A tape library device is a single media drive in a tape library (for example, a DLT drive). supports backups to tape libraries on LANs, WANs, or SANs. For information on adding standalone devices, see Adding a Device.
A tape library device always belongs to a previously defined tape library.
A tape library device cannot belong to more than one tape library.
All devices in a tape library must use the same media (for example, DLT).
Tape drives must be capable of writing in variable block size mode. For some operating systems (for example, IRIX) the default device driver is for fixed block size; in such case, you must obtain and install a tape device driver with variable block size writing capability. These are often available from the manufacturers’ websites.
Warning! DPX uses a default tape block size of 64 KB for Windows device servers. Although current tape drives can handle this block size, there are a few older tape drives, such as an IBM QIC, that can only handle a maximum of 32 KB block size. With the default setting of 64 KB blocks, the backup will be successful on these older tape drives, but the data cannot be restored. If you suspect that any tape drives added to your Enterprise are designed for 32 KB blocks, it is a good idea to run a small test backup and restore to verify that data backed up to that drive can be restored. If the test fails, you may refer to the Knowledge Base for directions on verifying the block size capacity of tape drives and changing the block size setting. For more information about this issue, read the knowledge base article 39108.
Click Configure on the Function Tab bar of the window, then click Devices.
Open the Add Device dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:
Right-click the tape library name or icon to display a context menu. The selection is indicated by the selection check box next to the tape library icon. Then select Add Device.
In the left pane, select the tape library to which you want to add the device and do one of the following:
From the menu bar, select Device > Add Device.
On the task panel, click Add Device.
The Add Tape Library Device dialog appears.
Complete the active fields in the Add Device dialog:
Device Name Enter a name for the device (up to 48 alphanumeric characters, no spaces). This is a logical name used to conveniently refer to the device (for example, SALES_DRIVE1).
Logical Node Name (non-SAN device only)
Note. For SAN devices, you must define Logical Node Name in the Add Device Path dialog. See Adding a SAN Device Path in the DPX 4.10 Reference Guide.
Select the name of the node to which the device is attached (for example, SALES_SERVER1) from the pull-down menu. This node must have been previously defined (via the Configure Enterprise window). You can have multiple devices on a node, up to the limit the hardware supports.
On the Device Resource Tree, the non-SAN device appears as device_name@logical_node_name.
Device Number This field identifies a device within the tape library. The first storage device is usually 0. For each additional device, the Device Number increments (i.e., your second device would be 1).
There is a critical relationship between Device Number and Device ID for tape library devices. See Determining Device Number and Device ID.
Device ID (non-SAN device only)
Note. For SAN devices, you must define Device ID in the Add Device Path dialog. See Adding a SAN Device Path in the DPX 4.10 Reference Guide.
For devices on UNIX, Linux and OES Linux, enter the path to the device file. For example, for Linux, the first storage device is usually /dev/nst0. For each additional device, the number in the path increments, thus your second device would be /dev/nst1.
The following table lists common Device ID nomenclature for various flavors of UNIX:
Warning! Support for some of the documented operating systems may have been discontinued.
For devices on supported versions of Windows, the first device is normally called \\.\Tape0. For each additional device, the number in the ID increments (i.e., your second device is \\.\Tape1). You can find this information displayed in Tape Devices in the Control Panel of the Windows node. To do so, go to the Control Panel, select Tape Devices, choose the Properties tab, select the device, and click Properties. The Device ID is referred to as the Device Map.
See also. Device Detection
Unique ID
Tip. This field is enabled only if you first set the Allow to Update Unique ID option using the Option menu. An asterisk indicates the option is enabled.
This optional field identifies a device uniquely. Generally, it is the hardware serial number.
Comment Enter an optional comment up to 48 characters.
Select Add on the task menu at the top right of the right pane. If you are unable to see the task menu, resize the right pane.
Note. After defining a SAN device, you need to add SAN device paths. Adding a SAN Device Path in the DPX 4.9.x Reference Guide.
| UNIX Type | First Device ID |
|---|---|
Solaris
/dev/sync_sa/t1d0
Sun PC
/dev/sync_sa/t1d0
Linux
/dev/nst0
OES Linux
/dev/nst0
HP-UX
/dev/rmt/c2t0d2BESTn
AIX
/dev/rmt0.smc
Storage devices (also referred to as “devices”) are physical or virtual drives on which media volumes, such as tape cartridges, are processed. Devices are grouped in clusters. To add a device, you need to have a device cluster defined first. Device clusters can only contain devices of similar type, e.g. LTO4 tape drives. See Adding a Device Cluster.
Note. For DISK DIRECTORY backups, devices are logical entities mimicking the structure and logic of tape storage. They are required by the DPX logic but are of minor interest on the user’s part.
When you create a node group, you may specify the default device cluster or tape library for the group. Later, you can override this default when you define a backup or migrate job.
