Full restore of IBM i using VTL

[roopa shree]

I am trying to do a full restore of the IBM i  using the back up  from the VTL 

1. Launched a new LPAR using IBM provided images on the IBM cloud 

2. Tried to attach the same tapelibrary of the system which we are trying to restore 

3. Varied off the tape library on the main LPAR and tried to configure same library on the new LPAR but was getting error that the device is in use 

4. Tried to configure a new tape library and attach the vcatridges but still was unable to 

So is there any where I am going wrong or is there otherway to  do a full system restore

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

Have you checked if the drive status is UNPROTECTED ?  Please review https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.2?topic=libraries-sharing-tape-library-resources 

What is the output of WRKDEVSTS ?

Please attach the diagnostic logs from the VTL system and also mention the time of the device in use error message

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[Virgule59]

Hi,

I have a may the same problem, but not on a restore. It''s on a new installation of quadstore, i'v created a tape library IBM TS3100 on Quadstor. When i try to vary off the library no problem, when i try to vary on the tape of the library after vary off mlb device, i've  got the message,  that the device is in use by another LPAR, but i've just one LPAR.

TAPMLB06       EN FONCTION                        
  TAP08        OPERATIONNELLE         NON PROTEGEE
  TAP09        OPERATIONNELLE         NON PROTEGEE

 ID message . . . . . . :   CPD8EB4                                          
 Date d'envoi . . . . . :   15/06/23      Heure d'envoi  . . . . :   16:09:25
                                                                             
 Message . . . . :   La mise en fonction de l'unité TAP08 a échoué.          
                                                                             
 Cause . . . . . : Cette unité de bande est attribuée à un autre système.    
 Que faire . . . : Attendez que l'autre système ait fini de l'utiliser, puis
   renouvelez votre demande.                                                 

Unité TAPMLB06 mise hors fonction.            
La mise en fonction de l'unité TAP08 a échoué.
Commande de changement d'état non exécutée.  

I've trie on V7R4 and V7R2 with latest PTF. Seems that QUANTUM DRIVE are correctly work wih BRMS  but can't backup on VTL cardridge...

Thank You

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

Please try the following. Edit /quadstorvtl/etc/quadstor.conf (create the file if its not present) and add the following lines

CmdDebug=1

ReservationDebug=1

AccessDebug=1

Then run the command

/quadstorvtl/bin/vtconfig --reload

Please retry the steps, post the time of VARY OFF, VARY ON and the CPD8EB4 message(as you have done now) and send the diagnostic logs (HTML UI -> System Page -> Run Diagnostics -> Submit) If sending the diagnostic logs here is a problem, please send it to vtlsu...@quadstor.com

Please check if the system time of the LPAR and the VTL are in sync before the test

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[Virgule59]

Hi,

Add the 3 lines in configuration file

DisableUncompV2=1
EmulateHH=1
CmdDebug=1
ReservationDebug=1
AccessDebug=1

reload quadstor service : 

here the Two LTO created by quadstor 

Opt  Ressource       Type-Modèle  Etat                  Texte      
       TAPMLB04       3573-020    Opérationnel          Bandothèque
       TAPMLB06       3573-020    Opérationnel          Bandothèque

       TAPMLB04       EN FONCTION                        
         TAP05        OPERATIONNELLE         NON PROTEGEE
       TAPMLB05       HORS FONCTION                      

       TAPMLB06       EN FONCTION                        
         TAP08        OPERATIONNELLE         NON PROTEGEE

Disabled TAPMLBD  DEVICE and enable drive TAP08 drive: 

                     Complément d'informations sur message                  

                                                                             
 ID message . . . . . . :   CPD8EB4                                          

 Date d'envoi . . . . . :   16/06/23      Heure d'envoi  . . . . :   14:31:30

                                                                             
 Message . . . . :   La mise en fonction de l'unité TAP08 a échoué.          
                                                                             
 Cause . . . . . : Cette unité de bande est attribuée à un autre système.    
 Que faire . . . : Attendez que l'autre système ait fini de l'utiliser, puis
   renouvelez votre demande.                                                

 Time switch Vary off vary on 14h30

L'état d'une ressource de l'unité TAPMLB06 a été modifié.        => Time 14h26
Unité TAPMLB06 mise en fonction.                                  
wrkcfgsts *dev tapmlb*                                            

Unité TAPMLB06 mise hors fonction.                                

wrkcfgsts *dev tap*                                              

La mise en fonction de l'unité TAP08 a échoué.                    

Commande de changement d'état non exécutée.                 => 14h31       
                      

Best regard

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

The host removes its persistent reservation registration but then send a reservation later without registration again

Jun 16 14:31:30 svquadstor vtlcore: persistent_reservation_handle_register:437 tdevice 2 2 is_reserved 0 reservation i_prt 0 t_prt 0 persistent_key 0 type 0 generation 0 register by i_prt c050760b8a410024 t_prt 21000024ff5505e7 prev_key 0 service_action_key 0 ==> Host registration remove here

Jun 16 14:31:30 svquadstor vtlcore: persistent_reservation_handle_reserve:603 tdevice 2 2 is_reserved 0 reservation i_prt 0 t_prt 0 persistent_key 0 type 0 generation 0 reserve by i_prt c050760b8a410024 t_prt 21000024ff5505e7 key 0 ==> Host tries to reserve the device but there is no active registration

Jun 16 14:31:30 svquadstor vtlcore: persistent_reservation_handle_reserve:607 2 2 initiator not registered for key 0 retval 0 ==> We return an erro because the initiator/host is not registered.

