An empty tape won't go back to scratch

[DiegoC]

Hi all,

here it is another problem !!



Some time ago I moved a large amount of datas from a tape storage pool to another.

today, doing my routine checks I issued:



tsm: RENDERFARM>select VOLUME_NAME,STGPOOL_NAME,STATUS from volumes where access='READONLY' and status!='FULL'



VOLUME_NAME STGPOOL_NAME STATUS

------------------ ------------------ ------------------

197ABWL2 SPT_BACK EMPTY



Why should and empty tape sit in SPT_BACK with a readonly access??



I reviewed the tivoli log at the time of the data move I did, and found this lines:



ANR1157I Removable volume 197ABWL2 is required for move process.

[...]

ANR8337I LTO volume 197ABWL2 mounted in drive TAPE0 (mt0.0.0.5).

ANR0512I Process 342 opened input volume 197ABWL2.

[...]

ANR0515I Process 342 closed volume 197ABWL2.

ANR8468I LTO volume 197ABWL2 dismounted from drive TAPE0 (mt0.0.0.5) in library 3584LIB.

[...]

ANR1343I Unable to delete scratch volume 197ABWL2.





an audit gave no clue:



audit volume 197ABWL2

ANR2017I Administrator ADMIN issued command: AUDIT VOLUME 197ABWL2

ANR1199I Removable volume 197ABWL2 is required for audit process.

ANR2209W Volume 197ABWL2 contains no data.





Here is the details regarding the tape:



tsm: RENDERFARM>select * from volumes where VOLUME_NAME='197ABWL2'



VOLUME_NAME: 197ABWL2

STGPOOL_NAME: SPT_BACK

DEVCLASS_NAME: LTO2

EST_CAPACITY_MB: 0.0

SCALEDCAP_APPLIED:

PCT_UTILIZED: 0.0

STATUS: EMPTY

ACCESS: READONLY

PCT_RECLAIM: 0.0

SCRATCH: YES

ERROR_STATE: NO

NUM_SIDES: 1

TIMES_MOUNTED: 2

WRITE_PASS: 1

LAST_WRITE_DATE: 2005-06-06 21:54:58.000000

LAST_READ_DATE: 2006-03-18 00:40:24.000000

PENDING_DATE:

WRITE_ERRORS: 0

READ_ERRORS: 0

LOCATION:

MVSLF_CAPABLE: No

CHG_TIME: 2005-06-06 19:04:46.000000

CHG_ADMIN:









Is it safe tu issue a:

update vol 002ABWL2 access=readwrite

in the hope for the tape to be moved back to scraches?

 

[LED888]

If you are sure that the data is moved off of the tape.



There is a possiblity that the tape was origianlly checked into the library with a status of private.



Issue:

update libvolume library_name volume_name status=scratch



If there is an error message, there is data on the tape.

If the status change from private to scratch, more than likely the tape was origianlly checked into the library as private.



Good luck,

Sias

 

[astrotrain]

Talked to IBM about this, seems this is a common 'undocumented' issue:



Do the following:



01. Check out your tape if you have it checked in the library



02. Move the tape using the 'move media' command and make the

'wherestate' to mountableNOTinlib. This removes the reference to

the vol from the tsm db.



03. Now attempt to check in the tape with the status of 'scratch', and it

should check in.



You have the love these 'undocumented' issues that tsm/ibm never publish.

 

[astrotrain]

The key is:



PCT_UTILIZED: 0.0



When its 0, that means its not being used, and qualifies for a scratch.



So either change the access to readw or del the vol.

 

[AlanDavenport]

The problem is that the tape is read-only. A tape in read-only status will not go to scratch when it becomes empty. Update volume to read-write and it will go to scratch.



Al

 

[mojorod]

Hi all,



I am having the same type of issues. I have 7 tapes that are reading as unavailable. They are in the library and thry are being utilized. There are not any R\W errors and a few have only 2 or 3 mounts.



Can I change these to Access available read Write, and why does this sometimes happen?



Thanks,



MJR



Operation Results









Volume Name: 000279L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 409,600.0

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 17.2

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 0.0

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 30

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/07/2006 06:27:06

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/07/2006 00:43:35

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator): ADMIN

Last Update Date/Time: 07/11/2006 14:20:45

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000302L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_COPYPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 409,600.0

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 41.7

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 0.1

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 2

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/10/2006 19:16:00

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/10/2006 17:29:45

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator):

Last Update Date/Time: 07/10/2006 17:29:40

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000322L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 409,600.0

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 0.7

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 0.0

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 1

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/04/2006 15:35:37

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/04/2006 15:33:18

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator): ADMIN

Last Update Date/Time: 07/11/2006 14:21:03

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000345L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 505,385.3

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 96.0

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 4.0

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 981

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/11/2006 18:36:15

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/06/2006 07:39:13

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator): ADMIN

Last Update Date/Time: 07/11/2006 14:21:09

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000352L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 409,600.0

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 94.7

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 0.0

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 4

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/12/2006 03:50:10

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/11/2006 05:05:19

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator): ADMIN

Last Update Date/Time: 07/11/2006 16:58:22

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000463L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 689,250.2

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 48.2

Volume Status: Full

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 52.0

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 80

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/05/2006 02:46:47

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/07/2006 00:27:49

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator): ADMIN

Last Update Date/Time: 07/11/2006 14:19:52

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:



Volume Name: 000497L3

Storage Pool Name: LTO_TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: LTOCLASS

Estimated Capacity: 785,949.7

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 99.8

Volume Status: Full

Access: Unavailable

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 0.3

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: No

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 55

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 07/04/2006 15:33:18

Approx. Date Last Read: 07/03/2006 11:34:25

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 0

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator):

Last Update Date/Time: 07/03/2006 11:34:06

Begin Reclaim Period:

End Reclaim Period:

 

[heada]

First, verify that the volume is still in the library. TSM thinks is it, but the last time it attempted to mount the volume, it couldn't. If the volume is in the library, update the volume to read-write and then audit the volume. This will make sure that TSM can mount the volume and it will verify that all the data on the volume is what it thinks should be there.



-Aaron

 

[jubbing]

Talked to IBM about this, seems this is a common 'undocumented' issue:



Do the following:



01. Check out your tape if you have it checked in the library



02. Move the tape using the 'move media' command and make the

'wherestate' to mountableNOTinlib. This removes the reference to

the vol from the tsm db.



03. Now attempt to check in the tape with the status of 'scratch', and it

should check in.



You have the love these 'undocumented' issues that tsm/ibm never publish.

This really helped.

I had a couple tapes that were showing empty at 0%. I would run q content on them and would get no results.

I would then try to delete them and it wouldn't let me. Also, if I would do a move data it would tell me there was no data on them. I also was sure these tapes didn't contain db backups.

I checked out the tapes then issued the following command for each: >move media R20067L5 stg=TAPEPOOL wherestate=mountablenotinlib

actlog shows:
ANR1341I Scratch volume R20067L5 has been deleted from
storage pool TAPEPOOL. (SESSION: 238510, PROCESS: 2580)
ANR6684I MOVE MEDIA: Volume R20067L5 was deleted.
(SESSION: 238510, PROCESS: 2580)
ANR6682I MOVE MEDIA command ended: 1 volumes processed.

So essentially I think the problem is TSM thinks the volume is a scratch volume checked into (in this case) TAPEPOOL. So it seemed to be in limbo somewhere. Probably a relabel failing would be my guess.