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Administrator's Guide


Managing Drives

You can query, update, and delete drives.

Requesting Information about Drives


Task Required Privilege Class
Request information about drives Any administrator

You can request information about drives by using the QUERY DRIVE command. This command accepts wildcard characters for both a library name and a drive name. See Administrator's Reference for information about this command and the use of wildcard characters.

For example, to query all drives associated with your server, enter the following command:

query drive

The following shows an example of the output from this command.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Library   Drive    Device     On Line                                           |
|Name      Name     Type                                                         |
|--------  -------  ---------  -------                                           |
|MANLIB    8MM.0    8MM        Yes                                               |
|AUTOLIB   8MM.2    8MM        Yes                                               |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Updating Drives

You can change the attributes of a drive by issuing the UPDATE DRIVE command.

Task Required Privilege Class
Update drives System or unrestricted storage

You can change the following attributes of a drive by issuing the UPDATE DRIVE command.

For example, to change the element address of a drive named DRIVE3 to 119, issue the following command:

update drive auto drive3 element=119

If you are reconfiguring your system, you can change the device name of a drive by issuing the UPDATE PATH command. For example, to change the device name of a drive named DRIVE3, issue the following command:

update path server1 drive3 srctype=server desttype=drive library=scsilib device=/dev/rmt0
Note:
You cannot change the element number or the device name if a drive is in use. See Taking Drives Offline. If a drive has a volume mounted, but the volume is idle, it can be explicitly dismounted. See Dismounting an Idle Volume.

Taking Drives Offline

You can take a drive offline while it is in use. For example, you might take a drive offline for another activity, such as maintenance. If you take a drive offline while it is in use, the mounted volume completes its current process. If this volume was part of a series of volumes in a transaction, the drive is no longer available to complete mounting the series. If no other drives are available, the active process may fail. The offline state is retained even if the server is halted and brought up again. If a drive is marked offline when the server is brought up, a warning is issued noting that the drive must be manually brought online. If all the drives in a library are taken offline, processes requiring a library mount point will fail, rather than queue up for one.

The ONLINE parameter specifies the value of the drive's online state, even if the drive is in use. ONLINE=YES indicates that the drive is available for use. ONLINE=NO indicates that the drive is not available for use (offline). Do not specify other optional parameters along with the ONLINE parameter. If you do, the drive will not be updated, and the command will fail when the drive is in use. You can specify the ONLINE parameter when the drive is involved in an active process or session, but this is not recommended.

Cleaning Drives


Task Required Privilege Class
Clean drives System or unrestricted storage

The server can control cleaning tape drives in SCSI libraries and offers partial support for cleaning tape drives in manual libraries. For automated library devices, you can automate cleaning by specifying the frequency of cleaning operations and checking a cleaner cartridge into the library's volume inventory. TSM mounts the cleaner cartridge as specified. For manual library devices, TSM issues a mount request for the cleaner cartridge.

Deciding Whether the Server Controls Drive Cleaning

Some SCSI libraries such as STK 9710 and IBM 3575 provide automatic drive cleaning. In such cases, choose either the library drive cleaning or the Tivoli Storage Manager drive cleaning, but not both. Manufacturers that include library cleaning recommend its use to prevent premature wear on the read/write heads of the drives.

Drives and libraries from different manufacturers differ in how they handle cleaner cartridges and how they report the presence of a cleaner cartridge in a drive. The device driver may not be able to open a drive that contains a cleaner cartridge. Sense codes and error codes that are issued by devices for drive cleaning vary. Library drive cleaning is usually transparent to all applications. Therefore, Tivoli Storage Manager may not always detect cleaner cartridges in drives and may not be able to determine when cleaning has begun.

Some devices require a small amount of idle time between mount requests to start drive cleaning. However, Tivoli Storage Manager tries to minimize the idle time for a drive. The result may be to prevent the library drive cleaning from functioning effectively. If this happens, try using Tivoli Storage Manager to control drive cleaning. Set the frequency to match the cleaning recommendations from the manufacturer.

If you have Tivoli Storage Manager control drive cleaning, disable the library drive cleaning function to prevent problems. If the library drive cleaning function is enabled, some devices automatically move any cleaner cartridge found in the library to slots in the library that are dedicated for cleaner cartridges. An application does not know that these dedicated slots exist. You will not be able to check a cleaner cartridge into the Tivoli Storage Manager library inventory until you disable the library drive cleaning function.

Cleaning Drives in an Automated Library

Set up server-controlled drive cleaning in an automated library with these steps:

  1. Define or update the drives in a library, using the CLEANFREQUENCY parameter. The CLEANFREQUENCY parameter sets how often you want the drive cleaned. Refer to the DEFINE DRIVE and UPDATE DRIVE commands. Consult the manuals that accompany the drives for recommendations on cleaning frequency.

