ESX 4x with IBM TS3100 Tape Library through FiberChannel

[taukey]

Here is my current setup:

ESX 4.0 U2 or ESX 4.1 U1 (neither works)

IBM Blade HS22

Tape Library TS3100

QLogic Fiber Channel

We have tried reformat the same server earlier with Windows Server 2008 R2 and it can detects both the TS3100 tape library and tape drive.

Now the exact same server is a newly reformat blade server with ESX 4.0 U2 with Fiber Channel tape library (IBM TS3100) connected at the back.

Through VCenter it can only detects storage adapters at vmhba1

IBM Fibre Channel Medium Changer (t10.IBM_____35732DTL_________00L2U78M4636_LL0)

but not the tape drive.

=============

# cat /proc/scsi/scsi
Attached devices:
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
  Vendor: TSSTcorp Model: CDDVDW TS-L633B  Rev: IB03
  Type:   CD-ROM                           ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 01 Lun: 00
  Vendor: LSILOGIC Model: Logical Volume   Rev: 3000
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 03 Lun: 00
  Vendor: IBM      Model: 1726-4xx  FAStT  Rev: 0617
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 05
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 04 Lun: 00
  Vendor: IBM      Model: 1726-4xx  FAStT  Rev: 0617
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 05
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 05 Lun: 00
  Vendor: IBM      Model: 1726-4xx  FAStT  Rev: 0617
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 05
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 06 Lun: 00
  Vendor: IBM      Model: Universal Xport  Rev: 0617
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 05
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
  Vendor: VMware   Model: Virtual disk     Rev: 1.0
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 02

Any advice?

[taukey]

anyone got any similar issues here?

[Partizano]

Hi.

Try insert tape cartridge to the drive from TS3100 web interface.

When I did this I saw tape device in my vCenter (see screenshot).

But I can't install driver to Windows 2008R2. In Windows 2003 all fine but in Windows 2008R2 I have error:

c:\ts3100>install_nonexclusive.exe -d

Running installation application, version 6.2.1.5x64.

Debug flag has been set.  Check debug.txt for output.

Preparing system for driver installation...
Uninstalling existing medium changers...
Existing medium changers successfully uninstalled.
Uninstalling existing tape drives...
Existing tape drives successfully uninstalled.
Installing/updating the changer bus enumerator...
Failed to install/update the changer bus enumerator.

Exiting application.

Program stopped prematurely due to error(s).
If the debug flag was set, check debug.txt for details.

[taukey]

Thanks Partizano, it works. After reformating a few times and upgrade BIOS for the blade.

Main thing is to use Tape Library Web Interface.

It's working well now, backup and restore smoothly.

[Partizano]

Great!

taukey, what Library Mode do you use? Random or Sequential?

[_d1z]

Hi. We have some difficulties with ts3100 attached to vm through FC SAN. Sometimes bex backup jobs hang until vm and ts reboot. Library locks in 'seeking' condition. Someone got same issue?

[taukey]

In my case if the VM keep hanging and giving error, is because of the VM is hanging on the snapshot backup. I manage to avoid this by making sure no snapshots are created.