IBM TS2340 User Guide - Page 126

Control Path Failover Support for Tape Libraries, Configuring and Unconfiguring Path Failover Support, Primary and Alternate Paths

Page 126 highlights

Linux Device Driver (lin_tape) Control Path Failover Support for Tape Libraries Note: The library control path failover feature code must be installed prior to enabling control path failover support in the Linux lin_tape device driver. Refer to "Automatic Failover" on page 12 to determine which feature code is required for your machine type. The Linux lin_tape device driver control path failover support configures multiple physical control paths to the same logical library within the device driver and provide automatic failover to an alternate control path when a permanent error occurs on one path. This is transparent to the running application. Configuring and Unconfiguring Path Failover Support Control path failover support is not enabled automatically when the device driver is installed. The Linux lin_tape device driver provides a driver parameter alternate_pathing for you to enable the library control path failover. To enable the failover support in the lin_tape device driver software, you need do the following steps after installing the lin_tape rpm package: 1. lin_taped stop (stop the lin_taped daemon) 2. rmmod lin_tape (unload the lin_tape driver from the memory) 3. Add the following line in your /etc/modules.conf file for 2.4 kernels or /etc/modprobe.conf.local file for 2.6 kernels: options lin_tape alternate_pathing=1 4. depmod 5. modprobe lin_tape (re-load the lin_tape driver into memory) 6. lin_taped (re-start lin_taped daemon) You can ignore the ″Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules//drivers/scsi/lin_tape.ko″ message after the ″depmod″ command. You can check if the lin_tape driver has recognized multiple control paths for your library by reading the /proc/scsi/IBMchanger file. v cat/proc/scsi/IBMchanger If your library lists ″Primary″ or ″Alternate″ under ″FO Path″, you have successfully enabled control path failover feature for your library. If it is ″NA″ listed under ″FO Path″, then the control path failover is not enabled. After control path failover support is enabled, it remains set until the lin_tape driver is reloaded with the alternate_pathing driver parameter set to OFF . The path failover setting is retained even if the system is rebooted. If you want to turn off the control path failover feature in the lin_tape device driver, you can perform the following steps: 1. lin_taped stop 2. rmmod lin_tape 3. Delete the following line in your /etc/modules.conf file: options lin_tape alternate_pathing=1 4. depmod 5. modprobe lin_tape 6. lin_taped Primary and Alternate Paths When lin_tape is loaded into kernel memory, the first logical medium changer device that lin_tape sees in the system is the primary path for that medium 108 IBM Tape Device Drivers Installation and User's Guide

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Control Path Failover Support for Tape Libraries
Note:
The library control path failover feature code must be installed prior to
enabling control path failover support in the Linux lin_tape device driver.
Refer to “Automatic Failover” on page 12 to determine which feature code is
required for your machine type.
The Linux lin_tape device driver control path failover support configures multiple
physical control paths to the same logical library within the device driver and
provide automatic failover to an alternate control path when a permanent error
occurs on one path. This is transparent to the running application.
Configuring and Unconfiguring Path Failover Support
Control path failover support is not enabled automatically when the device driver
is installed. The Linux lin_tape device driver provides a driver parameter
alternate_pathing for you to enable the library control path failover. To enable the
failover support in the lin_tape device driver software, you need do the following
steps after installing the lin_tape rpm package:
1.
lin_taped stop (stop the lin_taped daemon)
2.
rmmod lin_tape (unload the lin_tape driver from the memory)
3.
Add the following line in your
/etc/modules.conf
file for 2.4 kernels or
/etc/modprobe.conf
.local file for 2.6 kernels:
options
lin_tape alternate_pathing=1
4.
depmod
5.
modprobe lin_tape (re-load the lin_tape driver into memory)
6.
lin_taped (re-start lin_taped daemon)
You can ignore the
Unresolved symbols in
/lib/modules/<your kernel
name>/drivers/scsi/lin_tape.ko
message after the
depmod
command. You can check
if the lin_tape driver has recognized multiple control paths for your library by
reading the /proc/scsi/IBMchanger file.
v
cat/proc/scsi/IBMchanger
If your library lists
Primary
or
Alternate
under
FO Path
, you have
successfully enabled control path failover feature for your library. If it is
NA
listed under
FO Path
, then the control path failover is not enabled. After control
path failover support is enabled, it remains set until the lin_tape driver is reloaded
with the alternate_pathing driver parameter set to OFF . The path failover setting
is retained even if the system is rebooted. If you want to turn off the control path
failover feature in the lin_tape device driver, you can perform the following steps:
1.
lin_taped stop
2.
rmmod lin_tape
3.
Delete the following line in your
/etc/modules.conf
file:
options lin_tape alternate_pathing=1
4.
depmod
5.
modprobe lin_tape
6.
lin_taped
Primary and Alternate Paths
When lin_tape is loaded into kernel memory, the first logical medium changer
device that lin_tape sees in the system is the primary path for that medium
Linux Device Driver (lin_tape)
108
IBM Tape Device Drivers Installation and User’s Guide