Robotic and drive paths

[nasahasha]

Can each robot or drive can have more than one paths?

Whats the benefit, if one path goes down will it work through other one?

Is it active-active or Active-passive, how does multiple path for drive or robots work?

[nasahasha]

We have a configuration 1 robot and 2 drive SCSI.

we have 2 paths for each drive and robot. Robot is using only 1 path but drives are showing 2 paths each.

[Marianne]

Use robtest to config multipathing for the robot: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH73944   

Another TN: 

NetBackup does not provide automatic SAN path failover for tape drives connected through multiple paths

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH215781

[nasahasha]

Out of 2 paths how do I know which path is active, and

If one path goes down what steps do I need to follow to fail over to other path manually.

[nasahasha]

While assigning a drive which path does it choose?

[mph999]

NetBackup does not provide automatic SAN path failover for tape drives connected through multiple paths

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH215781

However, dual path to robots does work.

[nasahasha]

When there are 2 paths for drive and both are up and available, which one does netbackup choose?

It will run backups on only one path always(static) untill that path fails, or will it choose path randomly for every backup?

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

As far as I know, it is not documented in any guides and KB articles.

When I tested in NetBackup 7.0 on RHEL, one path is choosed and it is used until this path fails.Then, another path is tried. Standbypaths are not monitored until It become candidate of path switch.

[nasahasha]

one path is choosed and it is used until this path fails.Then, another path is tried

          Can we assume this as fail over to available path, were you saying its choosing other available path without manual intervention?

[mph999 · Accepted solution]

Did you see my post above, if not take a peep at :

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH215781

There is no automated fail over between drive paths.

If I recall, it doesn't automatically  failover, unless the lost path is manually downed.  I believe this issue was origanlly seen on Solaris and Linux, but HP works.