support now.

Sepp

[Sepp Stadelmann]

who knows it?

Is the  LTO Drive Assessment Test on OpenVMS used to run; Does it run to its end

We have rx2800 2i server and attached via SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) a HP Ultrium Tape attached..

The LTO Drive Assessment Test when launched from the LTT Tool Suite

aborts with a Cartridge not found error.

But I can

$ mount/noassist/foreign $2$mga0:

and the tape mounts OK.

Sepp

[Hoff]

Patch your version of OpenVMS I64 to current.  

Consider testing with a more current OpenVMS I64 version, patched to current, if there is one. 

See if either your storage controller or your tape drive device firnware need updates.  (While you've linked to an advisory, you've not listed the firmware revision currently in place in your (HP P212 SAS?) controller.)

Then confirm that your particular SAS/SATA controller and tape drive configuration is considered supported via an HP SPOCK StorageWorks configuration support database search.  Support varies (widely) by operating system.)

Then (if it's supported, current, and still not working) call the HP Support Center.

Yes, you might get lucky with an HPSC posting.  (But then this particular issue has been posted for two weeks, too, so I don't know what you expect here.)  Put another way, further HPSC discussions here will likely only serve to delay resolution further.  (Unless you don't have HP Support, and that's probably not going to be a viable support strategy for production OpenVMS servers in the current era.)

[Sepp Stadelmann]

Patch your version of OpenVMS I64 to current.

++> done ! at latest level 

Consider testing with a more current OpenVMS I64 version, patched to current, if there is one. 

++> done ! at latest level

See if either your storage controller or your tape drive device firnware need updates.

++> latest FW is installed for HP Ultrium 1840 Standallobne Tape Drive

  (While you've linked to an advisory, you've not listed the firmware revision currently in place in your

(HP P212 SAS?) controller.)

our rx2800 i2 has a PCIe 2P P411/256 SAS Controller on board to connect to the external stand allone HP ultrium 1840 drive

Then confirm that your particular SAS/SATA controller and tape drive configuration is considered supported via an HP SPOCK

++> you may wonder again, have you ever looked at SPOCK; selected OpenVMS OS to limit the length of the resulting list; then try to find just one entry for rx2800 i2 in conjunction with a HP Ultrium 1840 SAS tape Drive

"it is just not yet there, that is to say, good old coordinated information at HP lakes the one or the other way.

StorageWorks configuration support database search.  Support varies (widely) by operating system.)

++> OK, what does it help us?

Then (if it's supported, current, and still not working) call the HP Support Center.

++> what we did in the past 3 weeks?

Yes, you might get lucky with an HPSC posting.  (But then this particular issue has been posted for two weeks, too, so I don't know what you expect here.)  Put another way, further HPSC discussions here will likely only serve to delay resolution further.  (Unless you don't have HP Support, and that's probably not going to be a viable support strategy for production OpenVMS servers in the current era.)

++> that is exactly why we post here, to get a wider auditorium to potentialy get new information, to get new insigth and maybe help from otherusers and HP OpenVMS experts.

Our todays activity has shown the following (reported to a HP open case already)

1, we toke the same tape type our rx2660 server and connected it to the rx2800 i2 server

2, we configured it

3. we tried to make the BACKUP command found in the subject line of this hot topic

4. as it fails

5. we tried to run the LTO drive assessment test and it reportsd the same rubisch after 5 minutes

    Aborted ...

    Cartridge could not be found

So we have a machine where HP said test are not running AND

where the $ BACKUP as shown in subject does not run.

And yes, we have HP support, asking us about to take the Device Manager (Windows) on a OpenVMS System, proving how they do not understand a OpenVMS System.

josef stadelmann

alias Sepp

[Hoff]

Thank you for posting the requested hardware configuration details.

If the device is not listed in HP SPOCK or in the SPDs (and the SPDs will list only very few recent products), then the device or the device configuration is not usualy considered to be tested by and supported by HP, at least until and unless a representative of HP specifically tells you otherwise.

(And it looks like you might now know why it's not listed as supported in SPOCK.  But I digress.)

Consider escalating this support call to HP support center management and probably also to OpenVMS management, and consider starting the process to replace the storage controller in this server and potentially also to replace the tape storage device, or to replace the server with something that you can obtain the required level of support for.  

You might well try using an entirely different PCIe SAS/SATA storage controller here, for instance.   Determining which ones are supported for this configuration involves a trip through SPOCK and the SPDs, unfortunately.

If you're not getting what you want or need or expect here from this server and from your existing support, then your options are comparatively limited.  Wholesale platform migration is an expensive undertaking of course, and usually either a last-resort approach, or as part of an on-going and long-term and incremental migration strategy.