Forgive me for the length of this, but I wanted to supply all the needed information.
We’re running Backup Exec 12.5 Rev 2213with all the appropriate agents.
This is on a Windows 2003 sp2 system (32 bit)
The server is an HP ProLiant DL 360G6
The library is a HP MSL2024 SAS 920 library with 2 drives and 30 tape capacity, using LTO3 tapes.
Driver for the library is 1.8.0.0 using the backup exec library driver tool.
Driver for the HBA is 1.28.2.1
When we first got the library back in Sept, we were running on an older DL360G4, on which we had Backup Exec 12.0. The HBA was a HP SC44Ge. After installation, we were fine unless we tried to run two backup jobs at the same time. After the second job would start, load the tape, and begin writing data the first job would immediately stop writing data to the tape, and eventually time out with an unkown failure. Event logs would report events 11 and 127 LSI_SAS saying “The driver detected a controller error on \Device\RaidPort1”
We did a lot of troubleshooting, including updating firmware and drivers, disabling the HP Insight tools, the registry fix for the Storport driver, to name a few. Eventually the HP tech we were working with told us that the DL360 wasn’t in the compatibility matrix with the library we got. This was obviously annoying, but since our old library (an Overland Neo 2000 series) was still functional, I decided to get by using that. We could run two jobs at once with it with no problems, and as my budget was short for a new server we pressed on.
Eventually, we got a new server ordered that complied with the compatibility matrix (the DL360G6) and installed a fresh install of the 12.5 software. Much to my annoyance, we had the same problem. I called HP once again, and ran through all the same steps we did before, updating drivers and firmware, disabling HP Insight tools, registry fix, etc. After all that, he told me the HBA (the same model SC44Ge as previous server) was compatible with the server, but not with the library and recommended a different model, SC08Ge. This also required a different cable which I ordered as well once I saw the cable for the SC44Ge wouldn’t fit. We got that installed, device manager was happy, I ran two backup jobs and basically have the same problem. The only difference now is the first job keeps going, while the second job times out after a while with the same errors and takes the drive off-line.
Any suggestions that anyone would have would be appreciated. I’m running our backups on this server now with the new library as the Overland finally started having issues after 5 years of faithful service. As long as I time out my backup jobs so that 2 don’t run at once I’m fine, but it would be more convenient to be able to have that ability (not to mention that’s what we paid for). I know the HP techs will eventually get around to blaming Backup Exec again (they tried that with the old server too, but lost that argument when I told them the Overland worked fine). I just want to ensure that I cover everything before I start pitching a fit over their hardware again.