Starport freezes when I try and add a device

[l9nux]

Hi,

I've just downloaded the trial of Starport, and when adding a new device I can see the device, but when I click Next it just freezes. What could be causing this? I don't want to give up on the product just yet.

I'm running this on a Windows 2003 Server.

Thanks,

Ray.

[Val (staff)]

Hi Ray,

What is your StarPort version? (it's reported in About dialog).

Do you mean your machine freezes or the StarPort Control Application?

Which type of devices do you use to connect?

[l9nux]

Hi,

I've just downloaded the trial (2.6.4) and it's just the application that freezes. The device I'm trying to connect to is an Overland REO 1000 virtual tape library.

The MS initiator connects to the device fine, but I wanted to use Starport because of some extra options that's available. I've tried this on an XP computer and also Windows 2003 server. Both with exactly the same results.

When Starport freezes, I can't even end the task with Task Manager. I have to reboot.

If I can't get this working then I will have to spend a fortune on the Adaptec HBA card, and with 40 servers this is not really an option due to cost.

Is this a bug with the latest version of Starport?

[Val (staff)]

Hi Ray,

We've never have a chance to try StarPort with Overland REO 1000 virtual tape library. So there may be some issues that lead to freezing of the application.

Could you send me Ethereal logs for the cases when the MS initiator and our StarPort start an iSCSI session to the tape library?
It could help us to understand what happens in the case...

BTW what are the "some extra options that's available" in StarPort that you mentioned? :)

Hi,

I've just downloaded the trial (2.6.4) and it's just the application that freezes. The device I'm trying to connect to is an Overland REO 1000 virtual tape library.

The MS initiator connects to the device fine, but I wanted to use Starport because of some extra options that's available. I've tried this on an XP computer and also Windows 2003 server. Both with exactly the same results.

When Starport freezes, I can't even end the task with Task Manager. I have to reboot.

If I can't get this working then I will have to spend a fortune on the Adaptec HBA card, and with 40 servers this is not really an option due to cost.

Is this a bug with the latest version of Starport?

[l9nux]

Hi,

I'll try and capture the packets with Ethereal next week and show you what it's doing.

Going back to the reason I want to use StarPort is because of an issue with the MS iSCSI initiator, Veritas Backup Exec and Virtual Tape Libraries.

The MS iSCSI will allocate the target ID's to each device automatically in a sequential order (ie. 0, then 1, 2 etc). However, Veritas needs the Changer's ID to be lower than the tape drive itself, otherwise Veritas only see's a single tape drive. Very frustrating. See this for more info: http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/237047.htm

"The location for an autoloader and/or tape drive that are multi-ID based should be configured with the target ID for the loader (if applicable) lower than the target ID for the tape drive, avoiding 0 or 1 as these are generally reserved for boot devices (that is: changer = 2, tape = 3). If working with a standalone tape drive then the configuration for the SCSI location is not as much of a concern. As long as the tape drive is detected on the SCSI controller, and is (preferably) not assigned ID 0 or 1, then it should work fine."

I was hoping that StarPort will give the option to change the target ID's, but to be honest I didn't get that far, so I'm not even sure it will work.

Thanks.

[Val (staff)]

Ray,

The recent StarPort does not supports assigning SCSI Bus/Target/Lun values to a target.

AFAIK the MS initiator 2.0 allows this. Please refer to its documentation for more details. You need use iscsicli.exe to set up to connect your tape library and assign SCSI Bus/Target/Lun to it.
iscsicli.exe PersistentLoginTarget <TargetName> .... <Mapping Count> <Target Lun> <OS Bus> <Os Target> <OS Lun> ...

Please let me know about the results.

[l9nux]

Hi Valery,

Thanks very much for your help with this. We've actually got the Overland REO 1000 on a loan, and Overland themselves told us to get a Q-Logic HBA card at £470 each. We want to connect 40 servers to this, which is crazy money!

I did look at the command line you mention, and to be honest I didn't know the correct format and it didn't work. Now you've given me the correct format I will give this another go later.

Again, thanks for all your help!

Ray.

