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Asset ID: 1-73-1019957.1
Update Date:2010-09-23
Keywords:

Solution Type  FAB (standard) Sure

Solution  1019957.1 :   On SL3000 and SL8500 Arrays turn off auto clean on the library (via SLConsole) if automated cleaning is turned on in ACSLS or HSC.  


Related Items
  • Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System
  •  
  • Sun StorageTek SL3000 Modular Library System
  •  
Related Categories
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Sun FAB>Standard>Reactive
  •  

PreviouslyPublishedAs
249686


Product
Sun StorageTek SL3000 Modular Library System
Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System

Date of Resolved Release
15-Jan-2009

Tape drives may not be automatically cleaned if there is a conflict in cleaning management (see details below).

Impact

ACSLS and HSC will not receive the "drive needs cleaning" message and the drive will not be cleaned if the library controller (via SLC) is trying to perform an automated cleaning while the cleaning task is being managed by ACSLS or HSC (using normal customer cells for instance).
 
The library controller will try to mount a cleaning cartridge from one of its system cells to clean the drive before sending the host the dismount response.  If there is no cleaning tapes in the system cells prefixed with CLN, the drives will not get cleaned.

Contributing Factors

If ACSLS or HSC is controlling the SL3000 or SL8500 Tape Library they should always be used to manage drive clean requests.  After cleaning is enabled and configured via ACSLS or HSC, they will automatically mount a cleaning tape on the next mount when they receive a "drive needs cleaning" message from the library after a dismount via the library control interface.
 
However, if automatic "auto cleaning" is enabled at the library controller level via SLConsole, the library controller will attempt to control drive cleaning. When the library controller manages the drive cleaning, it does NOT send the "drive needs cleaning message" to ACSLS and HSC.

Symptoms

If auto clean function is enabled in the library via the SLConsole and automated cleaning is turned on in ACSLS or HSC, the tape drives will not be cleaned.

Root Cause

All versions of SL3000 microcode and the SL8500 microcode at FRS_4.1x introduced an option in SLC to manage drive cleaning via the library controller; referenced in SLC as Auto Clean.  It is found in the "System Detail" tab under "Auto Clean".  The intent of this option is to configure the SL3000 and SL8500 to manage the cleaning tapes in the System Cells using cleaning tapes prefixed with CLN.  This option should never be used on the SL8500 until native Fibre support is implemented.  Also it should not be configured in the SL3000 until it is fully implemented in code.  At the time of this FAB's publication, no release date has been set for SL8500 native Fibre support, and full SL3000 support is still pending.

This issue was observed internally in Sun after upgrading the library code on a lab machine.  This issue was not reported by the field.  As a result no formal field issue has been opened.

Corrective Action

Workaround:
 
No workaround available - see Resolution section below.
 
Resolution:
 
If ACSLS or HSC automated cleaning is on, but drives are not being cleaned, check if the library also has auto cleaning enabled.  If auto cleaning is enabled at the library, turn it off via SLConsole per the below instructions.
 
  1) Using SLConsole or the Operator Panel, go to System Detail.
  2) Select Library.
  3) Select the Auto Clean tab.
  4) Select the Configure tab.
  5) See if Auto Cleaning is enabled for this partition (or "Partition 1 or None").
  6) If automated cleaning is enabled, disable it with SLConsole.




For information about FAB documents, its release processes, implementation strategies and billing information, go to the following URL:

For Sun Authorized Service Providers go to:

In addition to the above you may email:


Modification History
Changes since initial Publication.

Date: 20-Jan-2009
  • Changed one of the affected products in the Products field from Sun StorageTek L8500 Tape Library to Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System per FAB Submitter request.

Internal Contributor/submitter
Bruce.Mcdonald@Sun.COM, Richard.Kim@Sun.COM

Internal Eng Responsible Engineer
Jared.Woodard@Sun.COM Responsible Manager: Steven.P.Johnson@Sun.COM

Internal Services Knowledge Engineer
Joe.Davis@Sun.COM

Internal Eng Business Unit Group
NWS (Storage)

Internal Sun Alert & FAB Admin Info
13-Jan-2009: Completed draft and sent to Extended Review.
15-Jan-2009: Incorporated all Ext Rvw feedback - sending to Publish.
20-Jan-2009: Chgd one of affected products from Sun StorageTek L8500 Tape Library to Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System per Submitter request.


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