Not able to import LTO4 tape by using LTO5 drive.

[NBU_13]

Hi,

I need a help, I have 2 master servers, A and B,

Master server (MasterA) is V6.5 and using LTO4 tapes for backup, master server (MasterB) is V7.1 and using LTO5 tapes and drives, Now, I want to use LTO4 tapes in masterB with LTO5 drives, So I put LTO4 tapes in masterB and run Robot inventory, tapes are updated in masterB and I ran import to update catalog, I updated density type as HCART2 for LTO4, LTO5 tapes, drives and storage unit is also in HCART,  but tapes are not mounting, its giving error  as below :

Any one please help me to find solution for this issue.

Error :

8/17/2012 12:23:33 PM - begin Import

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - Info bptm(pid=7684) start           

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - started process bptm (7684)

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - Info bptm(pid=7684) Waiting for mount of media id 0073L2 (copy 1) on server nbk-svs.

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - started process bptm (7684)

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - mounting 0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - Info bptm(pid=7684) INF - Waiting for mount of media id 0073L2 on server nbk-svs for reading.

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - requesting resource 0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - granted resource 0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:34 PM - granted resource HP.ULTRIUM5-SCSI.002

8/17/2012 12:23:38 PM - Error bptm(pid=7684) error requesting media, TpErrno = Robot operation failed    

8/17/2012 12:23:38 PM - current media 0073L2 complete, requesting next resource HP.ULTRIUM5-SCSI.002:LTO4tapes:0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - Info bptm(pid=7684) Waiting for mount of media id 0073L2 (copy 1) on server nbk-svs.

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - started process bptm (7684)

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - mounting 0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - Info bptm(pid=7684) INF - Waiting for mount of media id 0073L2 on server nbk-svs for reading.

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - granted resource 0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:41 PM - granted resource HP.ULTRIUM5-SCSI.001

8/17/2012 12:23:45 PM - Error bptm(pid=7684) error requesting media, TpErrno = Robot operation failed    

8/17/2012 12:23:45 PM - current media 0073L2 complete, requesting next resource HP.ULTRIUM5-SCSI.001:LTO4tapes:0073L2

8/17/2012 12:23:48 PM - awaiting resource HP.ULTRIUM5-SCSI.001:LTO4tapes:0073L2 A pending request has been generated for this resource request.

  Operator action may be required. Pending Action: Tape is unmountable.,

  Media ID: 0073L2, Barcode: 000073L2, Density: hcart2, Access Mode: Read,

  Action Drive Name: N/A, Action Media Server: N/A, Robot Number: 0, Robot Type: TLD,

  Volume Group: 000_00000_TLD, Action Acs: N/A, Action Lsm: N/A

[cbode]

The media type must match the drive, so if the LTO5 drives trying to do the read are HCART2 you must modify the barcode rule so that the media are also imported as HCART2. This is a netbackup imposed compatiblity restriction, the fact that LTO-5 drives can natively read LTO-4 tapes is not sufficient to get netbackup to perform the mount.

[mph999]

" , I updated density type as HCART2 for LTO4, LTO5 tapes, drives and storage unit is also in HCART"

Do you mean that LTO5 tapes and drives are HCART2 ?

I think maybe you have mis-typed ?

No matter, make sure the density of the LTO4 tapes is the same as the density of the LTO5 drives.

Presuming the above is correct, if you run robtest, can you move one of teh LTO4 tapes into one of the LTO5 drives, lets confirm this first.

martin

[NBU_13]

Thanks for comment,

My LTO4 tapes and LTO5 drives are in same density HCART2.

I tried to run robtest, but it gives error, Iam not able to mount tape manually with drive.

By i can able to move LTO5 tape with LTO5 drives from Library through web, So Robot is working fine.

is there any other way to mount tape with drive by command ?

[mph999]

This will probably be the problem, what is the error ?

OK, now trust me on this :

"By i can able to move LTO5 tape with LTO5 drives from Library through web, So Robot is working fine."

No, it ONLY means the robot mechanics work.

It does not mean the robot is working fully.

robtest is not really a NBU command (trust me on this also) ...  It sends scsi commands to the robot to move tapes, if it fails (as in your case)  it is almost certain (99.99%) that the cause is not NBU.

If the error you see in robtest looks like this :

0x<some number> it will be a scsi sense code meaning your library has some problem, not NBU.

Perhaps you could post up the error from robtest.

Martin

[NBU_13]

Just for confirmation,

question1 :  in masterB, LTO5 tape is showing media id as 0079L5, but my LTO4 tape is showing media id as 0080L2, maybe the robot think like tape 0080L2 means its LTO2 tape ?

question2 : From library web, I mount LTO5 tape with LTO5 drives, its mounted successfully, but whilw try to mount LTO4 tape with same drive LTO5, its give error as incompatiable device.

[mph999]

Yes, some libraries use the barcode on the tapes for compatability reasons.

The robtest error will probably either show, or 'translate' to incompatible media.

Martin

[mph999]

From "Automated Tape Library - Barcode Label Technical Brief "  (Oracle document)

The media ID label is the way a particular type of tape cartridge is identified by the library.

To make sure that the correct media type is installed in the correct tape drive in an Any Cartridge, Any SlotTM library, a method to identify the type of media was needed. The use of media ID labels allows a single library or library complex to mix drive types and media types.

Martin

[NBU_13]

ok, can you tell me, how can i change 0070L2 in to 0070L4 without affecting backup image in tape ?