    For example, to have DRIVE1 cleaned after 100GB is processed on the drive, issue the following command:

    update drive autolib1 drive1 cleanfrequency=100
    

    Consult the drive manufacturer's information for cleaning recommendations. If the information gives recommendations for cleaning frequency in terms of hours of use, convert to a gigabytes value by doing the following:

    1. Use the bytes-per-second rating for the drive to determine a gigabytes-per-hour value.
    2. Multiply the gigabytes-per-hour value by the recommended hours of use between cleanings.
    3. Use the result as the cleaning frequency value.
    Note:
    For IBM 3570 and 3590 drives, we recommend that you specify a value for the CLEANFREQUENCY parameter rather than specify ASNEEDED. Using the cleaning frequency recommended by the product documentation will not overclean the drives.
  2. Check a cleaner cartridge into the library's volume inventory with the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command. For example:
    checkin libvolume autolib1 cleanv status=cleaner cleanings=10 checklabel=no
    

    After the cleaner cartridge is checked in, the server will mount the cleaner cartridge in a drive when the drive needs cleaning. The server will use that cleaner cartridge for the number of cleanings specified. See Checking In Cleaner Cartridges and Operations with Cleaner Cartridges in a Library for more information.

For details on the commands, see Administrator's Reference.

Checking In Cleaner Cartridges

You must check a cleaner cartridge into an automated library's volume inventory to have the server control drive cleaning without further operator intervention.

It is recommended that you check in cleaner cartridges one at a time and do not use the search function of check-in for a cleaner cartridge.

Attention: When checking in a cleaner cartridge to a library, ensure that it is correctly identified to the server as a cleaner cartridge. Also use caution when a cleaner cartridge is already checked in and you are checking in data cartridges. Ensure that cleaner cartridges are in their correct home slots, or errors and delays can result.

When checking in data cartridges with SEARCH=YES, ensure that a cleaner cartridge is not in a slot that will be detected by the search process. Errors and delays of 15 minutes or more can result from a cleaner cartridge being improperly moved or placed. For best results, check in the data cartridges first when you use the search function. Then check in the cleaner cartridge separately.

For example, if you need to check in both data cartridges and cleaner cartridges, put the data cartridges in the library and check them in first. You can use the search function of the CHECKIN LIBVOLUME command (or the LABEL LIBVOLUME command if you are labeling and checking in volumes). Then check in the cleaner cartridge to the library by using one of the following methods.

Manual Drive Cleaning in an Automated Library

If your library has limited capacity and you do not want to use a slot in your library for a cleaner cartridge, you can still make use of the server's drive cleaning function. Set the cleaning frequency for the drives in the library. When a drive needs cleaning based on the frequency setting, the server issues the message, ANR8914I. For example:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|ANR89141I Drive DRIVE1 in library AUTOLIB1 needs to be cleaned.                 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

You can use that message as a cue to manually insert a cleaner cartridge into the drive. However, the server cannot track whether the drive has been cleaned.

Operations with Cleaner Cartridges in a Library

When a drive needs to be cleaned, the server runs the cleaning operation after dismounting a data volume if a cleaner cartridge is checked in to the library. If the cleaning operation fails or is cancelled, or if no cleaner cartridge is available, then the indication that the drive needs cleaning is lost. Monitor cleaning messages for these problems to ensure that drives are cleaned as needed. If necessary, use the CLEAN DRIVE command to have the server try the cleaning again, or manually load a cleaner cartridge into the drive.

The server uses a cleaner cartridge for the number of cleanings that you specify when you check in the cleaner cartridge. If you check in more than one cleaner cartridge, the server uses one of them for its designated number of cleanings. Then the server begins to use the next cleaner cartridge.

Visually verify that cleaner cartridges are in the correct storage slots before issuing any of the following commands:

To find the correct slot for a cleaner cartridge, use the QUERY LIBVOLUME command.

Cleaning Drives in a Manual Library

Cleaning a drive in a manual library is the same as setting up drive cleaning without checking in a cleaner cartridge for an automated library. The server issues the ANR8914I message when a drive needs cleaning. For example:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|ANR89141I Drive DRIVE1 in library MANLIB1 needs to be cleaned.                  |

|                                                                                |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Monitor the activity log or the server console for these messages and load a cleaner cartridge into the drive as needed. The server cannot track whether the drive has been cleaned.

Error Checking for Drive Cleaning

Occasionally an administrator might move some cartridges around within a library and put a data cartridge where TSM shows that there is a cleaner cartridge. TSM uses the process in this section to recover from the error. When a drive needs cleaning, the server loads what its database shows as a cleaner cartridge into the drive. The drive then moves to a READY state, and TSM detects that the cartridge is a data cartridge. The server then performs the following steps:

  1. The server attempts to read the internal tape label of the data cartridge.
  2. The server ejects the cartridge from the drive and moves it back to the home slot of the "cleaner" cartridge within the library. If the eject fails, the server marks the drive offline and issues a message that the cartridge is still in the drive.
  3. The server checks out the "cleaner" cartridge to avoid selecting it for another drive cleaning request. The "cleaner" cartridge remains in the library but no longer appears in the TSM library inventory.
  4. If the server was able to read the internal tape label, the server checks the volume name against the current library inventory, storage pool volumes, and the volume history file.

Deleting Drives

You can delete a drive by issuing the DELETE DRIVE command.

Task Required Privilege Class
Delete drives System or unrestricted storage

A drive cannot be deleted if it is currently in use. If a drive has a volume mounted, but the volume is currently idle, it can be dismounted as described in Dismounting an Idle Volume. A drive cannot be deleted until the defined path to the drive has been deleted. Also, a library cannot be deleted until all of the drives defined within it are deleted.


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