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connect an auto loader to two servers at the same time?

dori_bashan
Level 6

Hello

assuming i have an auto loader with 80 slots and 4xLTO7 drives, is it possible to cinnect two drives to server A and two drives to server B and partition the auto loader so each server will see a 40 slot auto loader with 2x LTO7 drives?

of course both server will run full version of Backup Exec (without agents).

i know i can use one server and install an agent on the second server, but we want to know if what i wrote above is possible.

Thanks!

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Larry_Fine
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CASO also adds the ability to share hardware and to share the BE catalogs which greatly simplifies restores.  But, if you don't want/need it, it is not required at all.  It could always be added later if things change.

You are correct about the workflow.

As far as the sharing... it is apparently hardware "magic".  The library queues up requests for one server/library if the other server/library is busy.  BE is not aware of the partitioniong/sharing.  Mounting or unmounting a tape is relatively quick, so the second request justs gets delayed slightly and BE tolerates it fine.  Each tape drive is not shared, so there is no contention there.

When you configure the partitioning within the 6480, it create two "logical" robotic arms.  One logical arm is assigned to the first tape drive in the first partion and one arm is assigned to the first tape drive in the second partiton.

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Larry_Fine
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Assuming that your tape library hardware supports that feature (most do), then Yes, you can.  And it generally works really well.  Using the BE CAS option may or may not suit your needs & deires.  You also need to be aware of tape drive licensing requirements.

Generally, you do not have to split the library evenly, so you could make a 1 drive logical library with 10 slots and a 3 drive logical library with 70 slots, if that suits your needs better.

You do need to be aware that if a backup was made on server A and library partition A, but then (for whatever reason) you want to restore using Server B, you will need to export the tape from partition A, then import it into partition B.  If you are using CAS with shared catalogs, then you can restore now.  If you are not using CAS with shared catalogs, then you will need to catalog the tape on Server Bbefore it can be restored.

Thanks for your replay.

we are talking about the HP MSL 6480 with 4x LTO7 drives.

as for now we have two servers running with Win Server 2012 R2, each  server is running BE 15, and each server got an MSL4048 with two LTO5 drives.

we want to replace both MSL4048, and to install one HP MSL6480 that will serve both servers.

i am not very fimiliar with CASO, but if what it offers is just central managemenf of jobs, we don't really need that.

we have no problem contiune using two servers and manage each server seperatly, also, we have no problem to restore data that was moved to LTO from Server A - only to Server A.

Is that workflow - can i just use one MSL 6480 (80 slots) with 4x LTO 7 drives, and connect two drives to server A and two drives to server B, and partition the auto loader so each server will have 40 slots?

how does the robotics know what to do when two serves are asking to mount or unmount a tape at the same time?

 

Thanks!!

Larry_Fine
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CASO also adds the ability to share hardware and to share the BE catalogs which greatly simplifies restores.  But, if you don't want/need it, it is not required at all.  It could always be added later if things change.

You are correct about the workflow.

As far as the sharing... it is apparently hardware "magic".  The library queues up requests for one server/library if the other server/library is busy.  BE is not aware of the partitioniong/sharing.  Mounting or unmounting a tape is relatively quick, so the second request justs gets delayed slightly and BE tolerates it fine.  Each tape drive is not shared, so there is no contention there.

When you configure the partitioning within the 6480, it create two "logical" robotic arms.  One logical arm is assigned to the first tape drive in the first partion and one arm is assigned to the first tape drive in the second partiton.

Thanks Again!

Just to make sure i understand - the partitioning that you are talking about is done on the 6480 GUI and not inside BE, correct?

so each BE on each server sees 40 slots and two drives as it was a seperate auto loader, and not as it is BE that created the partition, correct?

And in order to make sure that the 6480 supports that, all that i need to do is verify on the 6480 specs that it supprts partitioning, correct?

and lastly, during the partitioning, i also assign slots to each partition, or only drives?if only drives, how do configure each partition to use only specific slots?

Thanks!!!!!

 

Larry_Fine
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Just to make sure i understand - the partitioning that you are talking about is done on the 6480 GUI and not inside BE, correct? - Correct.
so each BE on each server sees 40 slots and two drives as it was a seperate auto loader, and not as it is BE that created the partition, correct? - Correct.
And in order to make sure that the 6480 supports that, all that i need to do is verify on the 6480 specs that it supprts partitioning, correct? - Correct.
and lastly, during the partitioning, i also assign slots to each partition, or only drives? if only drives, how do configure each partition to use only specific slots? -

You typically assign a number of slots, or a range of slots, to a logical library.  You typically also assign specific tape drives to a logical library.

According to page 27 on http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c03788698-4.pdf , partitioning IS supported.  "Logical Libaries" is the end result of partitioning.  I am no expert on this particular library., but it looks like slots are assigned in groups of 5.

Thanks!

on page 28 it says:

"For a library with SAS drives, install a SAS HBA with an external SAS connector that supports
multiple LUNs."

HP sell the 6480 with the HP H241 HBA. i looked at the specs and couldnt find anything regarding Multiple LUNs support with the H241

https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c04346305&doctype=quickspecs&doclang=EN_US&se...

Any idea?

Thanks again, you are a great help!!

Larry_Fine
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on page 28 it says:

"For a library with SAS drives, install a SAS HBA with an external SAS connector that supports
multiple LUNs."

HP sell the 6480 with the HP H241 HBA. i looked at the specs and couldnt find anything regarding Multiple LUNs support with the H241

https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c04346305&doctype=quickspecs&doclang=EN_US&se...

"Multiple LUN" support used to be a big deal back in the days of parallel SCSI.  I have never heard of a SAS card that doesn't support multiple LUNs.

That document says "Support for SAS tape drives, SAS tape autoloaders and SAS tape libraries" so I believe that you are fine witt that HBA.

You do want to make sure that you configure the HBA in "plain" HBA mode.  That HBA also has a RAID mode and RAID HBAs are generally not supported for tape.

Thanks!

with all that info, i am strating to think of a more complex setup...

we will install 6 drives inside the 6480. 4x LTO7 and 2x LTO5.

i will create three partitions, and i will connect the 6480 to three servers - each server will be running BE 15.

first partition will be used on our main server with 50 slots and 4x LTO7 drives 

second partition will be used on one of our secondery server with 15 slots and 1x LTO5 drive 

and the thrid partition will be used on our third server with 15 slots and 1x LTO5 drive 

Thanks for all your great help!