I have mentioned in previous posts that we are putting up 2-new RH Linux
based TSM server . These are the first of my existing 5-Linux servers to
use EMC SAN storage.

With every new adventure, we get new problems.  This one is driving
everyone crazy and hope someone out there can point us in the right
direction.

We have seen posts in ADSM-L that sorta talk about it, but nothing that
explains what is going on with us or how to resolve it.

Both new servers have been configured identically when it comes to the OS
(RedHat Linux 5.5  kernel 2.6.18-194.11.3.el5) software and other hardware
supporting software (EMC Powerpath and IBM lin_tape drivers - 1.41.1 for
the TS1120/1130 drives)

The problem is this.

Every time we reboot one of the new servers,  the values in
/proc/scsi/IBMtape is different in the assignment of /dev numbers to the
drives.  It seems to find the tape drives in a different order each time.
None of my 5-production nor the other new TSM server have this problem (I
have rebooted the 2nd new server 4-times and the /dev/IBMtape? values stay
the same).

When looking through the "fixlist" for lin_tape (usually
engineering-speak), we saw this interesting entry at the 1.37 level:

Removed persistent naming script in favor of new method


Questions come to mind about things like "what naming script"......."what
new method" ....   "could this possibly be related to what we are
experiencing"?

We have spent all day trying to figure this wrinkle out.  Any suggestions
are greatly appreciated.
Zoltan Forray
TSM Software & Hardware Administrator
Virginia Commonwealth University
UCC/Office of Technology Services
zforray AT vcu DOT edu - 804-828-4807
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