Networker

[Networker] AW: [Networker] Windows2003 R2 change tape order at boot

2007-09-07 04:16:41
Subject: [Networker] AW: [Networker] Windows2003 R2 change tape order at boot
From: Sebastian Wormser <Wormser.S AT ZDF DOT DE>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2007 10:03:35 +0200
 Hi everybody,

I can confirm that the IBM Tape Drive Persistent Binding Works.
We are using it with IBM 3592 Tapes Drives (Driver Version 6.1.6.2).

If you do not have IBM Tapes, the Microsoft Driver (tape.sys) that
is part of the current W2k3 Server release should do the trick,
although I could not test this.

FC HBA persistent binding is inferior because of the tape device
renaming that occurs if you loose just one tape drive.

Regards,

Sebastian


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU] Im 
Auftrag von Terry Lemons
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 6. September 2007 22:26
An: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Betreff: Re: [Networker] Windows2003 R2 change tape order at boot

Hi Gaddy

You make a great point!

http://download.qlogic.com/drivers/5419/QLogic_Solaris.pdf describes Qlogic's 
persistent binding implementation.  The persistence implemented by the FC HBA 
driver provides the binding of the Fibre Channel entity (pairing the WWNN/WWPN 
of the storage and the host HBA number) to a SCSI logical unit number (LUN).  
That's it; it doesn't deal with the logical device naming at all.

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/devdrvr/Doc/IBM_Tape_Driver_IUG.pdf 
describes (among other things) the IBM tape driver's support for persistent 
naming on AIX, HP-UX and Solaris (note that Windows is not in that list). 
However, in the README file for the latest IBM tape driver for Windows 
(ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/devdrvr/Windows/Win2003/Latest/IBMTape.W200x.Readme.txt),
 the following appears:

"Version 6.1.6.2 and later versions of the device driver have an option for 
enforcing file names for tape drives that will persist across reboots of the 
operating system.  For example, if your tape drive has the name \\.\tape3 and 
the persistent naming option is used, then \\.\tape3 will be reserved for use 
by that device after an operating system reboot.  To take advantage of this 
feature, place a DWORD value in the registry called PersistentNaming and assign 
it a value 1 at:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ibmtp2k3

   and reboot your system."

So, the IBM tape driver DOES provide the LUN-to-logical device mapping that 
Pierpa seeks.

I'm sure there are other methods of providing logical device-level persistent 
mapping.  On Linux systems with the 2.6 kernel, udev provides persistent naming 
(among other things); see http://www.reactivated.net/writing_udev_rules.html 
for a primer.

If you know of other ways to provide logical device-level persistent mapping, 
please share them with this list.

Thanks
tl

Terry Lemons
Backup Platforms Group
EMC² 
where information lives
4400 Computer Drive, MS D239
Westboro MA 01580
Phone: 508 898 7312
Email: Lemons_Terry AT emc DOT com

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