[Veritas-bu] semaphore timeout errors

I have been getting errors when running tape duplications (using BPVault
3.4). I don't think it is a fault of BPVault, but rather a NetBackup
problem.

We're running NBU 3.4 DataCentre on NT4 servers (SP6a). We're backing up
to STK 9840 drives via a switched SAN.


The BPTM log from the Media Server that has had the failure shows the
following:

08:56:38 [257.75] <2> io_write_back_header: drive index 6,
Kwdmsx12_0991807062, file num = 38, mpx_headers = 2
08:56:38 [257.75] <2> io_write_back_header: drive index 6,
Kwdmsx15_0991807064, file num = 38, mpx_headers = 1
08:56:38 [257.75] <2> write_data: completed writing backup header, start
writing data when first buffer is available
08:56:38 [257.75] <2> write_data: received first buffer (65536 bytes), begin
writing data
08:57:27 [100.266] <2> mpx_read_data: ReadFile returned FALSE, The semaphore
timeout period has expired. (121);bytes = 0
08:57:27 [100.266] <2> send_brm_msg: MEDIA NOT READY
08:57:27 [100.266] <2> mpx_read_data: attempting read error recovery, err =
121
08:57:27 [100.266] <2> tape_error_rec: error recovery to block 158628
requested
08:57:27 [100.266] <2> tape_error_rec: attempting error recovery, delay 3
minutes before next attempt, tries left = 5
08:59:18 [276.76] <2> mpx_read_data: ReadFile returned FALSE, The semaphore
timeout period has expired. (121);bytes = 0
08:59:18 [257.75] <2> write_data: write of 65536 bytes indicated only 0
bytes were written, err = 121
08:59:18 [276.76] <2> send_brm_msg: MEDIA NOT READY
08:59:18 [276.76] <2> mpx_read_data: attempting read error recovery, err =
121
08:59:18 [276.76] <2> tape_error_rec: error recovery to block 518736
requested
08:59:18 [276.76] <2> tape_error_rec: attempting error recovery, delay 3
minutes before next attempt, tries left = 5
08:59:18 [257.75] <4> write_data: WriteFile failed with: The semaphore
timeout period has expired. (121); bytes written = 65536; size = 0
08:59:18 [257.75] <2> send_brm_msg: MEDIA NOT READY
08:59:18 [257.75] <2> write_data: attempting write error recovery, err = 121
08:59:18 [257.75] <2> tape_error_rec: error recovery to block 378905
requested
08:59:18 [257.75] <2> tape_error_rec: attempting error recovery, delay 3
minutes before next attempt, tries left = 5
09:00:27 [100.266] <2> tape_error_rec: absolute block position after error
is 158629
09:00:27 [100.266] <2> tape_error_rec: locating to absolute block number
158628 for error recovery



We are seeing either the semaphore timeout message or media write failed
(84) or socket write failed (24).

We're not seeing any errors on backups, only on duplications.


Any help would be appreciated


Andy Skates