Troubleshooting Tape Library and Tape Drive Issues on a Windows TSM server

Troubleshooting Tape Library and Tape Drive Issues on a Windows TSM server

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Troubleshooting Tape library in tivoli Storage manager environment needs to do some basic steps. Common Issues with TSM Server in Windows connecting to tape libraries and/or drives can be resolved by checking some basics. The first things to do when addressing hardware issues are given in the steps below.
Read: Tape Library related Interview Questions

Tape Library and Tape Drive Troubleshooting

1) Verify RSM service is Disabled
    From Windows Services, verify that the Removable Storage service is Disabled. If it's not Disabled and you don't intend to use it, set it to Disabled, and reboot Windows.

2) Verify that Windows Device Manager lists the library (Medium Changer) and/or Tape Drives
3) Verify that Windows Device Manager has the correct device driver for the library and/or tape drives
    Check device driver version from Windows Device Manager, by right-clicking on the device, select Properties, Device Driver tab.
    IBM tape drives and libraries typically use IBMtape (currently 6.2.1.6) or ibmatl (for IBM 3494 tape libraries, currently 6.8.3.0), though there are a few exceptions that use tsmscsi. Non-IBM tape drives and libraries typically use the tsmscsi device driver (at exactly the same version as the TSM Server version, to 4 digits) that comes packaged with TSM Server and Storage Agent, though there are a few exceptions that use other device drivers. A non-IBM library that uses IBM tape drives will typically use tsmscsi for the library and IBMtape for the drives.
    Check the TSM supported device list for which device driver is needed for supported tape libraries and drives
    IBMtape and ibmatl (for IBM 3494 libraries) are available for download at FixCentral here:
      Product Group: Storage Systems
      Product Family: Tape Systems
      Product Type: Tape device drivers and software
      Product: Tape device drivers
      Installed Version: 1.0 (default)
      Platform Windows

      Hit Continue

      Browse for fixes (the default)
      Hit Continue

      Download: IBMtape

    Also download:
    * IBM Tape Device Drivers Installation and User's Guide
    Available under the fixpack

    Then go back to FixCentral, and download
    * Product: Tape Diagnostic Tool (ITDT)

    itdt replaces former ntutil


    For IBMtape, run install-exclusive.exe to install IBMtape and assign IBMtape as the device driver for supported IBM tape libraries and drives.

    For tsmscsi, verify that it was installed by checking Windows Add/Remove Programs. To set the tape devices to use tsmscsi in Windows 2003, from Windows Device Manager, right-click on the device, select Update Driver -> Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) -> Don't search. I will select the driver to install -> Select the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager device driver -> Continue Anyway.
    For details, see the TSM Server 5.5 for Windows Administrator's Guide, Ch. 5: "Attaching Devices to the Server System", Section: "Controlling Devices with the Tivoli Storage Manager Device Driver on Windows Server 2003"

    For 6.1 see TSM 6.1 InfoCenter: Configuring -> Configuring and managing server storage -> Using devices with the server system (Windows) -> Selecting a device driver -> Controlling devices with the Tivoli Storage Manager device driver

4) Run tsmdlst to check device names
    From a DOS command prompt window, cd C:\Program Files\tivoli\tsm\console, and run:
      tsmdlst

    You should see output something like the following list current lb and mt #s for the library and tape devices. 
      Tivoli Storage Manager -- Device List Utility

      Licensed Materials - Property of IBM

      5697-TSM (C) Copyright IBM Corporation 2000, 2005. All rights reserved.
      U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure
      restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.

      Computer Name: ODINTSMA1
      OS Version: 5.2
      OS Build #: 3790
      TSM Device Driver: TSMScsi - Running

      One HBA was detected.

      Manufacturer Model Driver Version Firmware Description
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      LSI Corporation LSI7102XP-LC lsi_fc 1.27.01.00 01.02.27.00LSI 2GB FC 7002 series, Dual or Quad port (w/929X)

      TSM Name ID LUN Bus Port SSN WWN TSM Type Device Identifier
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      lb0.0.0.2 0 0 0 2 0010c5101f0008002724 21000090A50013A6 LIBRARY SPECTRA GATOR 0129
      mt0.1.0.2 0 1 0 2 0001050056 21000090A50013A6 GENERICTAPESONY SDX-900V 0103
      mt0.2.0.2 0 2 0 2 0001050538 21000090A50013A6 GENERICTAPESONY SDX-900V 0103

      Completed in: 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds.


    5) Check TSM Server drives are online:

    From a TSM server command line run
      q drive

    If drive(s) are not online, update them with:
      update drive <libr> <drive> online=yes


    6) Check the TSM Server paths are online and using the correct lb or mt #

    From a TSM server command line run
      q path f=d

    If path(s) are not online or are using the wrong device lb or mt #, update them with the following (if device names are correct, you don't need to include the device parm):
      Library:
        update path <server> <library> srct=server destt=libr device=<lb#.#.#.#> online=yes

      Tape drive:
        update path <server> <drive> srct=server destt=drive libr=<libname> device=<mt#.#.#.#> online=yes

    7) Check for hardware issues from DOS

    From a DOS command prompt window, use ntutil (for devices using IBMtape) or lbtest or mttest (for devices using tsmscis) to test the library or drives.

    7a) lbtest, for libraries using tsmscsi

      From DOS, run:
        lbtest

      Go into manual test and open the library
      1: Manual test

      1: set device special file
        Enter device special file name: lb#.#.#.# [enter]
      6: open

      Get library inventory
      8: ioctl return element count
      10: ioctl return library inventory

      Move a tape from a tape slot to a drive
      11: ioctl move medium
        transport element address: XX
        source address moving from: YY
        destination address moving to: ZZ

      Move the tape back to where it came from
      11: ioctl move medium
        transport element address: XX
        source address moving from: ZZ
        destination address moving to: XX

      Close the device and exit lbtest
      7: close
      99: return to main menu
      9: exit lbtest


      Reference: Technote # 1326205: LBTEST - Practical Examples to Test Functionality

    7b) mttest, for tape drives using tsmscsi
      From DOS, run:
      mttest

      Go into manual test and open the drive
      1: Manual test

      1: set device special file
        Enter device special file name: mt#.#.#.# [enter]
      20: open

      Check basic functionality:
       22. read
       60. write block to "block.out"

      Note: You will get an error stating that only 80 bytes could be read out of 1024. This is normal and can be ignored
      Close the device and exit lbtest
      21: close
      99: return to main menu
      9: exit mttest



    7c) itdt (or ntutil), for libraries and tape drives using IBMtape

      itdt (which replaced ntutil) operates basically the same as lbtest and mttest, except that you access both the library and the drives from ntutil. When you start, it operates in Base Mode by default for access to tape drives. Hit 8 to switch to Library Mode.

      List tape device names you can open from either mode with:
        88: List registered devices

      A good basic test for tape drives in Base Mode is
        39: test unit ready


    8) Delete and redefine paths, drive, and library, and checkin scratch tapes, then private

    Sometimes deleting and redefining everything works to reconnect TSM Server to the devices correctly. The following technote gives these steps in detail.


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