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BackupExec 2010 dropping tape drive offline

Alistairc
Level 3
Hi,
This is a new topic to re-open the issue discussed here:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/tape-drive-goes-offline-second-backup

J
ust to recap on the issue itself:



Running BE2010 Trial on Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.  Hardware is Dell R710 rack server, connected to a HP Ultrium 1760 LTO4 SAS drive via a Dell PERC 6/E SAS Adaptor card.

This is what’s happening:

  1. Setup and run a backup job with full verify.  I’ve tested up to a 250GB job and it completes fine the first time around.
  2. After completion of first job, rerun the same backup job (after tweaking the media overwrite/append etc settings)
  3. The job immediately fails, reporting the drive as offline – cannot bring drive back online using BackupExec administrator
  4. Close BackupExec administrator, restart BackupExec Device/Media service (which also restarts associated service dependencies).
  5. Re-open BackupExec administrator - drive appears to be online again, ready for another job to be kicked off.

 
I’ve completely replaced:

  • Numerous LTO tapes
  • The Dell SAS adaptor that connects the Dell server to the HP rack chassis
  • The HP Rack chassis that houses the 1U internal HP LTO4 Ultrium 1760 SAS drive, SAS adaptor board and all
  • The internal HP LTO Ultrium 1760 drive itself

 
We’ve verified that all above component drivers and firmware are fully up to date.  This problem occurs with both Symantec Tape Drive drivers and HP's official LTO4 tape drivers,
 
To me, the following facts suggest that the problem lies with BackupExec itself:

  1. After the drive goes offline, a simple restart of the BackupExec services seems to bring it back online again
  2. If the drive goes offline, and I stop the BackupExec Device/Media service, I can still access the drive using HP LTT utility, and HP Data Protector Express – only BackupExec detects the drive as offline.
  3. We’ve replaced all possible hardware components and the problem still remains
  4. This problem only ever occurs with BE, I'm testing with HP Data Proctector Express and MS's Data Protection Manager - all work fine.

Luckily, I haven't bought a license for BackupExec yet, however this means I doubt Symantec Support will be willing to spend too much time on it, so I might be forced to go with MS's Data Protection Manager instead if I can't get a resolution soon.

Has anyone seen/resolved this issue before?


Alistair
40 REPLIES 40

pkh
Moderator
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@andy - perhaps you should start another discussion for your problem.  It will be less confusing as to who is answering who.

Matthew_Green
Level 2

Hi there.
We also have a client with the same problem. First backup works correctly then tape unit goes off line.  System spec is as follows

Dell R710 - Windows 2008 R2 Standard x64
PERC 6/E
IBM Ultrium-HH4 (Dell Powervault LTO4-120HH) (Firmware 97F1)
BE 2010

All software and hardware is patched to the latest level.  I have only taken over this issue from a collegue recently so have no done all the test but noticed this thread and thought it worth adding to it.

I am seeing an error in the adamm.log

08/17/10 19:32:11.979 DeviceIo: 03:00:00:00 - Device error 1117 on "\\.\Tape0", SCSI cmd a2, 1 total errors

which according to Wikipedia is SECURITY PROTOCOL IN
and also

08/13/10 23:00:15.594 DeviceIo: 03:00:00:00 - Device error 1117 on "\\.\Tape0", SCSI cmd b5, 8 total errors
which according to Wikipedia is SECURITY PROTOCOL OUT
In BE it reports the tape unit doesn't support encryption

Will keep investigating here.

CraigV
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Mmm...a RAID card would definitely not be supported, so Larry is spot on there. That would actually be found in the HP documentation around backups, and also in the QuickSpecs of the drive which would indicate which cards to use. That would be for an HP server.
Interesting that Matthew also has a problem with that model of Dell server!

Alistairc
Level 3
Interesting indeed!  Unfortunately I don't have another spare HBA to test with - can anyone recommend a cheap one?  I can't spent another £200 only for it not to work either.

