ADSM-L

Fun with 5.2GB optical drives - not!

1998-12-30 22:23:54
Subject: Fun with 5.2GB optical drives - not!
From: Lester Buck <buck AT CLEARLAKE.IBM DOT COM>
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 21:23:54 -0600
For a year and a half, we have been successfully using 3995-C64 and
3995-C68 jukeboxes, with the original 2.6GB, 1024 bytes per sector
rewritable optical disk cartridges.  This is on AIX 4.2.1.

Lately we received a new "enhanced" 3995-C64 with the new double
capacity drives.  When the existing ADSM software tried to "mkdev" the
optical drives, it was failing with error messages about "unknown drive
type".  So I grabbed the latest ADSM fixes I could find on the web and
upgraded to the following levels:

  adsm.api.client.aix42     3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - Application
  adsm.client.aix42.admin   3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - Administrative
  adsm.client.aix42.base    3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - Backup/Archive
  adsm.client.aix42.common  3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - Common Files
  adsm.client.aix42.hsm     3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - Hierarchical
  adsm.devices.rte           3.1.2.1    C    ADSM Device Support runtime
  adsm.license.rte           3.1.1.0    C    ADSM Server License Registration
  adsm.server.gif            3.1.1.1    C    ADSM Server Web Administrator
  adsm.server.rte            3.1.2.1    C    ADSM Server Runtime
  adsm.server.util           3.1.2.1    C    ADSM Server Utilities
  adsm.web.client.aix42     3.1.20.3    C    ADSM Client - WebClient

This configuration was able to "mkdev" the new optical devices
(/dev/ropX) without problems.

Things moved along again until it came time to "dsmformat" the disks in
the library.  Whatever I do, I cannot successfully write to these new
drives.  I have some support calls in, but the ADSM people say it
sounds like an AIX driver problem, and the AIX driver people say it
sounds like an ADSM problem.  They are both looking into their
respective sides.  Since ADSM substitutes its own device drivers under
AIX, ADSM support is sort of stuck solving driver problems, too.

I can't even run AIX diagnostics on these drives.  Diagnostics always
complains that it does not recognize the media in the drive.  The media
are brand new, shrink wrapped IBM rewritable optical disk cartridges,
2048 Bytes/Sector Double Sided, 5.2GB/Disk, P/N 59H4786.  I grabbed the
latest versions of the scdisk device driver (which runs the optical
disks as omdX devices, built into AIX 4.2.1) and the latest versions I
could find for the "diag" software, but still no luck running
diagnostics.

The basic drive works just fine, because the jukebox has built in
diagnostics and it is very happy when given the CE cartridge.  The SCSI
bus works fine because the jukebox changer device works, and I can read
from the brand new optical media.  I just can't write anything.

The system has two 3995-C64s on separate SCSI buses, one with old
drives (working just fine) and one with new drives (drives not
working).

Does anyone have experience with these new double density 5.2GB optical
drives under AIX?  I would certainly appreciate any tips you could
share.

Thanks alot!

Lester
--
A. Lester Buck
A. Lester Buck
DIN-PACS Integration and Test
IBM Global Government Industry, Houston
buck AT clearlake.ibm DOT com
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