Backup Exec not recognising HP autoloader as Robotic lib

[Chris Haskins]

Hi,

We have a HP StorageWorks 1/8 autoloader backup tape drive and we are trying to get the autoloader side of things working. The backup software we are using is Veritas Backup Exec. When trying to add HP as a device backup exec sees it as a standlone device and not a robotic library. Any ideas what we could be doing wrong?

Cheers

Chris

[Torsten.]

Hi,

what is your OS?

[Chris Haskins]

Sorry I should have mentioned it's Windows Server 2003.

Thanks

Chris

[Paul Goldsmith]

I have had the same issue with an HP Robotic library and two internal drives. Our operating system was Netware using Backup Exec but the OS was not the issue.

HP recommends that the robot MUST be on a lower SCSI ID than any of the drives. In fact they recommend the robot be on SCSI ID 2. Until I followed this advice I too saw the drives as standalone.

[Curtis Ballard]

The most likely cause of this error is that you have one of the newer (last 2-3 years) LUN mode 1/8 autoloaders and have connected it to an array controller. Almost no parallel SCSI array controllers support LUN mode.

There are quite a few varieties of 1/8. Can you say which you have? Most of them are 2U high and the drive type determines whether they are LUN mode or not. The newer ones are the 1/8 G2 and are 1U high and always LUN mode.

Contray to what one of the previous posters said, if the library is a dual ID device, HP does not recommend that the library have a lower SCSI ID than the drive. Quite the opposite the library ID should always be higher than the drive so move commands can be serviced during periods of high drive activity. If there is a problem with a device not showing up changing the ID's fequenty fixes the problem if there is an ID conflict somewhere.

[Regi]

I too have the same problem. I have a 1/8 Tape Autoloader. The device manager recognizes the HP auto tape loader and the tape drive as HP Ultrium-1 Drive. But in Backup Exec 10 with SP5 it gets configured as stand-alone drive. Previously the SCSI id of the drive was 5 and robot 0. The problem persists even if i change the scsi id of drive to 2 and robot as 5. Pls. can anyone help.

[chris barnett_2]

The 1/8 operates in two modes.
Autochanger mode.
This appears to the O/S like a standalone tape drive. In autochanger mode the 1/8 will write to the end of the first tape, the automatically load the next tape for you. The 1/8 will hide the robot from the O/S. So for instance in this mode if it say had a 100GB Ultrium 1 drive fitted, to the O/S it would appear to be a 800GB tape drive.
Library mode.
This changes the device into a typical type tape library, you will see the tape drive, the 8 tape slots and the robot in the O/S and backup application.

You can change modes through the front panel.

[Phoenix Systems]

I'm having the same issue. I'm using a U320 SCSI HBA part number 374654 and I only see the standalone drive in Backup Exec 10d.

[AndreaMennini]

I have this problem too, with a DL380G4 and a Q1566A into a 274338-B21 rackmount connected to the array SCSI adapter via a 68-pin HD/VHDCI, 12 ft/3.66 m cable part number 341177-B21

What should I do? Do I only need to work on SCSI ID (as per previous posts), since the configuration should work or must I install a separate HBA in order to have autoloader recognized well? In this case, what HBA? 374654-B21 - Single-Channel Ultra320 SCSI HBA G2 is ok?

Thanks

[Curtis Ballard]

Regarding the two previous postings:

BE 10d will not see the library LUN unless the proper driver package is installed with the BE library driver. If the OS reports the device and the backup app doesn't you need to check the app configurations.

This product should never be connected to an array controller. Any HP SCSI HBA that is supported in your server will work with the library. We test all of them.

[Mynor Aguilar]

Curtis is on the right track, Do not connect this kind of library on the scsi port of the array controller, there's some issue with LUN scanning. I had the same problem a while ago with a 1/8 ultrium 448 autoloader, checking on the quickspecs for my server they recommended 374654-B21 for my 1/8 autoloader, it didnt work cause it didnt support ultra 160,
if you have 1/8 ultrium 960, 374654-b21 (ultra 320 HBA) should work fine, otherwise if you have a 1/8 ultrium 448 or 232, find an HBA that supports ultra160. I think that 284688-b21 is compatible with 448 and 232, but I'm not 100% sure

regards,
Mynor Aguilar

[Jaclyn Rothe]

Just quick steps to check

1) Using BUE needs BUE drivers installed in Windows Device manager...
2) SCSI card has to have raid disabled, or the LUN will not be recognized byt hte controller card
3) Always avoid generic microsoft or HP drivers for LSI or Adaptec SCSI cards, and for tape drives using other then HP branded software (Arcserve, BUE etc)
4) Make sure that 'Unknown Medium changer' shows in Device manager and also an entry under Tape Drives.
5) Firmware needs to be at latest revision because BUE has issues detecting a certain version of frimware.

[Jaclyn Rothe]

I seem to have missed what kind of server this is... but here is the HP compatibility page... clcik the checkmark beside the drive type and server type to get the compatible controllers:

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/compatibility/tapebackup/ISS/index.html


If non-HP server here are the only option for HBA compatibility:

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/compatibility/tapebackup/ThirdParty/index.html#HBA

[Jaclyn Rothe]

And to add RSM causes detection issues in Windows 2003... you need to run this document as well:


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842411

[Heshmat]

So if its seen in the OS then the library is good, and settings too, it seems like a application issue, check this out.

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/251561.htm

I have seen this issue fix by running tapeinst.exe and selecting the option to use veritas drivers for all tape devices after updating BUE to the latest. to locate tapeins.exe just run a search, it should be somewhere under the installation folder for veritas.

[Jaclyn Rothe]

yes... those are the direct steps for my response above
" 1) Using BUE needs BUE drivers installed in Windows Device manager..."