[Val (staff)]

Hi Valery,

Thanks very much for your help with this. We've actually got the Overland REO 1000 on a loan, and Overland themselves told us to get a Q-Logic HBA card at £470 each. We want to connect 40 servers to this, which is crazy money!

I did look at the command line you mention, and to be honest I didn't know the correct format and it didn't work. Now you've given me the correct format I will give this another go later.

Again, thanks for all your help!

Ray.

Hi Ray,

Ok.
Please let us know about the results.

[l9nux]

Ok, I'm now having problems with this command.

iscsicli PersistentLoginTarget vtl0.changer.00e081619476.192 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 0x0 0 2 0

When I enter this I get the following error:

Target LUN must be in 0x0123456789abcdef format
The parameter is incorrect.

I think it could be a problem with the mapping count, as I have no idea what this is? As you'll see, I've used 1 as the mapping count, but this was a guess!

Here is what I'm trying to set:

BUS: 0
Target ID: 2
Port: 3
LUN: 0


Any help with this is much apreciated!

Ray.

[Val (staff)]

Hi,

1) I guess it would be better to ask such a question in a MS initiator related group. Maybe in microsoft.public.storage newsgroup.

2) I have little expirience with the command syntax. Used the utility for testing quite a bit ago...

3) Just tried the following syntax and it seems to work well:

Code: Select all

iscsicli LoginTarget iqn.2003-06.com.rocketdivision.starwind:host.ramdisk.ramdrive0 * 127.0.0.1 3260 * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 0x0000000000000000 0 2 0

This creates BTL 0/2/0 as you need...

To make the target persistent, I've followed the previous command with the next one:

Code: Select all

iscsicli PersistentLoginTarget iqn.2003-06.com.rocketdivision.starwind:host.ramdisk.ramdrive0 * 127.0.0.1 3260 * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 0x0000000000000000 0 2 0

Maybe you also need some playing with:
iscsicli AddTargetPortal ...
iscsicli ListTargets [ForceUpdate]
etc

I hope this helps.

Ok, I'm now having problems with this command.

iscsicli PersistentLoginTarget vtl0.changer.00e081619476.192 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 0x0 0 2 0

When I enter this I get the following error:

Target LUN must be in 0x0123456789abcdef format
The parameter is incorrect.

I think it could be a problem with the mapping count, as I have no idea what this is? As you'll see, I've used 1 as the mapping count, but this was a guess!

Here is what I'm trying to set:

BUS: 0
Target ID: 2
Port: 3
LUN: 0


Any help with this is much apreciated!

Ray.

[stuartr]

Ray,

The recent StarPort does not supports assigning SCSI Bus/Target/Lun values to a target.

AFAIK the MS initiator 2.0 allows this. Please refer to its documentation for more details. You need use iscsicli.exe to set up to connect your tape library and assign SCSI Bus/Target/Lun to it.
iscsicli.exe PersistentLoginTarget <TargetName> .... <Mapping Count> <Target Lun> <OS Bus> <Os Target> <OS Lun> ...

Please let me know about the results.

What's the point of using Starport if you have to first install the Microsoft iSCSI initiator and use it's command line interface?

Are there any plans to add SCSI Bus/Target/Lun support to this product?

[Val (staff)]

Ray,

The recent StarPort does not supports assigning SCSI Bus/Target/Lun values to a target.

AFAIK the MS initiator 2.0 allows this. Please refer to its documentation for more details. You need use iscsicli.exe to set up to connect your tape library and assign SCSI Bus/Target/Lun to it.
iscsicli.exe PersistentLoginTarget <TargetName> .... <Mapping Count> <Target Lun> <OS Bus> <Os Target> <OS Lun> ...

Please let me know about the results.

What's the point of using Starport if you have to first install the Microsoft iSCSI initiator and use it's command line interface?

Are there any plans to add SCSI Bus/Target/Lun support to this product?

Hi,

StarPort has nothing to do with the MS inititator and it does not use any utilities from the mS initiator.

In this thread the original poster had problems with the MS initiator and I've kindly helped him in solving his problem with the command line settings for the utility.

Yes, the recent StarPort version does not allow specifiying custom BTL values for a device, but the next main version will include the feature.