[TS3200] Adding additional tapes.

[Griminal]

Hello all. This is my first post because I'm at my wits end. I've poured over all the posts that I think may pertain to my issue but my shear lack of knowledge leaves me overwhelmed.

We recently installed a TS3200. We had a consultant come in to take care of the initial setup and install. My company elected to not have us trained in more advanced usage of the device on the grounds that if something came up, a simple phone call to the consultant would support us. Low and behold the consulting firm lost their TSM guru and I'm in high water.

There were eight tapes initially configured by the consultant. We bought another ten that I want introduce to the system. I put the tapes in the magazines, I had the TS3200 perform an inventory, and I think I got the machine to write the labels to the tapes.

When I do a q vol, they don't show up.

I'm so green; I don't even know how to proceed at this point. Would you folks be willing to help me out? I'm eager to learn...

 

[Harry_Redl]

Hi,

when you put tapes in the library, TSM does not know them
you have to do two things:
a) label them (label libvol)
b) check them in (checkin libvol)

it can be combined into one command (label libvol ...... checkin=<status>)
there is a slight difference whether the tapes are already "inside" the library or in mailslot (I/O station)

so, for example:
label libvol TS3200_name search=yes labelsource=barcode checkin=scratch
(this is when tapes are "inside")
or
label libvol TS3200_name search=bulk labels=barcode checkin=scratch
q request (returns request number)
reply <request_number>

Now you have tapes visible to TSM as Scratch tapes (usable for any process asking for them)
look for "q libvol" command - shows all tapes in library(ies) known to TSM

Now if you have your storage pool in need of free tape AND the storage pool is allowed to use scratch tapes (see "q stg <stgpool_name> f=d" for "maximum scratch allowed"), then one of the new scratch tapes is assigned to that pool ...

See Admin Guide - it really helps

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v1r1/index.jsp


Harry

 

[icewalker]

The new tapes are scratch tapes. They won't show up under a

> q vol

That doesn't mean that TSM won't use them. If you have the ISC installed, you can see the number of scratch volumes inserted under the "Storage Devices" option/tab.

Of you can run the following SQL statement in the admin console. This will give you the number of scratch tapes in each registered library.

select count(volume_name) as Scratch_Volumes,Library_Name from libvolumes where status='Scratch' group by library_name


Good Luck

 

[Griminal]

**** Update ****

I removed the "sticky" media and the labeling is going forward.

Thanks again!

**************

Thanks for both of your replies. I'm having bigger issues now.

I followed Harry's instructions and everything was working great. I was 2 tapes labeled and counting when a "Mechanical Block" error popped up on the web GUI. I've been struggling with that for the last few hours. This summer we had a chassis swap because of robotic failures. I read on IBM's site that a firmware upgrade corrects this but we were already at 3.70 level that they were suggesting.

My resolution... I'm guessing, is to upgrade the firmware from 3.70 -> 4.40. (Unless some kind sole can shed some light on my issue.) Of course I have no clue on how to do it and IBM's manuals are not very intuitive or easy to understand.

When I go into the web GUI to perform a firmware upgrade, it instructs me that the device needs to be offline... whatever that means. Via windows, via the console. Either way, overwhelming and a nasty feeling that my backups aren't going to happen tonight.

I trudge on...

 

[max]

hi,

ok ... first thing, do not panic !

1) "Mechanical Block" may well be a trivial issue: just pull out the magazines and remove the block which is probably caused by a tape not well inserted. Close the magazines, clear the library logs, reboot library and the orange mark will disappear.

2) My advice is to do that update to 4.40, but you must upgrade drives before. The procedure is documented at the following link
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docvie...0&uid=ssg1S4000502&loc=en_US&cs=utf-8&lang=en

3) Read tsm manuals, as many as you can, because you will cope with other problems

hope this helps
max

 

[nezih]

mechanical block is the main feature of ts3200
I've already seen this 22 different ts3200 libraries... and also I hate that ts3200...

 

[Griminal]

Thanks for the replies. I had to re-seat two tapes in order to get all of them labeled. Thanks for the link on the firmware. I've downloaded it. I'll attempt an upgrade at some point.

We're back in business. Thanks!! I'll go back to my hole and troll the forums for info again.