Networker

Re: [Networker] Creating fake \\.\TapeX devices in Wintel

2009-12-11 17:17:14
Subject: Re: [Networker] Creating fake \\.\TapeX devices in Wintel
From: "Reed, Ted G [IT]" <Ted.Reed AT SPRINT DOT COM>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:14:26 -0600
Yup...the direct interrogation of the Dell appears to be why it reports 4 
devices.
Unfortunately,
1)  No money, no service contract, no onsite support staff
2)  No onsite support staff, no idea if there are any 'blanking sleds' 
available.  However, using some form of scsi termination might be a viable 
option via standard terminator cap.  I'll look into that one...and use the 
desktop support guys on site.  *shudder*
3)  Won't this fix still require me to have 4 \\.\TapeX devices in Windows?  
And as such, still have the need to spoof additional devices?  And there is 
still the onsite support issue....the staff there are responsive to my 
requests; but power-cycling devices may approach the limits of their technical 
expertise.  Just like #2.

However, the ideas you've presented are better than the spiral of failure I've 
been on thus far.  Between these notions and the regedit/plug-n-play concepts 
suggested by Matthew Huff, I actually have something new to try next week.  
Thank you all.
--Ted



-----Original Message-----
From: Howie Jock [mailto:Jock.Howie AT nzpost.co DOT nz]
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 4:03 PM
To: EMC NetWorker discussion; Reed, Ted G [IT]
Subject: RE: [Networker] Creating fake \\.\TapeX devices in Wintel

Ted

I don't think your problems are with the OS, so fake Wintel devices
won't do it for you. jbconfig is interrogating your Dell directly.

Here are your options as I see them (and I assume thee are reasons why
the first two aren't immediately possible) :

* Replace the faulty drives asap
* Pull the faulty drives out and replace them with the blanking sleds
that I expect came with your Dell136T, or otherwise complete the SCSI
chain termination
* Pull the faulty drives and reorder your drives so that the two good
ones come up as elements 254 & 255, and the faulty ones as 256 & 257.
This lets jbconfig include the faulty units but you can then disable
them in Networker and carry on. I ran an IBM3583 with a couple of dead
drives OK like this for its last six months, saved repairing an
end-of-life unit in these cash-strapped times ...

Regards

Jock Howie

-----Original Message-----
From: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU] On
Behalf Of Reed, Ted G [IT]
Sent: Saturday, 12 December 2009 10:46 a.m.
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: [Networker] Creating fake \\.\TapeX devices in Wintel

I have a Windows 2000 server instance providing Networker 7.2.1 master
service, attached to a Dell136T with LTO1 drives.  However, the last
powercycle of the Dell came up with only 2 of the 4 drives online.  The
other 2 report hard errors on the library console/LCD.  Thing is, I can
survive just fine on two drives....the environment has been shrinking.
But the Wintel + Dell reboot also re-ordered the drives, so I can't
simply down the 2 broken and leave the other 2 online...I have to
rebuild the jukebox.

This is where my problem comes in.  JBCONFIG of autodetected SCSI of the
136T tries to force me to enter values for elements 254, 255, 256, and
257.  And only 256/257 are working devices.  No matter what I try,
jbconfig will only accept \\.\Tape0 and \\.\Tape1 (discovered)...and I
can't repeat them then disable either.  But what about the other 2
elements?  Can I create a spoof or fake \\.\Tape2 and \\.\Tape3 so that
I can put the broken drive elements as the spoofed values, and the
working drive elements with their proper discovered device path?

Any other ideas are welcome....I had not anticipated being forced to
enter 4 different \\.\TapeX values when I only have 2 recognized by the
OS.  Thanks.
--Ted


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