[NBU_13]

ok, can you tell me, how can i change media id 0070L2 in to 0070L4 media id without affecting backup image in tape ? 

[mph999]

You can't ...

The barcode could be changed with the vmchange comand, but it is impossible to change the media id of a media that contains images.

The mediaid is written to the beinning of the tape ... example

0000000   V   O   L   1   R   0   T   P   0   0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

0000020  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0 001  \0  \0  \0  \f   P   1   Ø    

0000040  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

0000060  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \n  \0  \0  \0 001

0000100  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0 004  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

0000120  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

*

0000160   T   h   I   s       I   s       A       B   P       t   A   p

0000200   E       h   E   a   D   e   r  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

0000220  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0  \0

This is the media header on the beginning of one of my tapes, we see  the media id on the 1st line "R0TP00".

As it is written on the tape it cannot be changed until the tape is reused - no way around this.

Unfortunately, you are not going to be able to import this tape.  NBU doesn't really care, it is your library that is preventing it.

The problem started as an LTO2 type label was placed on a LTO4 tape.

Apologies that I can't be more help.

Martin

[NBU_13]

ok, thanks for you help, one more think, shall i try to run inventory with density type as HCART for LTO5 and LTO tapes and then ran import, its possible ?

[mph999]

It won't work, but feel free to try - occassionally I am wrong ...   :o)

The desity in NBU is 'meaningless' - providing the tape density matches the drive density, that is all NBU cares about.  The problem you have is that the library is preventing the mount.

You can call you LTO5 drives 4mm it you like, it makes no difference.

Martin

[NBU_13]

Thank you so much for your help,

If you dont mind, can you please give some suggestion for below query :

Iam planning to build new Netbackup environment with Netbackup 7.5, as per client requirement, they need backup need to go to VTL (VTL itself have deduplication) and then it should replicate to tape library, anyone help tellme, how to configure VTL with netbackup and then, how can i replicate backup from VTL to tape library.

[mph999]

You configure a VTL the same as any library.  NBU does not understand 'VTL' it just thinks it is a 'physical' library.

I wouldn't recommend a VTL, just backup to disk, and the duplicate to tape.

A VTL is just disk, made to look like tape, why not just use disk ?  VTLs that de-dup / arcive off to tape are a pain :

Consider this.

The VTL has a tape that is called AB1234.  It is full and the VTL has archived it off to disk.

Now, you start a restore, NBU tries to access the tape ...  it can't it has to wait for the VTL to 'rebuild it'.

That said, some VTL features are quite neat, Quantun Dxi (which can be just disk or VTL) is able to run direct copies to tape, so the duplication to 'real' tape goes stright from the Dxi to tape, without going via a media server (although a media server is used to control it) - this can work via SLP.

I'd use SLP to duplicte the backups to the second copy.  SLP will work if using disk or VTL, but is an extra cost, as it requires a license.  Customer care will advice on cost, or put you in contact with someone who can.

From this page:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=landing&key=15143

You can see the links to the documentation, the device config guide and admin guides cover the setup.

Maritn

[Mark_Solutions]

Just picking up on things and hopefully this will help you ...

1. As said many tape libraries will not put a tape with an L2 barcode into an LTO5 drive - no matter how nicely you ask it! Quantum libraries are like this.

2. So put a new barcode label on your tape - so if it is currently 0070L2 you need one that is 0070L4 (I am guessing that the barcode actually has something before those digits as well? (AB0070L2?) - this is important as the next command relies on it.

3. On the master you want to import the tape on there is nothing special to do - delete the old entry and re-inventory and run the import against the new one - its media id has no relevance as you have not imported anything yet.

4. On the original master the media id is fixed and so you need to keep it that way and just tell it that the tape has a new barcode  - so run:

volmgr\bin\vmchange -barcode 0070L4 -m 0070L2

This changes the known barcode label for 0070L2 to 0070L4 - note that the first part is the new barcode and the second is the media ID - so you need to get it right on the old system. If the old barcode is actually AB0070L2 and the new one AB0070L4 then the command needs to reflect this - likewise if the media ID is different on the original site then use the correct media ID

When ever i have seen a media id like this it is due to a library being set up wrong or the media id generation rules not being setup in NetBackup

Hope this helps

[mph999]

Yes, Mark - nice one - apologies, I didnt think of that - excellent

Should work ok.

M

[NBU_13]

Excellent, Thank you Mark and Martin..

Just for confirmation, If I change barcode from L2 to L4 and run inventory, it wont delete my backup image in tape ?

[Mark_Solutions]

OK - just thought .... its media id is on the header of thetape so on the site you are importing it on it will actually need the correct media id

So the best way to do it is to check what its media id is on the original site - you do need to know this

If it is 0070L2 on there as well then leave keep that media on the import site and run the barcode command on both sites once you have re-labelled it

All this does is change the reference in NetBackup for what that barcode label is - it will not affect any data on the tape

The reason the media id need to be the same as the original is that when you mount the tape it will read the header so thet media id must be as it is on the original site if it is to accept the tape

[mph999]

OK, got it ...

Replace the baarcode with aL 4 barcode, then run a phycical inventory on the slt the tape is in.

This will read the header and associate the media id with the barcode.  Job done ...

You could createa custom media id gen rule to give it the exact media id you want, but physical inventory is easier.

The command is vmphyinv, man page shows the options, easy to work out.

Martin