StorageWorks Ultrium 460 does not work

[Stefan Michel]

Hello,

i have an HP ProLiant ML370G4 Server with Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and have installed a StorageWorks Ultrium 460 Tape internal at the SmartArray 6400 Controller. The Harddrive is a channel 1, the Tape is at channel 2. Every Firmware an Driver´s are the newest, i have dowloaded and installed it with the HP Maintance DVD.

When i start the HP Tape & LibraryTools, it takes a very long time to reconize the Tapedrive and the Server goes very slow. When i start a Test with the HP T&LT it say´s, that the Cadrigde is writeprotected but this is not true. When i insert a absolute NEW und fresh unpacked Cadrigde the Test does also fail because tape is write protected. While i do these tests, the server goes really slow and in the Windows EventLogger there are a lot of errors saying: HPCISSS, the Driver has a ControllerError at \Device\RaidPort0 (Translated from me because my Server saying german errormessages ;-). The devices are all corrcet installed and appears in the Systemconsole of windows as function ready.

The Windows Backupsoftware NT-Backup (this is the Software which i try to get working) failed while backuptest´s with an completly empty Backuplog.

Can anybody help me? is the SmartArray-Controller damaged?

The TapeDrive does work PERFECT when i installed the device in an XP Professional PC with an Adaptec AHA 2940 UltraSCSI-Adapter. I have tested it with the HP T&LT and also with the NT-Backup Software. Both works fine. Unfortunatley i can not plugged the AHA 2940 Adapter in my Server because there are only PCI-X Ports at the ProLiant ML370G4.

Best regards

Stefan

[Curtis Ballard]

Digging into the legacy tape drive connect information for retired servers at http://www.hp.com/go/connect where older hardware is still listed I find the following page for the Ultrium 448 and the MSL370G4.  The 448 pSCSI is the closest drive to the 460 pSCSI that is still listed.

http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/compatibility/tapebackup/ISS/Detail/16-0029-0057.html

That page has the following information on compatible controllers.  Apparently that array controller is not compatible with tape drives.

-------------------------------

The HP ProLiant ML370 G4 (Retired) does not have a suitable integrated SCSI controller for connecting the HP StorageWorks Ultrium 448 SCSI . Please use one of the following compatible HBAs:

PCI / PCI-X Host Bus Adapters:

• 129803-B21 - HP Dual Channel Ultra3 SCSI HBA
• 268351-B21 - HP Dual Channel Ultra320 SCSI PCI-X HBA (Retired) (Retired)
• 284688-B21 - HP 64-Bit/66MHz Dual Channel Wide Ultra3 SCSI PCI HBA (Retired) (Retired)1

1  Please ensure adpu160m.sys driver version 6.1.640.100 or higher is used in this configuration.

Note: Please ensure HP Ultra320 SCSI Adapter and SAS HBA with RAID Driver for NetWare version 4.01 or higher is used if using a compatible HP Ultra320 SCSI adapter.

[Stefan Michel]

Thank you very much for this helpful information, so i don´t have to trie it to get this constilation to run.

It´s very funny that such a professional products are not combatibel! I have tried the TapeDrive with a very old AHA-2940 SCSI Controller and it works and this card has only junk value.

Now what is the best way to get the Tapedrive to work?

Let the Harddisk´s at the old SmartArray 6400 Controller and input another controller wich is compable or buy a Controller wich can handle both (the Raid-Harddisk´s an the TapeDrive)? Can anybody tell me, which controller is compatible to both?

At ebay you can get PCI-x 320 SCSI Controllers for 30,- EUR but are they working with my tapedrive an with my Harddisks?

Do i have to install the OS Windows Server 2003 completely new when i change the Controller of the Harddisks?

What is with this controller ONLY for the TapeDrive

http://cgi.ebay.de/LSI-Logic-LSI20320C-HP-SCSI-Controller-PCI-X-U320-/290560701296?pt=Controller&hash=item43a6c47370

Tank you very much!

Best regards

Stefan

[Curtis Ballard]

The behavior you are seeing is pretty typical.  Array controllers are optimized for disk arrays and most of the time do not support tape products at all.  For maximum performance it isn't a good idea to use the same controller for the disks and the backup anyway. 

Recently HP has made all of our newer array controllers compatible with tape but other vendors controllers don't work with tape most of the time.  All of the newer array controllers are PCIe and SAS so they wouldn't be suitable with your configuration.

I would recommend you leave your disks on the controller that they are on and install a plain SCSI HBA for the tape.

[Stefan Michel]

Now i have bought an new HBA.

It is an LSI Logic LSI20320C-HP SCSI Controller PCI-X U320

http://www.quantelectronic.de/SCSI-_und_Raidcontroller-LSI_Logic_LSI20320C-HP_SCSI_Controller_PCI-X_U320_i133_8934.htm

an it should work perfectly for tapes and tapelibraries.

But it doesn´t work. It´s the same problem. The server does not freeze the same like it was before but if i try to access the tapedrive with the HP L&TT ther are several Errors in the errorlog saying, that the controller has an error. The Drivers of the controller (it is the same like the smartarray 6400) are the newest an also the BIOS of the controller is the newest.  What a mess ;-(.

Can anybody tell me a controller which i can buy for small money that does work?

Thanks

best regards

Stefan

[Stefan Michel]

i have seen, that the adapter i have bought is the correct one because Part-Number 403051-001 = (Option: 268351-B21) = 64-Bit/133-MHz Dual Channel Ultra320 SCSI Adapter. So why does this not work????

[Stefan Michel]

is it possible, that i have the wrong cable. On the internet i have read, that the TapeDrive internal normally comes with an SCSI-Cable with for 2 devices an an active termination. My Cable looks like this

http://www.forensic-computers.com/images_tableau/tc10_hi_res.gif

and it has only one dock to connect it to the HBA and one dock for the TapeDrive and there is nothing on this cable which looks like something for termination!

Could this resove my problem?

Thanks

Best regards

Stefan

[Stefan Michel]

The Problem is fixed!

I have bought a SCSI-cable with termination and now the TapeDrive runs as it should.

Best regards

Stefan