I'm confused about a RAID card "definitely" not being supported though - it's acting as a SAS HBA and is dedicated to the tape drive alone - no disk volumes are connected at all and RAID is therefore not enabled; also I reiterate again that all other backup software suites are operating the drive fine, so what's it to Symantec that the card also happens to be a RAID controller, especially when RAID is not enabled?  We've used similiar tape drive setups with external SCSI RAID/HBA adaptors in the past and they've always been rock solid.

Matthew_Green
Level 2
The tape drive and server were bought as a bundel from Dell so I "assumed" that everything would work.  I have a call in with Dell to confirm this. My gut does say that it has something to do with the controller but the fact that a restart of BE services resolves the problem and not a restart of the server implies that it is some issue that BE has with this controller and not the controller and the tape unit. I am now going to make some (carefull) changes to the PERC controller to see if this resolves anything.

CraigV
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Might be time to open a support call with Symantec...if you do, and they help solve it, please post the solution and close off the topic.

Matthew_Green
Level 2
I have spoken to Dell and their response is as follows: Swap the Perc 6/E controller for a Perc 5/E controller and this should resolve the issue.  This will take a few days to organise so will update here if it resolves the issue.

AndyBNZ
Level 3
Reinstalling starwind (or the reboots) seems to have fixed this temporarily.  If it happens again I'll post a new thread.

cheers

Colin_Weaver
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General Advice is

1) Don't use a RAID card
2) If possible don't use an onboard chipset for the SCSI/SAS controller (we have seen some onboard LSI chipsets give problems - although not yet, to my knowledge, in Dell servers) - so try a stand alone, possbly Adpatec card instead

As lots of valid advice and troubleshooting has been provided in this thread already - would suggest that if you continue to see problems then log a formal support call so that the logs and environment can be fully analyzed.

Larry_Fine
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Why don't I get the solution mark?  I said it was unsupported almost a week ago.

CraigV
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Hi Alistair,

Larry did give the answer a couple of days ago...if the issue was with using a RAID card, he would get it.
Can you please reassign if so?

Thanks!

Alistairc
Level 3
Hi,
I didn't intentionally mark any of the responses as solutions, so I've cleared the flag.  I'm awaiting a SAS 6/E delivery from Dell, once this is in and tested to prove the problem is resolved (this should be in the next couple days) I'll mark the solution as appropriate.

Thanks,
Alistair

BrentN
Not applicable
Partner
I just experienced the same issue, drive was offline, had to restart device and media service to get it back online. Here's my config:

Dell R710 Server, latest firmware, drivers
HP 1760 SAS Tape Drive (external)
HP SC44Ge HBA (part of the smart array family but not a RAID controller - this is the card bundled with the smart buy for this drive)
HP Tapes
BE 2010 with all applicable updates
No AV client installed
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 x86, all current updates installed

** edit **
I also wanted to note that many of the HP Smart Array RAID controllers support the connection of a single tape drive, so you may want to check the facts on your Dell card. Granted, it's not exactly the best way to do it, but in some cases (at least with HP) it is supported.

pkh
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@BrentN - You should start a new discussion for your problem so that it can get the attention that it deserves.  You may refer to this discussion if you want to.

Larry_Fine
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Does the supported HBA resolve this thread?

Matthew_Green
Level 2

We fitted the Perc 5/E and we have have resolved the issue.

Alistairc
Level 3

Larry,

Apologies for the delay in my reply, I have been fully allocated to project work, and have literally just found time to install a Dell 6gbps SAS HBA board into the R710.

 

Ran a few tests, and pleased to say everything is now working as expected.  As an added bonus, I've seen the job rates rise up to 8,400MB/min (according to BE anyway).

 

Thanks for your assistance.

 

Regards,

Alistair

pkh
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Alistair,

You should mark one of Larry's reply as the solution and close out this discussion.

Alistairc
Level 3

phk,

As far as I can tell, Larry's comment has already been marked as a solution.

pkh
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I think I posted my comment just as you were marking it.  Never mind.