Networker

Re: [Networker] Calling all Alphastor users

2005-02-04 02:22:48
Subject: Re: [Networker] Calling all Alphastor users
From: "T. S. Kimball" <tkimball AT BRASS DOT COM>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 02:15:35 -0500
Yes, as a new AS user (about four months now), the main summary of the
experience is 'Ick.' Though for the most part its now a 'set it and
forget it' type of software, it had its moments.

Some of my own notes for anyone looking into this:

- I agree with most everyone here, and would not get it unless
absolutely needed.  In our case it was, we need to use DLT and LTO-2
in the same Networker Library sanely (and multimedia library is the
ONLY reason I can think of these days you'd need AS - we had a
reasonable, if primitive, tape tracking system and tape sharing is
possible with DDS now).

- Be prepared to upgrade to Networker 7.1.2 (specifically) or Sun EBS
equiv for every datazone covered.  The latest AS works best with this
version, and none of the issues Chad mentions has come up.  However
I'm not likely to upgrade again until NW 8, or whatever version
actually integrates multimedia libraries (then AS gets kicked out
again, pronto).

- Same goes for hotfixes to AS - make sure they're done before
enabling it.  One hotfix though should be done *after* migration of an
existing setup which we did not realize until afterward.  I can supply
a list if anyone is interested.

- Have the new drives ready and working from library and server or SN
perspective before tech comes to install.  We did not do this (did not
expect any problems) and I'd regretted it for over a month after he
left, since we had to leave it as single-media config at the time.
Going from single-media to multi-media was not trivial.

- Be prepared to bounce the AS daemons every now and then, not so much
for library operations with Networker to continue but for the
Operators running tape movement jobs to login properly or at all.
The AS web server uses an ancient version of Java for its console
which may be part of the problem.  Thankfully this recent version you
can do this reasonably often without hurting anything.


Have Fun,
--TSK

=====                                                         =====
Timothy S. Kimball      Tel/Cell:201.725-8426      Fax:201.239-5780
System Administrator, 3rd/Night Shift            tkimball AT brass DOT com
=====              #include <std_disclaimers.h>               =====


On Thu, 3 Feb 2005, Chad Smykay wrote:

> Here was my individual response to Kevin on the subject:
>
> Ahh yes.  The illustrious AlphaSnor.  Perhaps the greatest software
> tape/media management ever created.
>
> All I can say is we tried to deploy/retract, deploy/retract and re-dploy and
> re-retract (yeah I know that is not a word) Alphastor 3 times.  From my
> experience the common issues we had were:
>
> -  AlphaStor DB and Lgto Media DB were off  (Meaning AlphaStor thought tape
> 000111 in Slot 1 was 000111 but Legato NetWorker thought 000111 was in Slot
> 225 or had a diff label for that tape in slot 1.
> -  All of the processes on the AlphaSnor server would kind of just fall
> asleep and stop processing mount or media request (Hince the Nickname we
> have here "AlphaSnor")
>
> We tried to deploy it over 1 1/2 ago was the last try and have not looked it
> since then.  I know that three was another guy on the list that has a
> successful (Updated) version running and said he does not see any more
> issues but I can no longer speak from that experience.  So keep shopping on
> the list and you should find him.
>
> Hope this info helps some...even if it is completely bias!
>
> Chad Smykay, RHCE, LCNA
> Systems Storage Administrator
> Rackspace Managed Hosting (TM) - The Managed Hosting Specialist (TM)
> 210-447-4409
> Cell: 210-273-2344
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wood, R A (Bob) [mailto:WoodR AT chevrontexaco DOT com]
> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 8:33 AM
> To: Legato NetWorker discussion; Chad Smykay
> Subject: RE: [Networker] Calling all Alphastor users
>
> Chad, really! Not that helpful at all.... (even if you couldn'r resist
> it...)
>
> Surely it is our moral duty to encourage new blood when it comes to
> these venerable products. We shouldn't be deriding them for showing such
> innocent trust in the salesperson and believing the printed word that
> comes forth from the marketing department.
>
> No, we should be extolling the virtues of having, in a single software
> package, a complete tape management solution. A solution that will take
> care of device sharing, will even take the hassle out of defining a
> library for sharing between many storage nodes. A product that will
> track all of your media and allow you to create multiple rotational
> policies to meet even the most convoluted of offsite storage strategies.
> A product that will, at the single click of a mouse, create movement
> jobs that, when run, will remove tapes from libraries and tell you where
> they should go next, will tell you which tapes need moving from location
> to location...   I could go on....
>
> Kevin, we're using it on a reasonable sized installation, it has its
> quirks, but then, so does other software. In the main, though, once you
> are set up, it works pretty well. Been using it for 4 years and can say
> that the latest version (well, the latest I have) is pretty stable.
>
> Regards
> Bob
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Legato NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT 
> EDU]
> On Behalf Of Chad Smykay
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 8:15 PM
> To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
> Subject: Re: [Networker] Calling all Alphastor users
>
>
> Hehe.
>
> Chad Smykay, RHCE, LCNA
> Systems Storage Administrator
> Rackspace Managed Hosting (TM) - The Managed Hosting Specialist (TM)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Legato NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT 
> EDU]
> On Behalf Of Allan, Kevin
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 10:12 AM
> To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
> Subject: [Networker] Calling all Alphastor users
>
> I am new to the wonders of Alphastor and would really appreciate to know
> your views on the product. I am interested to know how big an install
> base Legato have for this product and the support issues you have
> experienced.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Kevin
>
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