MSL4048 LTO4: Problems reading LTO2 tape

[ThomasO]

Hi All

We have a MSL4048 LTO4 library and I have some old tapes I need to be able to get some data off.
From the specifications I understand that LTO4 drives should be able to read LTO2 tapes.
I have two tapes labeled QCG620L2 and CE1580L1. They are both LTO2 tapes, even if one has the "L1" barcode (I guess someone accidentally continued using LTO1 barcodes after moving to LTO2 tapes). I am able to import the "L2" tape, but the "L1" tape fails every time.
In the library web management, if I try to move the "L1" tape to one of my empty drives, I get the following error: "Cartridge is incompatible with Drive".
It appears that the system detects if to be a LTO1 tape, even if it is indeed an LTO2 tape.
Is it possible to override this in any way?

Some help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Thomas

[Aneesh Mohan]

Hi Thomas,

CE1580L1 is it a cleaning media ?

Aneesh

[ThomasO]

Hi Aneesh

Thanks for your reply.

No, it is not a cleaning tape nor the barcode label is for a cleaning tape.

To me it appears that the library categorizes all tapes with barcode "L1" as LTO Ultrium 1 tapes; which is not readable in a LTO4 drive, even if the tape is actually LTO2 media.

/Thomas

[MJ Simpson]

Thomas, can you re-label the tape with a "L2" label and import the tape into DP?

[ThomasO]

Hi MJ

Thanks for your suggestion.

I contacted HP about this as well, and I just got a reply.

The fact that the library refuse to let me mount this tape in the drive is that the tape is indeed categorized as LTO1 based on the barcode (which is incompatible with LTO4 drives). This is by design and it is not possible to override this in the system.
What HP suggested was to remove the label from the tape and then mount it.
I did that, and I was able to mount it successfully.

The second part of the story is that my backup software (NetBackup 6.5) could not recognize this tapes now. So what I had to do was to manually add this tapes to the Media DB with the same Media ID as the barcode indicated. Only then, I was able to restore the date from the tapes.

So I guess this is case closed.

/Thomas

[ThomasO]

See above for the solution.

[Subhash_5]

Hello Thomas
can you please advice me how you added this new barcode media's (OLD Media with L1) in Media DB?
We have same issue & need to restore from old media having barcode ending with L1.
Thanks lots
Subhash

[ThomasO]

Hi Subhash

The solution is mentioned in my second last posting. Let me know if you need any further clarifications.

/Thomas

[Subhash_5]

Hello Thomas
Thanks for your reply, we are able to mount the media after removing the labels but netbackup doesnot recognise them,
I saw you post ,it says
"the second part of the story is that my backup software (NetBackup 6.5) could not recognize this tapes now. So what I had to do was to manually add this tapes to the Media DB with the same Media ID as the barcode indicated. Only then, I was able to restore the date from the tapes."

I want to know how you added it to Media DB, you used IMPORT procedure or using commands? if command what commands?? Please HELP with the procedure.

Thanks
Subhash

[ThomasO]

Hi Subhash

I am not 100% sure how I did this, as it is quite a while ago.

However, I believe I did the following:

1. Insert only one of the tapes without barcode at a time
2. Make note of the slot number you inserted the tape in.
3. In Netbackup Console, rightclick on Media and choose New Volumes
4. Choose Media type and Robot
5. In Media ID, make sure you type the actual ID of this tape
6. In First slot number, select the slot number where the tape is inserted.
7. Select whichever other options needed and click OK

Now, the tape should be recognizable by Netbackup.

Good luck.

/Thomas

[Subhash_5]

Hello Thomas
its not working as per your procedure, media ID doesnot change.
any ways thanks for your help. please let me know if by any chance you could get the exact procedure.
subhash

[ThomasO]

Hi Subhash

Not sure what you mean with "Media ID does not change". The whole idea is that the MediaID should be what the barcode (which you removed) said. Otherwise, you will probably have problems restoring data.
The problem with LTO1 bar codes is that the library itself is not able to read it as it looks at the barcode and thinks it is a LTO1 tape and not LTO2 or newer.

/Thomas

[Subhash_5]

sorry thomas, what i mean is media id is not changing back to old media id's, we have put new barcodes ending with L2, we r trying to change this to L1 as per your suggestion but its remaining same as L2.
we want them to change to L1.
thanks
subhash

[Subhash_5]

Hello Thomas
we cannot restore the data as its written in LTO-1 format as barcode label was L1. finally we have connecetd one of the OLD tape drive & configured in netbackup to restore oLD data & its working.
thanks lots for your time & help
tc
subhash