Do we need to install the tape library drivers on the netbackup flex appliance to be able to discover it ?
They are connected back to back connectivity without SAN Switch. Flex appliance 5250 -> IBM TS4300 over FC Ports.
The tape library version is a IBM TS 4300.
HI nrlingam
Firstly scan FC ports on Flex Appliance from Flex Console. If it discover Tape Drives then you must map it to a media server instance on the Flex Appliance.
Finally, launch the Device Configuration Wizard from NetBackup Primary Server and configure Tape Drives as you used to do it over the years.
Alternatively, you can run following commands in sequence on Flex Media instance after mapping Discovered Tape Drives
"/usr/openv/volmgr/bin/scan -tape"
"/usr/openv/volmgr/bin/scan -changer"
/usr/openv/volmgr/bin/tpautoconf -r
/usr/openv/volmgr/bin/tpautoconf -a
Restart NetBackup Services
check for tape drives status. -- /usr/openv/volmgr/bin/tpconfig -d
to answer your question, No you do not need to install any drivers but you need to confirm the compatibility of your Tape auto-loader with the version of Net backup you are using.
simply confirm from Flex console that FC ports are showing up,then go to your instances>stop the media server you like to connect the auto-loader to it, and right click on it and manage(i hope its the right word) from there you can assign the FC ports to your media server),start your instance and use the wizard inside the net backup to recognize the tape loader,you can even use the manual steps which mentioned in the above post as well.
Good luck
both v10.0 (in Flex v3.3.x) and v10.3 (in Flex v4.0.x) of the NetBackup webui "application" (i.e. the cut-down NetBackup console) inside the "Primary Server" instance inside a Flex Appliance simply does not have the functionality to administer "tape" - so you must spin up a (java based) NetBackup Remote Administration Console somewhere... and that somewhere is sometimes easiest if you can acquire via your business procedures (or maybe you have the power to create for yourself) a Windows VM in your estate to host this "NetBackup Remote Administration Console".
if you really do want to check that your Media Server "instance" inside your Flex appliance really is seeing the robot and drives ok then as others have suggested:
putty/ssh on to Media Server "instance":
sudo su -
# search for all robots and tape drives...
scan -changer | grep "Device Name"
scan -tape | grep "Device Name"
# and if both are found then all good so far...
# and now compare what was seen above with what is known within NetBackup "configuration" as is already stored in the EMM...
tpautoconf -report_disc
# and if nothing at all is displayed/returned from that command then you are all configured in NetBackup
# and so if you need to administer "tape" related activities from NetBackup v10.0 in Flex v3.3.x upto NetBackup v10.3 in Flex v4.0.x - then either do it all from CLI... or deploy a NetBackup Remote Administration Console.
I'm not aware of any plans for Veritas to enhance the "application" of the Primary Server instance of NetBackup to include the same/similar library and drives and media management that we are used to in the NetBackup Remote Administration Console.
So, to revisit the original question:
no need to install any drivers - I found that both Flex Appliance v3.3.1 with NetBackup v10.0.0.1 and also Flex Appliance v4.0.1 with NetBackup v10.3.x.x were both able to see and detect and operate IBM TS4300 with FC based LTO9 (HH) tape drives just fine - and all commands worked just fine, for inventorying the library etc
