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Re: [Networker] LTO tape drives on Linux
2008-09-30 14:14:10
Francis Swasey wrote:
I am using the QLogic drivers (on Red Hat EL/AS 4) downloaded from the
QLogic site that are appropriate for my QLogic cards. I'm using IBM
LTO4's in a Qualstar XLS library. Yes, I had to modify the stinit.def
file to include LTO4 and I have to modify the /etc/init.d/networker
script (or write one of my own that runs ahead of it) so the stinit
command is run before networker starts controlling the drive.
Wouldn't putting something like:
post-install st /sbin/stinit
in the /etc/modules.conf file solve that problem? Assuming you have a
'/etc/stinit.def' file in place, I would think it would run stinit
against it before NW is started. That's how we do it, anyway. I have
that line listed last in modules.conf with no special entries in the NW
startup script itself. Also, the startup numbers for the NW scripts were
kept as installed:
./rc.d/rc2.d/S95networker
./rc.d/rc3.d/S95networker
./rc.d/rc4.d/S95networker
./rc.d/rc5.d/S95networker
When I look at the system log, following a reboot of the Linux snode
server (it has the attached library), I can see messages for things
like: Default block size set to 0 bytes, Density defaults, Compression
default, etc. being reported for each tape device. The /etc/stinit.def
file is the only place where these are defined, and they match exactly
with what the system log reports. All of that is reported before
entering run level 3, after which the Legato message:
Starting networker: succeeded
is reported. I assume that NW is being started well after the entries in
stinit.def are reported. I have heard of people running fine with no
stinit.def file, and without having some environment variable declaring
the block size, but seems to me that without explicitly declaring a
block size of 0, mischief could occur? How else would NetWorker know to
set it to 0? Seems the stinit.def file is the logical place?
George
Because I don't use a fibre switch, but rather connect port to tape
drive, persistent binding doesn't do me any good. It is the port
scanning order that matters (one LUN per port). If I used a fibre
switch so the multiple tape drives were on a single HBA port, then I'd
use persistent binding and have to go through hoops when replacing a
tape drive for whatever reason.
Frank
On 9/4/08 12:46 PM, Davina Treiber wrote:
This is a question to those of you using Linux machines as a server or
storage node.
What is the best choice of driver to use when connecting IBM LTO tape
drives to a Linux server? Is it best to install the IBMtape drivers,
or stick with the native st drivers.
How well does persistent binding/naming work with the Linux version of
the IBMtape driver?
If using the native st driver, is it necessary to customise
stinit.def? Does it in fact run stinit at the right time?
What are your experiences with LTO tapes on Linux?
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--
George Sinclair
NOAA/NESDIS/National Oceanographic Data Center
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