ANR8419E DEFINE PATH: The drive or element conflicts with an existing drive in library

[thiagodasilveira]

Hi Everyone!

I´m having the following problem to add 2 LTO 6 drives from one TSM to another (Yes, I changed the configuration of the Logical Library in console):

tsm: TSM_SERVER>DEFINE PATH TSM_SERVER LTOLIB_I6K_01_DRV_21 SRCTYPE=SERVER DESTTYPE=DRIVE LIBRARY=LTOLIB_I6K_01 device=/dev/rmt2 autodetect=no online=yes
ANR8419E DEFINE PATH: The drive or element conflicts with an existing drive in library LTOLIB_I6K_01.
ANS8001I Return code 15.

There isn´t any other drive with the same Element Address or Serial Number...

Anyone has some idea?
Thanks!
Thiago

 

[ILCattivo]

From my experience, when I've come across this before (element conflicts), I tend to start from scratch right up to the library level. Saves you a lot of time and grief in the long run!

Delete all the path, drive and lib configs as though you're setting up the lib again from scratch, but this time try using 'autodetect=yes' when defining the paths as I noticed you had it as 'no' before...

I've found this sort of conflict occurs when FC cables have changed or been swapped over between lib drive mech's and the back of the server.

 

[RecoveryOne]

Every time I've modified a logical library, I've had some luck with this process:
Modify your logical library.
if AIX run cfgmgr - make sure everything comes in OK. Other systems consult your documentation.
run audit libr <libname> checkl=barcode refresh=yes

I found that refresh=yes fixes a few element conflicts. From the help of audit lib:

Specifies whether the server's information about a library, which is
normally obtained during initialization, is refreshed, so that any
changes in configuration are reflected.

Otherwise, what ILCattivo posted is what you'll need to do.

 

[avv]

I just had the same problem. The solution requires multiple steps.

First be sure that library (media changer device) returns correct number of drives:
mtx -f /dev/... status
If not - run inventory on library partition.
Just adding drives to partition was NOT enough in my case (quantum i6000) !

Delete all paths to drives in TSM.
It is NOT necessary to delete path to library.
Delete all drives.
Ensure that reclamation/migration/... would not start after server restart.
Restart TSM server.
Check if correct number of drives is reported in TSM:
show slots libr-name
Re-create all drives and paths with all-auto:
def dr QI6_LL0_LTO6 LTO6_01_01 SERial=AUTODetect ONLine=Yes ELEMent=AUTODetect
DEFINE PATH TSM-SERWER-B-WR LTO6_01_01 SRCType=SERVer autodetect=yes DESTType=DRive LIBRary=QI6_LL0_LTO6 DEVIce=/dev/LTO6_01_01

Run audit libr just in case,
re-checkin missing tapes (if necessary).

The reason for problems in my case is moronic design of TSM:
Element addresses are assigned from first to last (in my case from 256 to 261).
At first I had 2 drives, named dr5 and dr6, elements 256 and 257. (the reason for names like this is that my naming convention in TSM matches names in physical library).
I added 4 drives with names dr1-dr4. That would sort them BY NAME as first four !
Therefore TSM would want to assign first four element numbers, from which first two were already used!