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Amaan's avatar
Amaan
Level 6
13 years ago

Tape drive cleaning

Hi,

I need help for another issue (actually may ot be issue). We have lto5 tape drives (iscalar6000 tape library). drives are realy busy. Issue is with cleaning. we are running cleaning from NetBackup, but it is asking to clean it again after 1 day, 2 days, week. I dont think that it should be so frequently. What can be reason for this?

Please find screenshot of the device monitor:

Thanks in advance!

7.1.x and Earlier
Backup and Recovery
Basics
NetBackup
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    13 years ago

    Amaan,

     

    It is the drive itself that is requesting cleaning - via a Tapealert.

    The reason would have to be determined by your hardware vendor - it is their tapedrive, and their tapealert, not NetBackups.

    Reasons that are  common,

    Drives are wearing out, producing many errors (you won;t see these errors) which are detected by the firmware and therefore it requests cleaning.

    Old media, that is leaving a lot of debris (oxcide off the tape) in the drive

    Firmware issue

    Drives are simply used a lot, and cleaning is required

    It is impossible to find a reason in Netbackup.  All we do, is clean the drives, when told to via the Tapealert sent directly from the firmware of the drive.

    Martin

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  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Not sure why, it shouldn't make a difference.

    I agree that it is more simple to let the library do the cleaning, simply because there uis less config involved to set up, but from the technical view point it makes no difference at all.

    1.  The drive needs cleaning and send out a tape alert.

    2.  Depending on who does the cleaning, this tapealert is detected by either the library, or, NetBackup and the cleaning tape is loaded.

    3.  The tapealert is then cleared.

    So, just because NetBackup may be doing the cleaning, it does not change how often theh drive needs cleaning. 

    How the cleaning is dset up defines  WHO loads the tape, not when the tape is loaded, providing of course, frequency based cleaning is not being used (which is NOT recommened ).

    The answer to this post is very simple.

    If the drives are being overcleaned, or, you are concerned about how often they are being cleaned, speak with the hardware vendor, as it is the firmware of the tape deives that are sending out the cleaning request.

    NetBackup has no control over when the drives need cleaning (again, providing frequency based cleaning is NOT being used).

    The solution will be either ...

    Faulty drive / hardware issue

    Drive is worn out (this can cause 'false' cleaning requests).

    Firmware issue

    Cleaning frequency is perfently normal as drives are used often

    Martin

  • Yasuhisa_Ishika's avatar
    Yasuhisa_Ishika
    Level 6
    13 years ago
    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/could-not-write-tape-mark-begin-new-image Cleaning is really requested by TapeAlert so often. This is not matter of Cleaning Frequency setting. CERTANCE Ultrium 2 - I suspect that you have used this several years, and tape drives or tapes or both have been worn out.
  • Amaan's avatar
    Amaan
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Tape drives which are mentioned here and in the other thread are all new. they have been used just 3-5 months.

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Even more reason to log a support call with your hardware vendor... it could be a firmware problem.