Quantum DXi5500 and Backup Exec 12.5

[selyod]

Hello We have a virtual server with backup exec 12.5 installed. This connects to a Quantum DXi5500 with 8 Virtual Tape drives on. Periodically (and always in the midst of backups through the night) one or more tape drivers appears offline to Backup Exec 12.5 The server connects to the VTL using MS iSCSI initiator.

We routinely get backup jobs failed and marked as

"The job failed with the following error: An invalid command was sent to the storage device"

and in the backup report it states " The drive hardware is offline. Please confirm that the drive hardware is powered on and properly cabled. "

This is the first time I've posted on here so any advice would be very welcome (even if it's along the lines of 'You've posted this in the wrong place!"

Many thanks

Chris D.

[ZeRoC00L]

Are you running a lot of backups at the same time ?

It can be that the Quantum VTL is overloaded and Backup Exec cannot 'push' his data it may think the device is offline.

[teiva-boy]

Ditch the VTL, and write to a CIFS share.  It's cheaper for you (no LEO licenses are needed) and if your iSCSI device supports MPIO, you can tune the snot out of it to be just as fast as a VTL.

It also removes the requirement of VTL and SCSI issues.  It's funny how with VTL, you can still get SCSI resets and tapes stuck in a drive, or backup software asking for you to run a cleaning tape...  I shake my head in disapproval when I see this in job logs of various products.