Tape Span - Multiple drives

[kvwar]

I wanted to know if this is possible:

I have a library with 4 LTO4 drives.
I run a backup. Tape is loaded to one drive and the backup progresses.
Once the tape runs out of space the tape is unloaded from that drive and another scratch tape is placed in the same drive by the robotic arm. The backup completes.

During restore the first tape is loaded in drive 1. After restoring all the data usng drive1 the second tape is loaded. However it is loaded to drive 2.Restore tries to continue from there and fails.

My doubt:
1.Can same operation (either backup and restore, like the tape span) be performed by two different drives.

My assumption is that the operation would complete only on one drive even though the tapes(media) change.

This is not specific to TSM alone. I would appreciate if this is a something u have seen.

[moon-buddy]

My doubt:
1.Can same operation (either backup and restore, like the tape span) be performed by two different drives.

Yes - doesn't matter where TSM puts the second or third tape.

[kvwar]

hi Ed,

When does it happen that the tape is loaded to a different drive even when the other drive is free?

[moon-buddy]

hi Ed,

When does it happen that the tape is loaded to a different drive even when the other drive is free?

Don't know. TSM has a mind of its own.