There are two types of storage device groupings, each having two setup variations. The groupings are device clusters and tape libraries. The variations are SAN (Storage Area Network) and non-SAN devices. A device cluster is a collection of devices logically grouped by the system administrator. A tape library is a collection of devices that are grouped physically. From a functional viewpoint, a tape library is analogous to a device cluster. Thus, tape libraries displayed in the desktop interface are often listed along with device clusters under the heading Device Cluster.
Before defining a tape library to DPX, you must install the tape library driver on the node to which the tape library is attached. Follow the instructions in Chapter 33: Device Configuration Wizard in the DPX 4.9.x Reference Guide.
Note. The DPX tape library driver enables DPX to control the tape library media changer. Do not confuse this driver with tape drive drivers, which are supplied by tape device manufacturers and are available from their websites.
A single tape library cannot contain both devices on a storage area network (SAN) and devices directly connected to a server.
Restrictions. Currently, tape library management is only available through the desktop interface. The tape library management functionality through the web interface will be implemented in future versions of DPX.
Click Configure on the Function Tab bar of the window, then click Devices.
Open the Add Tape Library dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:
Right-click the Enterprise name or icon to display the Enterprise context menu. The selection is indicated by the selection check box next to the Enterprise icon. Then select Add Tape Library.
In the left pane, select the Enterprise to which you want to add the tape library and do one of the following:
From the menu bar, select Device > Add Tape Library.
On the task panel, click Add Tape Library. The Add Tape Library dialog appears.
Complete the active fields in the Add Tape Library dialog:
Tape Library Name
Enter a name (up to 14 alphanumeric characters) for the tape library (for example, New Tape Library). No two tape libraries in the Enterprise can have the same name.
Storage Area Network Specify whether devices in the tape library are connected to a Storage Area Network (SAN). A tape library cannot contain both devices on a SAN and devices directly connected to a server.
Tape Library Type Select a tape library type (for example, EXB210) from the pull-down menu. (For an ADIC SDLC tape library, select ADIC_AML.)
If you select either ACSLS for a StorageTek Automated Cartridge System (ACS), ADIC_AML for an AML Automated Storage Library, IBMATL for an IBM Magstar 3494 Tape Library (IBM 3494), the Using Slot and Cleaning Slot fields disappear and the Storage Area Network field is forced to No.
If you select ACSLS, the Controller ID field disappears and the ACS Number field appears. If you select IBMATL, the Category field appears in the dialog. If you select ADIC_AML, the pull-down menu on the Device Type field is disabled.
Controller Node The controller node is a node that communicates with and controls the tape library media changer. The controller node is a special case of a device server. This is also the node where you have installed the tape library device driver. See Device Configuration Wizard.
Select the node name of the controller node (for example, SALES_SERVER_1). The controller node is connected to the tape library media changer either directly or over a SAN.
Although this node must be running one of the operating systems specified in Manual Tape Library Installation, tape library devices (tape drives) can be attached to any controller node or NDMP node in your regular network or SAN.
Note. Even in a SAN, you need to choose one node as the primary controller node for the tape library. This node manages the robotics and messages. The drives in the tape library can be accessed from any node that can access the SAN.
Tip. A tape library media changer can be controlled by the NDMP node, eliminating the need for a separate Windows or UNIX controller node. To enable a tape library media changer to be controlled by the NDMP node, select the NDMP node name in the Controller Node field in the Add Tape Library dialog.
Controller ID
Enter the complete path and name to the media changer device file on the controller node. The media changer device file contains the file handle for the tape library driver. For example, the media changer device file could be /dev/sync_sa/t0d0 for Sun or C:\backex\bin\JB\sync_sa0 for Windows. This file is created by DPX during tape library driver installation. See Device Configuration Wizard.
For IBM 3494, this is the logical name of the library control point that you specified when you first configured IBM 3494. This field does not appear if you choose ACSLS in the Tape Library Type field.
ACS Number This field only appears if you choose ACSLS in the Tape Library Type field. Enter the ACS Number. The ACS Number was specified in ACSLS when the ACS was first configured, and its valid range is 0-126. For more information on ACS, see Chapter 41: Using Oracle StorageTek Automated Cartridge System Library in the DPX 4.9.x Reference Guide.
Category This field appears if you choose IBMATL in the Tape Library Type field.
Device Type Select a device type (for example, 4 mm) from the pull-down menu. All devices in a tape library must be the same type. If you chose ACSLS from the Tape Library Type pull-down menu, the Device Type DLT appears in this field.
Using a Slot
Enter the starting and ending slot numbers to use for media volumes. For example, entering 1 and 11 means for DPX that slot numbers 1 through 11 are reserved for media volumes.
Note. If the slot numbers start at zero (0), slot number 1 is the 2nd slot.
Cleaning a Slot Enter the slot(s) used for the cleaning media. If there is only one cleaning slot, enter the slot number twice; for example, 0 through 0 indicates that slot number 0 contains a cleaning media (the default value). If there is no cleaning slot, enter -1 in each field.
Cleaning Threshold Enter the number of times a drive can be used before it is cleaned. An internal counter is incremented each time a media volume is inserted in the drive. For example, if you enter 50, a media volume can be inserted in the drive 50 times. Just before the next use, the cleaning media is inserted to clean the drive head. After the drive is cleaned, the counter is reset to 0.
