The saga continues so here's the update.
After much machination we cabled the drives directly to SCSI rather than the
through the SAN Data Gateway and voila, we were able to label and write to
and read from tapes. So apparently we have some compatibility issue between
the driver and the drives, perhaps in the gateway. There have been some
documented gothchas with firmware levels, but that doesn't look like our
problem. Tomorrow we shorten the SCSI cables from 25m to something much
shorter and cross our fingers.
Await further updates. I'll make the damn thing work. The only question is
how long will it take.
Thanks,
Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
Petr Pxerost
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 4:02 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: IBM 35xx Libraries, Windows 2000 and TSM - Observations
Hi Kelly ,
from LTO documentation :
The bar code format is:
. Quiet zones (at each end of the bar code)
. A start character (indicating the beginning of the label)
. A six-character volume label
. A two-character cartridge media-type identifier (L1), which identifies the
cartridge as an LTO cartridge ('L') and indicates that the cartridge is the
first generation of its type ('1')
. A stop character (indicating the end of the label)
When read by the library's bar code reader, the bar code identifies the
cartridge's volume label to the tape library. The bar code volume label also
indicates to the library whether the cartridge is a data, cleaning, or
diagnostic
cartridge.
Regards
Petr
----- Pyvodnm zprava -----
Od: Kelly Lipp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Komu: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Odeslano: 17. ledna 2001 5:28
Pxedmlt: Re: IBM 35xx Libraries, Windows 2000 and TSM - Observations
> Excellent! Let the tape boys so the drive drivers, but let you TSM guys
do
> the library. Leaving it to Microsoft is a real bad idea!
>
> While we're on this topic:
>
> I'm having trouble getting tapes to label properly in a 3584. The
barcodes
> on the tapes (provided with the IBM tapes) have eight characters. label
> libvol appears to label them correctly, but when attempts are made to use
> the tapes we're getting an I/O error reading the labels. Are we limited
to
> six characters? If so, why do the LTO specified labels have eight
> characters (six useful ones with the last two being L1)? Any ideas how to
> work around this short of using a magic marker to wipe out the L1?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Kelly
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> Mike Collins
> Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 10:52 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: IBM 35xx Libraries, Windows 2000 and TSM - Observations
>
>
> Hi Kelly,
>
> Here's some information regarding your recent post.
>
> TSM recognizes that there are some short comings with RSM and will be
> providing the ability to define 3581, 3583 and 3584 libraries as type
> SCSI in the near future. This will be accomplished with updates to
> ADSMSCSI to control the medium-changer in the 3581, 3583 and 3584
> libraries. This work is currently in test and will be released as a
PTF
> when it completes the test process. The README will document how to
> migrate from an RSM environment to a SCSI environment. TSM will
> continue to support the definition of the library as type RSM for those
> customers who wish to utilize RSM.
>
> With the introduction of the SSD LTO technology, TSM has changed how it
> supports SSD tape devices and uses the SSD device driver to control the
> LTO drives on the NT platforms. Now SSD LTO customers can easily
> download microcode updates and perform other serviceability functions.
> Whether RSM or ADSMSCSI controls the medium-changer in the library, the
> SSD device driver will control the LTO drives.
>
>
> Kelly J. Lipp writes:
> > Gang,
> >
> > Well, with any luck this will rile up the works!
> >
> > This is whacked.
> >
> > The use of TSM Libraries through RSM will cause you to seriously
rethink
> the
> > way you manipulate media. As there is no longer checkin/checkout/label
> > libvol, those operational procedures must be changed. You must use RSM
> to
> > perform these steps. Checking in tapes appears to require the opening
> of
> > the library and the insertion of a tape into the library rather than
> using
> > the Bulk Port. Opening a library that has a bulk port would seem
silly.
> >
> > Overall this strategy appears flawed in its initial release.
> >
> > I would not recommend to anyone that they try to run this
configuration.
> > >From our days worth of fooling with it the learning curve is too
steep.
> > Tape manipulation is already complicated enough within TSM and this
> makes it
> > more so.
> >
> > Our recommendation essentially suggests that the purchase of IBM 35xx
> > libraries for use with TSM on Windows 2000 is a mistake. I can't
> imagine
> > that anyone within IBM or Tivoli wants this. From all appearances
these
> > libraries seem to be very nice units indeed. Not with TSM and Windows
> 2000
> > though. That's a conundrum.
> >
> > What we need to know from Tivoli is the following:
> >
> > 1. Is the use of RSM on Windows 2000 an interim step leading to the use
> of
> > ADSMSCSI, or is this the way it's going to be?
> >
> > 2. Will other libraries receive the same treatment? I.e., is this the
> wave
> > of the future?
> >
> > 3. Has anyone within Tivoli tested this stuff and is there some
> > documentation which might simplify this? I've seen list entries as far
> back
> > as October. I haven't seen anyone from Tivoli weigh in on this. I'm
> sure
> > some guys in Tucson or San Jose have fooled with this. How about
giving
> us
> > some guidance?
> >
> > In the meantime if any of you are considering going down this path,
> STOP. I
> > don't think you're going to like where it takes you.
> >
> > Kelly J. Lipp
> > Storage Solutions Specialists, Inc.
> > PO Box 51313
> > Colorado Springs CO 80949-1313
> > (719) 531-5926
> > Fax: (240) 539-7175
> > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > www.storsol.com
> > www.storserver.com
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Mike Collins
> Tivoli Storage Manager Development
> E Mike Collins/Tivoli Systems or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
