Appendix B. Replacing a NearStore VTL Head

Use this procedure to rebuild the library configuration if it becomes necessary to replace the VTL head. Some of the necessary data is kept on the physical disks, but before that data can be imported into the new system, you must re-create some basic configuration data. Prior to starting, you need to know the names of all the virtual libraries, their types, and the order in which they were created in the original system. A convenient way to keep the necessary details is by printing out the SCSI addresses of all libraries (Configuration Tasks >Virtual Libraries >SCSI Addresses) and the Virtual library list (Configuration Tasks >Virtual Libraries >Virtual Library List). The order of the LUNs reflects the order in which the libraries were created. The table shows the values for the example.

Table B.1. Virtual Library List

Library name

Capacity allocated

Capacity used

Library type

#Virtual tapes

#Slots

#Drives

Storage pool

red

35.00 GB

8.00 GB

NETAPP 7220

1

20

2

Default Storage Pool

blue

70.00 GB

11.29 GB

NETAPP 7220

2

20

2

Default Storage Pool

Table B.2. SCSI Addresses

Library

Device

Vendor ID

Product ID

LUN

red

Robot

EXABYTE

EXB-440

0

Tape Device 0

QUANTUM

DLT7000

1

Tape Device 1

QUANTUM

DLT7000

2

blue

Robot

EXABYTE

EXB-440

3

Tape Device 0

QUANTUM

DLT7000

4

Tape Device 1

QUANTUM

DLT7000

5

To rebuild the VTL configuration, do the following:

  1. Remove and replace the VTL head. Cable the new head to the same configuration as the old head. Make sure the new head has the same revision of firmware as the old head.

  2. Connect and power on all disks.

  3. From the serial console, bring up the server and set the IP address.

  4. From the web browser, log in as admin.

    The event log sees disks and displays messages such as:

    Wed Oct 17 02:09:38 2001 16 Disk h2c0t6l1 has a label from another system.

  5. Create all libraries with same names, types, and order as the original. Using the example, the correct order is to create red followed by blue. Both libraries are of type NETAPP 7220.

  6. Go to Configuration Tasks >RAID groups. In the Add RAID groups screen, the disks show that they are “labeled by another system”.

  7. Select Import RAID groups.

  8. Select all the disks that belong to this system and click Apply. Scanning of these disks starts.

  9. Select the link To view the list of importing physical disks, click here.

    View the status of the scanning. This screen is not automatically updated. Use your browser refresh button to update the screen. Scanning can take quite a long time (even hours, depending on the total size of all the disks).

  10. When the scanning is complete (and the screen has been refreshed), a new message is displayed:

    The physical disks have been imported to this system, click here to assign the virtual tapes to libraries

    Click this link.

  11. Assign the disks to the appropriate virtual libraries. The GUI displays the library name in which the disk was originally used.

  12. After you have completed this step, the system is operational.

Copyright © 1994-2005, Network Appliance, Inc. All rights reserved.
Part number 210-02720_A0
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