Comment Enter an optional comment of up to 48 characters.
Select Add on the task menu at the top right of the right pane. If you are unable to see the task menu, resize the right pane. The new tape library name appears in the device resource tree in the left pane and is indicated by the selection check box. The add tape library dialog in the right pane becomes the edit tape library dialog for the new tape library.
For Disk Directory devices, adding more devices to a device cluster is not required, as devices perform only a logical function in backup and restore operations. For tape devices, the device cluster includes physical devices available for backup and restore operations within the cluster. See Adding a Tape Library Device for details.
Go to Devices & Pools in the sidebar. Click the Device Cluster name you want to add devices to.
In the device cluster’s detailed view, select Add Device.
Specify the new device’s name.
The name may only include alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9), underscores (_) and hyphens (-). No other special characters are allowed. The name cannot be longer than 48 characters. No two devices within the cluster can have the same name.
Click Add. The new device has been added.
Select the Configure tab, then click Devices.
Open the Add Device Cluster dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:
Right-click the device cluster name or icon to display the device cluster context menu. The selection check box indicates the selected device cluster, and the device cluster details are visible in the pane to the right. Select Add Device.
Or, in the left pane, select the device cluster to which you want to add the device.
From the menu bar, select Device > Add Device [Ctrl + Shift + D].
On the task panel, under the Device Tasks section, select Add Device.
The Add Device dialog appears in the pane on the right.
Complete the active fields in the ADD DEVICE CLUSTER pane:
Device Name
Specify the name. The name may only include alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9), underscores (_) and hyphens (-). No other special characters are allowed. The name cannot be longer than 48 characters. No two devices within the cluster can have the same name.
Comment Enter an optional comment – up to 48 characters.
All other fields, such as Logical Node Name, Device ID and Device Type are disabled, as these parameters are inherited from the device cluster.
Select Add. If you are unable to see the Add button, resize the pane.
The new device name appears in the device resource tree in the left pane and is indicated by the selection check box. The ADD DEVICE dialog in the right pane becomes the EDIT DEVICE dialog for the newly created device.
A device cluster is a logical grouping of non-tape library (standalone) backup devices. For information about adding a tape library, see .
Every device must be a member of one and only one device cluster.
All devices in a cluster must use the same media. For example, devices that use disk directories and devices that use tape cannot be in the same device cluster.
A single device cluster cannot contain both devices on a Storage Area Network (SAN) and devices directly connected to a server. They must be in separate device clusters.
Go to Devices & Pools in the sidebar. Then select the Add Device Cluster button in the upper right corner.
The Add Device Cluster dialog will open.
Choose the Device Cluster Type. In the Device Cluster Configuration section, provide the following parameters:
Toggle on/off to choose whether to automatically create a corresponding media pool. For DISK DIRECTORY backup, it is recommended to have this toggle on.
Provide the Device Cluster Name.
The name may only include alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9), underscores (_) and hyphens (-). No other special characters are allowed. The name cannot be longer than 48 characters. No two device clusters within the Enterprise can have the same name.
Indicate the Storage node.
Specify the Directory Path. This must be a valid path existing on the Storage node indicated above.
Optionally, you can add a brief description (max. 48 characters).
Under Devices configuration, specify at least one name for a new device that will be created with the cluster. Select Add Next Device to add more devices. Click the X symbol to the right of the new Device Name to cancel adding this device.
Click Save. The Device Cluster is now added.
Select the Configure tab, then click Devices.
Open the Add Device Cluster dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:
Right-click the Enterprise name or icon to display the Enterprise context menu. The selection check box indicates the selected Enterprise. Then select Add Device Cluster.
Or, in the left pane, select the Enterprise to which you want to add the device cluster.
From the menu bar, select Device > Add Device Cluster [Ctrl + Shift + C].
On the task panel, under the Device Cluster Tasks section, select Add Device Cluster.
The Add Device Cluster dialog appears in the pane on the right.
Complete the active fields in the ADD DEVICE CLUSTER pane:
Device Cluster Name
Specify the name. The name may only include alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9), underscores (_) and hyphens (-). No other special characters are allowed. The name cannot be longer than 48 characters. No two device clusters in the Enterprise can have the same name.
Storage Area Network
Specify whether devices in the device cluster are connected to a Storage Area Network (SAN). A single device cluster cannot contain both devices on a SAN and devices directly connected to a server.
Device Type
Select a storage device type from the pull-down menu (for example, DLT). For backing up to a DiskDirectory, select DISKDIRECTORY.
Comment
Enter an optional comment – up to 48 characters.
Select Add. If you are unable to see the Add button, resize the pane.
The new device cluster name appears in the device resource tree in the left pane and is indicated by the selection check box. The ADD DEVICE CLUSTER dialog in the right pane becomes the EDIT DEVICE CLUSTER dialog for the newly created device cluster.
Tip. You can remove it by clicking theicon visible upon hovering over the device record.
