Tim,

 

As someone else pointed out it sounds like the tape library has a limit on the number of tapes that you can see.

You might want to check if the max number of slots was increased in the library config.  I do not know this library but the stk 9710 and L700 had

to have their configs changed when the number of slots was increased.

Also are you using the sun/stk acsls software for the library. If so your problem may  be with the config of the software.

 

len

 

 

Curtis,

 

After going over the robtest output in detail, it appears that the tapes (which are now in stand-alone) are not being seen by robtest. This would suggest a possible issue with the HW, although it's difficult to know exactly what at this stage. The confusing thing is when I move tapes around (into different slots, etc) and re-run the inventory, then the tapes it has problems reading (and then put into stand-alone) seem to be different each time.

 

I have been able to move a tape from a slot on the original tape library base unit to a slot on the expansion unit using robtest.

 

It appears there is a problem reading some of the barcodes but it's not the same tapes each time and not the same slots. I hate problems like this :)

 

From: Curtis Preston [mailto:cpreston AT glasshouse DOT com]
Sent: Wednesday, 30 January 2008 11:16 AM
To: Wilkinson, Tim; Ed Wilts
Cc: VERITAS-BU AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: RE: [Veritas-bu] tape limit?

Robtest is just a wrapper around tldtest.  So if you’re using robtest, then you’re using tldtest.  I would make sure you can move tapes to/from those extended slots.  If you can, then I’d say it’s definitely not a hardware issue.  Robtest/tldtest is a low-level piece of software that talks directly to the library and has nothing to do  with Symantec licensing, etc.

 

 

Curtis,

 

What's the syntax with tldtest and what does it do? Robtest appears to show all the slots and contents (or no contents where that is the case) - would that suggest it's not a HW issue?

 

When we installed the expansion unit, I put 9 more tapes in to test (we won't need more than that for a while) and ran an inventory in NBU. It found new tapes but put some in stand-alone, with 55 tapes in the default volume group. At the time, I thought it could be a barcode read error or something so I moved the stand-alone tapes around and did another inventory. It then added the stand-alone tapes back into the volume group but removed some other tapes and put them in standa-lone. The number in the volume group never hits more than 55. The tapes that get moved into stand-alone seem to change every time I move tapes around and get a new inventory.

 

Cheers,

 

Tim

 

From: veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu [mailto:veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu] On Behalf Of Curtis Preston
Sent: Friday, 25 January 2008 4:35 PM
To: Wilkinson, Tim; Ed Wilts
Cc: VERITAS-BU AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] tape limit?

I would use robtest/tldtest and manually talk to the library.  That doesn’t have any licenses associated with it.  If tldtest reports 55 slots, that’s your proof.

 

 

Ed/Steve - If it turns out it's very unlikely to be Netbackup then I'll begin to query the HW. The tech seems to think all the slots were available and the library software could see all the tapes and I had no reason to question him.

 

From: Ed Wilts [mailto:ewilts AT ewilts DOT org]
Sent: Friday, 25 January 2008 4:00 PM
To: Wilkinson, Tim
Cc: VERITAS-BU AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] tape limit?

Do you have the right "license" on the SL500?  By default, they appear to come with a 100-slot license - at least ours did.  We had to purchase a license, and it was *expensive* to make use of the full 144 slots.

If/when you do purchase this license, you'll be shocked at the installation instructions compared to the price you paid...

I'm not aware of any slot-based licensing in NetBackup.  I think it's TSM that has it which is why the SL500 is cheaper when it's restricted to 100 slots.

   .../Ed

--
Ed Wilts, Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts AT ewilts DOT org

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