Networker

[Networker] False "Tape is either disabled or in service mode"

2010-09-23 08:58:53
Subject: [Networker] False "Tape is either disabled or in service mode"
From: rmumford <networker-forum AT BACKUPCENTRAL DOT COM>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:58:05 -0400
"I guess you are suffering because you haven't configured your tape 
drives with persistent naming. You obviously haven't done this because I 
can see your examples use the short name format. You should ALWAYS 
configure persistent naming when using tape drives or virtual tape 
drives on Windows. 

Assuming you are using the Microsoft LTO driver: 
Edit the registry and create a DWORD called 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Tape\Persistence and 
set it to 1. Then delete all your tape drives in device manager and scan 
for new hardware. The drives should get recreated with much longer 
persistent names. You will then need to reconfigure the library in 
NetWorker. 

By the way, do not use the IBM drivers for Windows with a Data Domain 
(possibly other VTLs too) because they don't work with persistent 
naming. I have proved this - even with the IBM long names set the drives 
will still change position in the library. The Microsoft drivers work fine. 

The other weird thing that might be happening (that I have also seen) is 
that sometimes when there are no more volumes available NetWorker will 
try to mount volumes that are already in use. This is just dumb. I am 
sure this is a bug, but it can easily be avoided by making sure that 
there are plenty of labelled volumes available for use. "

Well we have suffered and still suffer from the persistent naming issue. We've 
hesitated to do this because we now have 108 drives on one datazone and 111 on 
the other, and the long names gave us some concern, but I suppose once their 
configured, thats it, eh? 

We were told by EMC support to go to IBM and get the latest drivers. But the 
DDOS rel notes say to stay away from 6.2.x.x which were  the latest, so we put 
6.1.9.5, which did not change the problem. But if MS drivers work, I will try 
that and see. I have palyed with timers on the VTL and that makes no 
difference, only slows down loading and unloading if I go to longer times. 

Thanks for the suggestions, I may try MS drivers.

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