Hello,
We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
IBM-LT
They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
clients as scsi Libraries.
They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the library
helps.
Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to overcome
this painfull errors ?
As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps we get
better reliability.
Any expertise ?
Thank you.
Matthias Feyerabend

Hello,

to clarify:

We are not yet using ACSLS, but considering to use it in future to
overcome errors we get permanently , once twice a week.
libraries are connected as SCSI libraries over the SAN with TSM, one
server is library manager, the other servers library clients.

My question is, is there some hope or even own experience, that
switching to ACSLS will overcome the errors we see at present ( FSC
x3e24 for example).

Matthias

I Bernaldo de Q y M wrote:

Hello Matthias,

I am doing something similar I am installing 3 TSM servers that
shares an SL8500 with ACSLS with LT 3 drives

I have define 3 library clients to 1 library manager sharing an ACSLS
library how did you define an scsi library client to to an ACSLS
libray manager ?
Could you describe more your environment ? How many Library managers
did you have ? and library clients ? Connections ?

Regards,
I

Matthias Feyerabend :
>
>Hello,
>>
>We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
>IBM-LT
>They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
>clients as scsi Libraries.
>>
>They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
>Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
>error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
>drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the library
>helps.
>>
>Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to overcome
>this painfull errors ?
>>
>As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps we get
>better reliability.
>>
>Any expertise ?
>>
>Thank you.
>>
>Matthias Feyerabend
>>
>>
>>
>--
>--
>Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
>Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
>Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
>D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519
>
>

This thread is dwelling on ACSLS, but is that actually a problem
solution? What if the problem is that the library/drive is failing
to wait long enough for the rewind of a high-capacity tape, and
considers it "stuck in the drive" because it's not out of there in
the allotted time? That kind of thing is fixed by drive firmware.
So, see if your firmware is up to date.

Richard Sims

Feb 2, 2007, at 7:09 AM, Matthias Feyerabend wrote:

Hello,

to clarify:

We are not yet using ACSLS, but considering to use it in future to
overcome errors we get permanently , once twice a week.
libraries are connected as SCSI libraries over the SAN with
TSM, one
server is library manager, the other servers library clients.

My question is, is there some hope or even own experience, that
switching to ACSLS will overcome the errors we see at present ( FSC
x3e24 for example).

Matthias
--
I Bernaldo de Q y M wrote:
>
>Hello Matthias,
>>
>I am doing something similar I am installing 3 TSM servers that
>shares an SL8500 with ACSLS with LT 3 drives
>>
>I have define 3 library clients to 1 library manager sharing an ACSLS
>library how did you define an scsi library client to to an ACSLS
>libray manager ?
>Could you describe more your environment ? How many Library managers
>did you have ? and library clients ? Connections ?
>>
>Regards,
>I
>>
>Matthias Feyerabend :
>>
Hello,

We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
IBM-LT
They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
clients as scsi Libraries.

They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the
library
helps.

Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to
overcome
this painfull errors ?

As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps
we get
better reliability.

Any expertise ?

Thank you.

Matthias Feyerabend

--
--
Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519

>>
>
>

Firmware on IBM LT is 4561, on IBM LT 4770. This is the latest
firmware version STK provided us, maybe there are newer versions now
available. I will check that with STK.

I know that we really dont need ACSLS to have only TSM on the library,
even with several servers.
Discussing the "Wait for rewind failed" problems with STK, one of them
mentioned we should move to ACSLS, what means investment of money and time.
I have some vague glance of hope, some error recovery in ACSLS is better
and will stop getting these errors. ?

Matthias

Richard Sims wrote:

This thread is dwelling on ACSLS, but is that actually a problem
solution? What if the problem is that the library/drive is failing
to wait long enough for the rewind of a high-capacity tape, and
considers it "stuck in the drive" because it's not out of there in
the allotted time? That kind of thing is fixed by drive firmware.
So, see if your firmware is up to date.

Richard Sims

Feb 2, 2007, at 7:09 AM, Matthias Feyerabend wrote:
>
>Hello,
>>
>to clarify:
>>
>We are not yet using ACSLS, but considering to use it in future to
>overcome errors we get permanently , once twice a week.
>libraries are connected as SCSI libraries over the SAN with TSM,
>one
>server is library manager, the other servers library clients.
>>
>My question is, is there some hope or even own experience, that
>switching to ACSLS will overcome the errors we see at present ( FSC
>x3e24 for example).
>>
>Matthias
>>
>>
>I Bernaldo de Q y M wrote:
>>
Hello Matthias,

I am doing something similar I am installing 3 TSM servers that
shares an SL8500 with ACSLS with LT 3 drives

I have define 3 library clients to 1 library manager sharing an ACSLS
library how did you define an scsi library client to to an ACSLS
libray manager ?
Could you describe more your environment ? How many Library managers
did you have ? and library clients ? Connections ?

Regards,
I

Matthias Feyerabend :

Hello,

We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
IBM-LT
They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
clients as scsi Libraries.

