ADSM-L

Re: [ADSM-L] drive mount/dismount slower after HW migration.

2009-07-04 09:26:17
Subject: Re: [ADSM-L] drive mount/dismount slower after HW migration.
From: Richard Sims <rbs AT BU DOT EDU>
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2009 09:24:06 -0400
One thing to keep in mind is that FibreChannel is not involved at the
initiation of tape mounts for a 3494 tape library, as that operation
involves communication with the 3494 library manager over networking.
Tape loading is then a mechanical operation, supervised by the drive
firmware.  Unload would be initiated through host-drive communication,
which would be over FC, the mechanics again supervised by drive
firmware.  Having current drive firmware can improve general
performance.

In your migration to a new computer platform you ostensibly now have
new HBAs in place to interact with the tape drives.  It is very
important to have current HBA firmware in place, for proper
communication and conveyance of orders.  Note also that host
application changes can require appropriate HBA firmware levels, and
that such changes can affect interactions at mount time.  (For
example, at the TSM 5.3.3.0 level, new functionality was added to
detect medium type via a passthrough SCSI call at mount time.)

Also, I hope you aren't mixing tape and disk on an HBA, which IBM
recommends against.  (Disk has priority over tape in HBA operations.)

   Richard Sims

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