Communicator e3000 MPE/iX Release 7.5 PowerPatch 2 (Software Release C.75.02) (30216-90352)

Chapter 3

Technical Articles

Announcing Limited Support for Ultrium Tape on MPE/iX

Error Reporting, Diagnostics and Firmware Updates

MPE/iX logs all Ultrium Tape device errors and checks conditions to the system log files as with other SCSI

tapes. System Log files can then be examined with LOGTOOL or cstm’s logtool utility. Similarly, all standard

tape console messages such as AVR tape mount or cleaning cartridge prompts can be seen. However, MPE/iX

cstm (a.k.a. MESA) diagnostics, (like HP-UX cstm) do NOT allow Ultrium access to functions such as “expert

tools” or “firmware update.”

Most diagnostic support for Ultrium drives comes from HP Storage Works Library and Tape Tools (a.k.a.

LTT). LTT does not run on MPE/iX; therefore in some diagnostic scenarios the Ultrium may have to be

removed from the HP e3000 and connected to a host running LTT. For details on LTT, please reference the

HP corporate web site www.hp.com. Currently “HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools” web page may be

found at:

http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ltt/index.html

Firmware update can be accomplished through Firmware Upgrade Tape (FUP). The Firmware Upgrade Tape

(FUP) creator is part of the HP Storage Works Library and Tape Tools. The FUP creator must be run on

Windows, HP-UX or Linux. Once a FUP is created it can be used to update Ultrium devices connected to the

HP e3000. More information can be found at the following web sites:

HP External: “HP Ultrium - Firmware Upgrade Instructions for HP Standalone External, Internal and

M-drive Ultrium Tape Drives”

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp/objectID=lpg50219

HP Internal: NSS Nearline storage “HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools - Firmware”

http://hpcrlib1.gr.hp.com/customercare/Technicalsupport/diagnostics/LTT_firmware.htm

Ultrium device firmware should selected for devices to be compatible with HP-UX Server Systems. Current

firmware levels are:

• Ultrium 215, firmware revision N26D

• Ultrium 230, firmware revision E32D

Configuration Limits and Examples for Ultrium Devices on MPE/iX

Physical connections are to be made only to LVD-SCSI Host Bus Adaptors. LVD-SCSI terminators must be

used for devices to function at rated speeds. HP recommends only ONE Ultrium Tape device per SCSI bus for

maximum performance. No more than TWO Ultrium Tape devices per SCSI bus will be supported. An

Ultrium device must never share a SCSI bus with any other SCSI peripheral type.

You may configure an Ultrium tape LDEV via SYSGEN or IOCONFIG as you would any other SCSI tape

device. On 7.0 with MPEMX74 you should use device ID=DLT. On 7.5 you may use device ID=LTO or

ID=DLT. (Using device ID of LTO or DLT assigns the scsi_tape2_dm driver to the device. This driver supports

Ultrium, DLT and other, “non-DDS” tapes. The driver, completed by MPEMXJ3, will detect Ultrium devices

and automatically make the appropriate SCSI mode page settings.)

Ultrium devices are configured as standard SCSI type devices and so require a “pseudo” device to be

configured as do all other SCSI devices on MPE/iX