Re: Tape drive replacement

[Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The "Why" behind the IOP/IOA or IOA reset is in good to know as well.  
During the IPL sequence for the card, the card reports to LIC what types 
of devices are attached, and downloads the drivers needed for what is 
attached.  So, if you change the device, the IOA is almost certainly not 
going to have the correct drivers loaded, hence the IPL of the card.

Note:  If you still have an IOP/IOA combination be really sure the IOP 
does not have something else attached to it, like DASD.  That'll ruin 
your day if you IPL and/or move that card.   (don't ask how I know.....)

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 5/15/2012 3:09 PM, DrFranken wrote:
> Yeah that there's a good tip!  I call that one a "Land Mine" and you
> learned how to find them!
>
> Note that if you DLPAR the library among different partitions this isn't
> an issue because you ARE IPLing the IOA (and IOP if needed) with each move.
>
>       - Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis
>
> On 5/15/2012 3:31 PM,rob@xxxxxxxxx  wrote:
> > >  *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro*
> > >  If you replace a tape drive within a tape library (and maybe even just a
> > >  regular tape drive too) it's a good idea to power cycle the card which
> > >  controls that tape drive.  Because if the serial number stored in
> > >  WRKHDWRSC *STG for the drives (not the library) doesn't match the new
> > >  drive serial number your first tape operation will fail.  Alternatively a
> > >  CHKTAP "may" do it.  But when you have a library with multiple drives
> > >  shared by multiple lpars technically it could be months before a
> > >  particular lpar hits a particular drive and getting the chktap to hit all
> > >  drives for each lpar is tough.  Easier to power cycle the card.  Here was
> > >  the memo I used internally.
> > >
> > >  Just to recap what we've found.
> > >
> > >  Last night a backup blew.  On the web based GUI for our TS3310 (aka 3576)
> > >  I noticed that the serial number for the new drive is 1210419702.  In
> > >  WRKHDWRSC *STG.  I used "9=Work with resource" on the "Tape Library". This
> > >  displayed the drives associated with that library.  One of them did not
> > >  match the serial numbers of the drives associated with that library.  It
> > >  was the serial number of the old drive that was replaced.  I could see
> > >  that with "7=Display resource detail".  I went back to WRKHDWRSC *STG and
> > >  used option "7=Display resource detail" on the controller card for that
> > >  tape.  I wrote down the "Location".  So I varied off the library by using
> > >  WRKMLBSTS and option 2.  Then I went into STRSST, 1. Start a service tool,
> > >  7. Hardware service manager, 1.  Packaging hardware resources (systems,
> > >  frames, cards,...), and drilled down with "9=Hardware contained within
> > >  package".  Once I found that card I used "3=Concurrent maintenance" to
> > >  power the card off/on.  After that was done I got out of STRSST and into
> > >  WRKHDWRSC *STG again.  Now the serial number is correct.
> > >  Verified for all lpars and power cycled card as necessary.  I had to power
> > >  cycle cards on two of the four lpars.  The third lpar aborted during the
> > >  CHKTAP when Mike was here.  The fourth lpar aborted during the backup last
> > >  night.
> > >
> > >  General rule:  Power cycle controller or IOA card after replacing tape
> > >  drive.  You'll have to vary off library before hand and on again
> > >  afterwards.  Failure to do say may result in backup aborting with strange
> > >  dumps.
> > >
> > >
> > >  Rob Berendt
> --