Unable to add HP Tape drive autoloader to VM

Hi Hanccocka,

Thanks for quick reply. The one I'm using is "HP Smart Array P212, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) RAID controller"
with SAS port. And Backup tape is connected to to it.
Can I present that to VM directly ? Could you let me know how can I present it to VM ?

For RAID feature, I'm using server built in Smart Array RAID controller.Above one is deticated for backup Tape only.
At first I was using that server as Physical server but now I'm just changing it to VMHOST and hit on this problem, cannot attach Tape to VM.

Thanks

You mean something like this ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmQ5Ej8r-aA

You need to use a dedicated SCSI Card. (yes similar to video)

see here

http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/VMDirectPath/USB_Setup.php

DO NOT PRESENT YOU P212 ARRAY CARD using VM Direct Path, you will lose access to your VMFS datastore.

I presented P212 Array card, which is deticated to use with Backup tape.
I can access VMFS Datastore as those Datastore is from server built in Array card.

Now the problem is after I presented P212 card as PCI card, the VM becomes so slow.
But that is not a problem, the problem is now I don't even see HP Tape drive in Symantec backup exec.

Any suggestion ?

Thanks
BMT

Yes, the P212 SAS card is not a SCSI card is a RAID card.

Tape Drives must be connected to a SCSI card. (not RAID).

I believe Adaptec SCSI cards only are supported.

Have you tried

Enabling Tape Drives on vSphere Hosts
Pete

Thanks for your advices.

Rgds
BMT

Hi Hanccocka,

Above issue is as you mentioned, I got confirmation from HP that The Tape Library I used is not supported by VM in Esxi4.1 and Vmware support is not confirming clearly and only tell me that depends on Tape vendor.
I finally decide to connect Backup Tape autoloader to Physical machine instead


By the way  I'm trying to add USB hard disk to VM which is in Esxi4.1
But could you please advise me how I can identify the USB hard disk  in
"Make device for Passthrough dialogbox"

 "If I would like to add USB hard disk using VMdirectpathpath"  as mentioned in this instruction
http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/VMDirectPath/USB_Setup.php?


But I manage to add by adding USB controller and USB device in VM setting instead.
But it took me about half an hour to get recognized as I needed and remove and add again. It is not problem in my test VM but what I actually needed to add is in a mail server which is in production, hence I can't let it to be down for long"

Could you let me know about above request "identifying USB hard disk using VMDirectpath" ?
I just want to test to see which option gives no problem because I see in forums mentioned that adding USB device using USB controller is not stable even inesxi4.1

I'm sorry that this question is not related to this post and let me know if I need to post in new question

Thanks
BMT

Do not use VM Direct Path for adding USB, see my EE Article here


HOW TO: Add and Connect a USB Device to a Virtual Machine, hosted on VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESX 4.1 ESXi 4.1, ESXi 5.0

(this is a little off topic), also note, USB External Hard Disks are VER VERY VERY slow, and USB in ESXi, is not really designed for USB External Hard Disks and Backup!

Hi  hanccocka,

That is the way I added and it recognized but it is not straight forward.
I needed to add/ remove/ add again and restart two times to be recognized.
I find it not so reliable

That is why I am wondering if it can be added by VM Direct Path and want to see how it goes.
The article you provided me last time, http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/VMDirectPath/USB_Setup.php? not clear how he identified.

If your goal is to use USB External Hard Disk as backup, I would reconsider.

You can add a USB Controller using VM Direct Path, but the outcome would be the same USB transfer, the I/O is virtualized and is slow.

A little better with VM Direct Path.

OK thanks Hanccocka.