They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the
library
helps.

Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to
overcome
this painfull errors ?

As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps
we get
better reliability.

Any expertise ?

Thank you.

Matthias Feyerabend

--
--
Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519


>>
>>
>--
>--
>Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
>Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
>Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
>D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519
>

This is just my opinion, but ACSLS will not make it simpler. It adds a layer of software between TSM and the library. They can get out of sync. In my experience, it makes problem resolution HARDER, not easier. You are likely to encounter more timing issues, not fewer.

And as Richard said, it won't fix this problem.
If you are getting errors, call your STK hardware support and tell them to fix it or replace it.

Message
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L (AT) VM (DOT) MARIST.EDU] Behalf Matthias Feyerabend
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 7:10 AM
To: ADSM-L (AT) VM (DOT) MARIST.EDU
Subject: Re: STK Library L700 and ACSLS

Hello,

to clarify:

We are not yet using ACSLS, but considering to use it in future to
overcome errors we get permanently , once twice a week.
libraries are connected as SCSI libraries over the SAN with TSM, one
server is library manager, the other servers library clients.

My question is, is there some hope or even own experience, that
switching to ACSLS will overcome the errors we see at present ( FSC
x3e24 for example).

Matthias

I Bernaldo de Q y M wrote:

Hello Matthias,

I am doing something similar I am installing 3 TSM servers that
shares an SL8500 with ACSLS with LT 3 drives

I have define 3 library clients to 1 library manager sharing an ACSLS
library how did you define an scsi library client to to an ACSLS
libray manager ?
Could you describe more your environment ? How many Library managers
did you have ? and library clients ? Connections ?

Regards,
I

Matthias Feyerabend :
>
>Hello,
>>
>We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
>IBM-LT
>They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
>clients as scsi Libraries.
>>
>They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
>Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
>error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
>drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the library
>helps.
>>
>Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to overcome
>this painfull errors ?
>>
>As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps we get
>better reliability.
>>
>Any expertise ?
>>
>Thank you.
>>
>Matthias Feyerabend
>>
>>
>>
>--
>--
>Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
>Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
>Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
>D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519
>
>

I will try new firmware levels. STK has a sort of approvement of IBM
firmware, what is not really improving the firmware, but delaying
installation of new firmware levels.

Besides, it is probably better not to have different manufactures as we
have with STK library and IBM tape drives. STK library and STK drives or
IBM library and IBM drives would be better, just an experience which is
not so astonishing.

Thank you for your answers.

Matthias

Prather, Wanda wrote:

>This is just my opinion, but ACSLS will not make it simpler. It adds a layer of software between TSM and the library. They can get out of sync. In my experience, it makes problem resolution HARDER, not easier. You are likely to encounter more timing issues, not fewer.
>
>And as Richard said, it won't fix this problem.
>If you are getting errors, call your STK hardware support and tell them to fix it or replace it.
>
>
>
Message
>From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L (AT) VM (DOT) MARIST.EDU] Behalf Matthias Feyerabend
>Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 7:10 AM
>To: ADSM-L (AT) VM (DOT) MARIST.EDU
>Subject: Re: STK Library L700 and ACSLS
>
>Hello,
>
>to clarify:
>
>We are not yet using ACSLS, but considering to use it in future to
>overcome errors we get permanently , once twice a week.
libraries are connected as SCSI libraries over the SAN with TSM, one
>server is library manager, the other servers library clients.
>
>My question is, is there some hope or even own experience, that
>switching to ACSLS will overcome the errors we see at present ( FSC
>x3e24 for example).
>
>Matthias
>
>
>I Bernaldo de Q y M wrote:
>

>
>>Hello Matthias,
>>
>>I am doing something similar I am installing 3 TSM servers that
>>shares an SL8500 with ACSLS with LT 3 drives
>>
>>I have define 3 library clients to 1 library manager sharing an ACSLS
>>library how did you define an scsi library client to to an ACSLS
>>libray manager ?
>>Could you describe more your environment ? How many Library managers
>>did you have ? and library clients ? Connections ?
>>
>>Regards,
>>I
>>
>>Matthias Feyerabend :
>>
>
>>
Hello,

We are using two STK Libraries L700 attached to FC with IBM-LT and
IBM-LT
They are defined to TSM 5.3 Library Manager (Windows) and Library
clients as scsi Libraries.

They are used from several library clients in Windows and Linux.
Both libraries are heavily used and we are running more and more in
error situations (errors like 3e24 in fsc log) where libraries and
drives are no longer usable and only a full power cycle of the library
helps.

Is there some experience that STK ACSLS software will help to overcome
this painfull errors ?

As TSM has its own driver we dont really need ACSLS, but perhaps we get
better reliability.

Any expertise ?

Thank you.

Matthias Feyerabend

Matthias Feyerabend | M.Feyerabend (AT) gsi (DOT) de
Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung | phone +49-6159-71-2519
Planckstr. 1 | privat +49-6151-718781
D-64291 Darmstadt | fax +49-6159-71-2519

--