Dealing with "Unavailable" or "ReadOnly" volumes

[shanafin]

Hello,



I 'm looking for a way to deal with volumes that get marked as "ReadOnly" or "Unavailable" by the TSM servers. Any suggestions?



We've been using the "upd vol volume name access=readw" command. This makes me nervous that we're asking for trouble by possible giving readw access to faulty volumes.



Is there a better way? Maybe moving the data from the problem volumes to other volumes then marking the problematic volumes as destroyed and removing them from the system.



I'm not sure if I'm going down the right path or not and could use some advise.



Here's some info on one of the volumes:



tsm: TSM_AND>q vol A07977S f=d



Volume Name: A07977S

Storage Pool Name: TAPEPOOL

Device Class Name: SDLTTAPE

Estimated Capacity (MB): 341,160.9

Scaled Capacity Applied:

Pct Util: 33.7

Volume Status: Filling

Access: Read-Only

Pct. Reclaimable Space: 67.1

Scratch Volume?: Yes

In Error State?: Yes

Number of Writable Sides: 1

Number of Times Mounted: 16

Write Pass Number: 1

Approx. Date Last Written: 10/29/06 14:15:34

Approx. Date Last Read: 10/28/06 14:01:23

Date Became Pending:

Number of Write Errors: 1

Number of Read Errors: 0

Volume Location:

Volume is MVS Lanfree Capable : No

Last Update by (administrator):

Last Update Date/Time: 10/25/06 10:43:51



Thank You,

Steve

 

[PJ]

We've got an alarm going off whenever a volume becomes unavailable or readonly. Usually we can tell from the actlog whether this was due to a media problem or a drive problem or some other circumstance. If it was a faulty drive that set a series of volumes to such a state, we usually just run "upd vo * acc=readw whereacc=reado" or whatever. If the media itself seems to be the problem we usually try to move data and check out the volume or restore it (destroyed). The "bad" volumes go through a huge document shredder which scares the * out of you when you see it in action.



Cheers

PJ

 

[heada]

If you look at the details you provided, you'll see the lines:



In Error State?: Yes

Number of Write Errors: 1

Number of Read Errors: 0



This is why TSM has marked the volume as readonly. I would move the data off this volume and watch for it to go to readonly again. If it does, move the data off of it and remove the volume/destroy the volume.



As for unavailable, that normally happens when TSM asks for a volume and the library can't fulfill the mount request (not in the library inventory, etc) Check to make sure that it is still in the TSM library inventory and that it is physically still in the library. If it is, then update it to readwrite. If its not, correct the issue and then update the volume.



-Aaron

 

[shanafin]

Thnaks guys. This seems to be working. It will be a while since these steps weren't done reguraly so we now have a lot of volumes that nned to be researched and dealt with.



I'm going to put together a tape validation process as part of a regular tape/volume maintenance process. Does anyone currently do this? If so do you mind sharing what's being done? I'd like to have the opeations staff do the validation of new tapes as they check them in.



Thanks again,

Steve