Tape Redirector, Autoloader not listed

[jmcclellan]

Hi.. glad to see the Tape Redirector is finally available!

so I have it, installed and all looks good in the management console. The hardware I have is a Sony LIB-81 AIT-5 carosel connected to the server with scsi. the device works with locally installed Backup Exec.

I am able to add the Sony SDX-110 AIT tape drive contained within the autoloader using the add device wizard, export tape drive. but when I use the add device wizard, export tape auto-loader/changer device, it does not list the Sony LIB-81 Medium Changer that is listed in device manager. it only lists some other changer devices (iSCSI connected VTL changers).

what could be the problem that this changer device wouldn't show up here?

[anton (staff)]

Could be enumeration issue. What symbolic link name do you have for your loader/changer? Can you provide StarWind log for scan attempt and also a screenshot of your Device Management tree with loader-related items expanded? Thanks!

[jmcclellan]

sorry for the delay, apparantly I missed subscribing to the topic

I suppose the symbolic link name is the device instance id in device manager. for the changer in question that is;

SCSI\CHANGER&VEN_SONY&PROD_LIB-81&REV_01MB\6&2859947C&0&000

screenshot attached.

[jmcclellan]

woops posted too soon. logs I could find attached here too. these came from the c:\program files\starwind software\starwind\logs folder after a fresh restart of the service.

had to zip the logs, seems the forums won't allow any other extension.

[Anatoly (staff)]

OK, I will ask you to post screenshot of how this changer is displayed on StarWind machine and I want to ask you if you installed drivers for it on the machine that is connected to StarWind.

Thank you

[jmcclellan]

sorry if perhaps I just don't understand what you are asking for. I just posted screenshots of how the changer is displayed on the starwind machine didn't I? and I can't have anything 'connected to' the starwind machine because starwind, which is installed on the machine with the changer physically attached, doesn't even recognize the changer to export it for connection by others. there is nothing connected to starwind at this time because there is nothing to connect to. this is the whole problem.

maybe this what you want? this is the export autoloader screen from starwind. it simply lists the 3 other devices on the system, and not the one we are talking about. if not please clarify what you need and I will try to provide it.

[jmcclellan]

and the driver installed for this changer is shown below. but again this is installed on the local machine that the changer is physically connected to, which is the machine starwind is installed on. not a remote machine connected to starwind.

this machine and changer/drive have been used as-is for a long time without issue using backup exec. it is direct attached via scsi. the other 3 'Overland NEO' devices shown are iSCSI connected to a VTL.

[Anatoly (staff)]

Can you please provide us with the screenshot of the Details tab in LIB-81 media changer properties? We need to see Device ID property and Siblings.

Thank you

[jmcclellan]

there is no Device ID property available in the details. Hardware ID perhaps for this one? hardware id and siblings attached. the siblings value is too wide for the dialog box, the complete value is SCSI\SEQUENTIAL&VEN_SONY&PROD_SDX-1100&REV_0102\6&2859947C&0&010

[Anatoly (staff)]

OK, we have passed your case to R&D. We will get back to you as soon as we will hear any feedback from them.

[Anatoly (staff)]

We have assumption that StarWind cannot open this device because this device is locked by the other program. So what we can suggest you to do is:
1. Please check if this device is used by anything except StarWind - check if some services or application are running that may use it, and if there will be one stop it and restart StarWind service after.
2. If op.1 showed zero result, the please install the StarWind Service that I`ve sent you on the email that you have used to register on our forum. This build logs more information, that help us all to investigate the issue. To install it correctly you need to stop StarWind service, backup the StarWindService.exe file (just copy it somewhere) and replace it with the file that I`ve sent. afer that open starwind.cfg file and change string <LogLevel value="1"/> to <LogLevel value="2"/>. After this you can start the service and try to cteate device again. If this attempt will be unsuccessful then please share the log with us.

[jmcclellan]

well I feel kinda dumb now, that was it. as soon as I stopped the Backup Exec services, the changer now shows up on the list of devices for export.

I didn't even think of this, because the drive IN the changer was appearing for export, as were the the 3 other changer devices (albeit these are iSCSI). I supposed Backup Exec must hold the physical changer in some sort of different state?

might be nice if it were possible to list, but have it identified as locked or something.

thanks alot for your help on this! much appreciated.

[jmcclellan]

sigh. so when I get to the next page in the add device wizard after selecting the auto-loader/changer device, it says please select tape drive. and there are no tape drives on the list. however the drive within the library shows up on the export tape drive list. what to do here now!

[Anatoly (staff)]

Can you please provide us with corresponding two screenshots and the logs on the time of the issue (I will ask you to specify the time also)?

Thank you

[jmcclellan]

ok here it is

if I export tape drive, the SDX-1100 drive contained within the tape library is listed;

exporttape.JPG (46.27 KiB) Viewed 11903 times

if I export autoloader, the LIB-81library is listed;

export2.JPG (38.69 KiB) Viewed 11903 times

and in the next step where it asks to select tape drive, there is nothing listed. I would expect the SDX-1100 here?

selecttape.JPG (22.16 KiB) Viewed 11899 times

logs to follow.