Your "light bulb" moment is correct.  Each media server keeps its own media
database so once a tape is assigned to a media server, no other media server
can use it.  For duplication activities, there's the ability to force the
read from another server but regular backup/restore activities don't support
this.

The upcoming v5.0 doesn't fix this but on the futures list is a consolidated
media database, per Dave Little, so the problem will eventually be fixed.
It'll also solve a failover problem for media servers.

-M

-----Original Message-----
From: Gardner, Jesse [mailto:Jesse.Gardner AT storaenso DOT com]
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 7:06 AM
To: 'veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu'
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Can SAN Media Servers share tapes?


Scenario:

One SAN-attached HP LTO Library.
The Master server is also the Robotic Control Host.
Five other SAN Media Servers share the library.
Each of these servers has their own policy, to back themselves up with their
own storage unit.
There are (for the example) 5 tapes in the library, all in one volume pool.
Each of the above policies uses the volume pool.

Last night I noticed that one of the servers was getting "unable to allocate
new media, storage unit has none available".  Available_Media shows that all
five tapes are "Active" and not even close to capacity.  Then the cartoony
lightbulb went on above my head.  Once a media server uses a tape, other
media servers can't write to them.  In a way, it kind of makes sense.

Is there any way around this?  Can two of my SAN Media Servers write to a
single tape?

Thanks,
Jesse
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