Backup Exec 2010 tape operations fail

[MichaelAW]

New installation software and hardware. Backup Exec inventory/erase fails with Incorrect function. Cannot run backup job to tape as no media available.

Any help appreciated. The details are:

Tape library is a Dell PowerVault 124T with two magazines and a barcode reader.
This is attached via a Dell SAS 5/E adaptor in a Dell PowerEdge R710 virtual host (A1-VHD) running ESX 4.
The backup server (A1-BKA) is a Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 virtual machine on this host.

Sequence as follows:

1. Load new blank tape through mailslot into Slot 2 through library front panel
2. In BE Scan the slot – tape shows as <unknown media>
3. Try Inventory of Library – changer moves tape in slot 2 to drive (seen from tape GUI) and Inventory continues then end with Incorrect Function error referring to slot 2
4. Try erase of tape in slot 2 – changer moves tape in slot 2 to drive and Erase continues then end with Incorrect Function error referring to slot 2
5. Tape is now in drive (seen from tape GUI) – if I Inventory Library now then it completes OK but cannot see the tape in the drive in BE
6. In BE Initialize Library – blank media now appears in drive (showing as Scratch Media)
7. In BE drive now shows as busy (library shows busy intermittently), from tape GUI drive shows Loading | Unloading | Idle in continuous cycle
8. If I try a backup job, job status is Ready; No idle devices available (presumably because the device is busy)
9. Then try Import with Auto-inventory into slot 3, wait for prompt, then go and load tape through the mailslot into Slot 3
10. BE job monitor shows Import job with current operation Inventory, and the tape in Slot 2 has been moved to the drive – tape GUI shows Loading | Unloading | Idle in continuous cycle

The virtual backup server has the SCSI devices installed in accordance with the VMware KB:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1016407&sl...

The Dell SAS 5/E adaptor is identified as vmhba2 in vCenter (Host | Configuration | Storage Adaptors) with two devices:
IBM SAS Tape = vmhba2:C0:T0:L0
Dell SAS Medium Changer = vmhba2:C0:T0:L1

The devices are added to the virtual backup server in Virtual Machine Properties as:
Connection = Media Dell, Virtual Device Node = SCSI(1:0) SCSI Device 1
Connection = Tape IBM, Virtual Device Node = SCSI(1:1) SCSI Device 2
 
Windows device manager identifies the following:
Unknown Medium Changer – Bus 0, Target 0, LUN 0
IBM ULTRIUM-TD4 SCSI Sequential Device - Bus 0, Target 1, LUN 0

Other things to note:

1. I have tried with the autoloader barcode reader enabled and disabled. (we don’t have any barcode labels for the tapes at the moment).
2. I’ve reseated the SAS adaptor and checked the cable connections between the host and library.
3. I’ve run all the diagnostics from the tape GUI without any problem.
4. I’ve upgrade the library & drive firmware, and updated BE using Live Update, and reinstalled tape devices in BE.

[Mahesh_Roja]

Just try once

Go to Configuration

1. Uncheck "Ignore Barcode Media ID

2. Perform Power cycle

a) Turn of Tape Library

b) Turn of Windows Server

c) Turn on Tape Library and wait till it shows ready status. 

d) Turn on Windows Server

5. Run an Inventory job it will run without any error

[pkh]

2. Perform Power cycle

Of what???  Please do not just copy answers from some other discussion and put it down.

[Larry_Fine]

Sorry, I believe this configuration is unsupported.

From the VMware KB:

As of vSphere 4.0, ESX only supports connectivity to parallel SCSI tape libraries.

[John_Machin]

With a Dell R710 and a 124T autoloader. Hope someone has an answer ;-(

[Larry_Fine]

If it isn't parallel SCSI interface, it is unsupported.