SCSI tape drive cluster troubleshooting assistance
4 tape drives: Fileserver, Exchange, Tandberg, LTO2 (don't ask about the names...)
Using Symantec Backup Exec 15 version 14.2 (I know we're behind, discussing a new solution in 2017)
"Inventoried" all 4 tape drives
Attempted to backup "Intranet"(smallest backup job we have, ~250MB) to "Exchange" -- failed with physical device error
Removed all tape drives EXCEPT fileserver. Plugged directly into Fileserver tape drive with terminator, succeeded.
Plugged into Exchange, succeeded.
Plugged into Tandberg, succeeded.
Plugged into LTO2, succeeded.
Connected FileServer + Exchange - Succeeded
Connected FileServer + Exchange + Tandberg - succeeded
Connected all 4 - failed
Connected FileServer + Exchange + Tandberg = succeeded
Cluster is in order as follows: 1. Fileserver 2. Exchange 3. Tandberg 4. LTO2
Why would I back up just fine to LTO2 while directly connected, but once I add it to the chain/cluster, my job fails. On the individual tape drive tests I was plugged directly into that tape drive and the backup job was pointed at each tape drive I was plugged into. Once I added more than 1 tape drive I was backing it up to "Exchange" as that's the designated destination for the backup. As I state, with 2 tape drives it works, with 3, it works, add the 4th and it fails.
Using Symantec Backup Exec 15 version 14.2 (I know we're behind, discussing a new solution in 2017)
"Inventoried" all 4 tape drives
Attempted to backup "Intranet"(smallest backup job we have, ~250MB) to "Exchange" -- failed with physical device error
Removed all tape drives EXCEPT fileserver. Plugged directly into Fileserver tape drive with terminator, succeeded.
Plugged into Exchange, succeeded.
Plugged into Tandberg, succeeded.
Plugged into LTO2, succeeded.
Connected FileServer + Exchange - Succeeded
Connected FileServer + Exchange + Tandberg - succeeded
Connected all 4 - failed
Connected FileServer + Exchange + Tandberg = succeeded
Cluster is in order as follows: 1. Fileserver 2. Exchange 3. Tandberg 4. LTO2
Why would I back up just fine to LTO2 while directly connected, but once I add it to the chain/cluster, my job fails. On the individual tape drive tests I was plugged directly into that tape drive and the backup job was pointed at each tape drive I was plugged into. Once I added more than 1 tape drive I was backing it up to "Exchange" as that's the designated destination for the backup. As I state, with 2 tape drives it works, with 3, it works, add the 4th and it fails.
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There are 4 SCSI tape drives connected to ONE server. That ONE server runs backup exec and connects to other servers to back up data via the remote agent. Cluster is wired as I stated in the question. First FileServer, then "Exchange, then Tandberg, then LTO2. LTO2 has/had a terminator on the SCSI out. Currently LTO2 is removed and I am terminating at Tandberg as LTO2 was causing an issue. Still working out the specifics as some backups run and others don't to different tapes.
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Update, I think we've narrowed down the problem to a failing/aging LTO4 drive. the "Fileserver" drive barely wrote 1.5MB in 20 minutes. I moved the same tape to the "Exchange" drive and it ran 19GB in 20 minutes. Gonna let it run so I have a good backup but then I'm going to take out the "Fileserver" drive and see if all my jobs can complete(besides that one)
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I'll provide my supervisor with this advice, he may want to move to that set up. I'm assuming you mean to get a SCSI card with 4 ports as opposed to the 1 and connect each to their own port? Instead of "clustering" or "chaining" the drives? That would make a lot more sense to me personally but this is the first company large enough for me to deal with tapes. Been 100% disk/cloud backups elsewhere. I'm sure that wouldn't be more than a few hundred dollars to implement too. HP Proliant G7 (can't remember exact model) can fit a 4-port external SCSI card?
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OK, wasn't the tape drive. I did a LOT of troubleshooting yesterday, moving cables, moving terminator, etc. I think we've narrowed it down to a limitation on the SCSI card and/or the terminator. Ordered an additional card and additional terminators and cables. Will update when I have those in hand.
We ARE looking to move off the tape backups but we're still dependent on them for the time being. When the budget frees up a little bit we've got some "big" plans for offsite backups.
We ARE looking to move off the tape backups but we're still dependent on them for the time being. When the budget frees up a little bit we've got some "big" plans for offsite backups.
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Back-pedaled a bunch, using older hardware with newer software resolved it. I have no idea what actually was the problem. We're looking into a different solution now.
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