Unable to run a Clean 'Drive Task' - option greyed out

[Scott_Dunbar]

HI All,

Hoping this is a simple one. I have a Dell PV128T on a 2003 server with backup 10d. In the help it says:

=============
Setting Up Cleaning Jobs
You can submit once-only cleaning jobs, or set up scheduled cleaning jobs.

Before submitting a cleaning job, you must define a cleaning slot that contains the cleaning tape.

To define a cleaning slot

On the navigation bar, click Devices.
Click Robotic Libraries, and then click the drive or robotic library for which you are setting up the cleaning.
Click Slots to display the library's slots in the right pane.
Select the slot that contains the cleaning tape.
Under Device Tasks in the task bar, select Clean.
Make sure that the cleaning tape is located in the slot that you defined as the cleaning slot. After defining the cleaning slot, you can set up a cleaning job for the robotic library drive.

To set up a cleaning job

On the navigation bar, click Devices.
Click Robotic Libraries, and then click the drive or robotic library containing the drive, and then select the drive.
Under Device Tasks in the task pane, select Clean.
Select the appropriate options as follows: ..... blah blah
=============

However.... when I select a slot the clean option is greyed out. Its only availbile when a drive is selected. When I do select the clean option for the drive it takes the correct tape as I have selected the 'Cleaning Slot' option in the slot properties. However I cant setup a job in this way.

Whats the best way to ensure that drives are being cleaned?
How often should a drive be cleaned?
Should I really follow the recommendation of only mounting a cleaning tape a max of 20 times?

Thanks in advance.

[Shraddha_Dhaval]

Hello,


1) ensure whether drives are being cleaned

Go to properties of that drive and click on cleaning, you will see the Hours since last cleaning is done.


2) Refer to the technote below:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/231451

3) How to determine if a cleaning tape has exceeded its maximum number of cleanings:


Solution: If the cleaning tape has exceeded its maximum number of cleanings, the system logs will show a message similar to the following (depending upon the daemon type): "Automatic cleaning of TS8(1) drive index 0 failed because there is no cleaning tape or the cleaning tape is used up"

A similar message will also appear if drive cleaning is attempted via the device manager GUI.



Hope this will help you.


Thanks.

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[Scott_Dunbar]

Thank you but I dont believe you have looked at my questions.

Why does help give me instructions on seting a cleaning slot that I can not follow? I have cleaning tapes that have not exceeded the maximum number of mounts.
and...

Whats the best way to ensure that drives are being cleaned?
How often should a drive be cleaned?

Thank you.

[Deepali_Badave]

Hello,

Is it a robotic library or standalone drive?

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[Scott_Dunbar]

Is anyone able to advise? I appreciate these maybe 'newb' questions.

How often should drives be cleaned?
Should I schedule cleaning jobs based on the answer to Q above?

[Ashutosh_Tamhan]

Have you installed the Veritas drivers if the device is listed on our hardware compatibility list?



Regards,
Ashutosh

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked assumed answered and would be moved to answered questions pool.

[Scott_Dunbar]

Dont mean to sound rude but honestly are you ignoring what I am asking?!

What do drives have to do with sheduling a cleaning job?

So to reiterate please... how often should drives be cleaned?
Do I set a job daily/weekly/monthly??

[Shraddha_Dhaval]

Hi,

You should clean the twice or thrice in a week.

Please refer to your hardware manufacture guide.


Thanks.