This might be PTF related, are all PTFs upto date ?

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[Virgule59]

Hi,

Try almost everything, different library, different tape media, 3 LPAR with different PTF Level, and one LPAR with V7R4 and last up to date PTF same error. I know that it's not related to ptf because i'use physical IBM TS4200 on this LPAR with no problem.

up to date PTF :

SF99741   level 8            ALL PTF GROUPS EXCEPT CUMULATIVE PTF PACKAGE & MQ
SF99740   level 23117           CUMULATIVE PTF PACKAGE C3117740                  

Before i try on my IBM i Lpar, i try on Windows server and iscsi connexion, work fine with veaam combination, is-it possible that QUADSTOR have a trace of this connection and now failed on my IBM i.

May be a fresh install ?

Best Regard

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

For the moment please try with 3.0.76.1 from https://quadstor.com/vtl-extended-edition-downloads.html

Before uninstalling change the HBA mode to target from Dual (HTML UI -> Access Management)

dpkg -r quadstor-vtl-ext

dpkg -i <new package>

reboot

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[Virgule59]

Hi, 

Try with last version but same trouble. :( .

I will try on different OS with this version may. thank you

Best Regard

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

A different OS distribution will not help.

Please try the following. Edit /quadstorvtl/etc/quadstor.conf and add the following line

CmdDebug=1

Then run the command 

/quadstorvtl/bin/vtconfig --reload

Please then try to simulate the error and note the time of the vary off and vary on and send the diagnostic logs once again.

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[Virgile Vatin]

Hello,

Sorry, I only saw your message after changing the OS. But after changing the OS and retesting I was confronted with the same error. 

But after forcing the allocation of the media library to the partition, then deallocating this same media library from the partition, I was able to make the drive and the media library work via BRMS. I was able to carry out several backup tests with success, so a full restore backup with BRMS.

The only problem I encountered during restoration was that I couldn't boot the blank partition from the tape, the drive was detected but not booted.

But last week IBM released a PTF, and I think I'm in the same situation: to be retested.

 

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7015245?myns=swgother&mynp=OCSWG60&mync=E&cm_sp=swgother-_-OCSWG60-_-E

This may be the problem encountered by roopa shree.

Best regards

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[Dan]

We have had a similar problem.

Performing a full system restore from QUADStor, we where able to restore the basic OS from tape, via LIC.

When booting the restored OS, to restore the remaining data, the VTL that was restored from, is unresponsive.

Other VTLs that might be present on the same QUADStor system, are still accessible.

When using the LIC to access the VTL, used to restore the OS from, the VTL is also unresponsive.

Restarting QUADStor, the LIC can again access the VTL. But the same is not true for the restored OS.

The above is true for 3.0.76, .76.1 and .77

When using 3.0.75, restoring data via the restored OS works as expected.

Maybe a regression related to the change in fc driver?

Best Regards

[QUADStor VTL Support]

Hi,

Please reproduce the problem one more time and when the problem occurs generate the diagnostic logs (HTML UI -> System Page -> Run Diagnostics). You could send the logs here or to vtlsu...@quadstor.com

Between 3.0.75 and 3.0.76 the fc driver did change and thats the only big change between these versions. We now use the qlogic driver from 5.15 with minor modifications so that the driver builds on different distributions. But if it were an issue at the FC side then other VTL should probably have been affected too. 

Have you tried placing the VTL HBA port in target-mode rather than the default dual mode if not already done ?

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[Craig K]

Please share the steps you are taking to perform a full IBMi restore using Quadstore VTL?  I am in the process of attempting the same thing and would appreciate any guidance you can provide.  I recently took a backup of a remote IBMi 7.3 server to a physical tape device, then once it was back online used DUPTAP to copy the physical tape backup to a Quadstore VTL attached via iSCSI.  Now I am trying to use this backup to restore a brand new IBMi installation on different hardware.  I am running into the problem where the system needs to be in a "restricted state" to restore but cannot access iSCSI during that time.  I do not have access to a physical tape device at the restore location.

Thanks

CK  

[s.kam...@gmail.com]

Almost the same for AIX LPARs connected using pretty old VIO servers. 

3.0.75 is ok, with any other version after FC driver version bump - cfgmgr fails on random drives, kinda works on some of the drives after several consecutive reboots.

The LPARS where drives was configured and available before VTL upgrade - everything is ok until LPAR is rebooted. The rest of the SAN is ok, physical tapes, arrays, etc..

With physical FC cards everything seems to be fine with any version.

For now it is not possible to upgrade VIO to current version (which may fix things up) so have to stick to 3.0.75...

[Virgile Vatin]

I think the problem is now solve. 

But restore from iscsi is a little bit more difficult. To restore when using iscsi you have to start your server from DVD lic code in D M and after that use iscsi as a secondary alternate device (IBM reference : https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/system/files/inline-files/IBM%20i%20Support%20for%20iSCSI%20VTL%201.5.pdf) or from a tftp repository (work with an HMC and start from network boot here's a doc from IBM i (https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp4937.pdf). 

Regards  

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