Oracle StorageTek LTO User manual

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StorageTek LTO
Half-Height SAS Tape Drive
User Guide
LTO
Part Number: E38508-01
Release Date: February 2013

StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive User Guide
E38508-01
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Contents
About this guide..............................................................................................5
Intended audience......................................................................................................................5
Document conventions and symbols.................................................................................................5
Technical support.......................................................................................................................5
Websites.................................................................................................................................6
1 Before you start.............................................................................................7
Supported models......................................................................................................................7
Which operating systems are supported?............................................................................................7
How do I connect the drive to my server?...........................................................................................8
Internal drives .....................................................................................................................8
External drives.....................................................................................................................8
Power specifications....................................................................................................................8
Solaris drivers...........................................................................................................................8
Backup software........................................................................................................................8
2 Installing an internal LTO SAS tape drive ...............................................9
Prepare mounting bay.................................................................................................................9
Attach mounting hardware............................................................................................................9
Install drive............................................................................................................................10
Connect SAS and power cables......................................................................................................11
Secure the drive.......................................................................................................................13
Reboot the server......................................................................................................................13
3 Installing an external LTO SAS tape drive.............................................15
HBAs and cables......................................................................................................................15
Connecting the tape drive to an external SAS port................................................................................15
Reboot the server .....................................................................................................................16
4 Verify installation.......................................................................................17
5 Understanding the LEDs..........................................................................19
Your StorageTek LTO tape drive.....................................................................................................19
Understanding LED sequences......................................................................................................20
Encryption LED, LTO-5 and later models only...............................................................................21
6 Operating your tape drive........................................................................23
Loading a cartridge...................................................................................................................23
Unloading a cartridge.................................................................................................................23
Removing power from the drive....................................................................................................24
7 Use the correct media................................................................................25
Ordering media........................................................................................................................25
Cartridges..............................................................................................................................25
Data cartridges...................................................................................................................25
Cleaning cartridges..............................................................................................................26
WORM data cartridges...............................................................................................................26
Write protecting cartridges...........................................................................................................26
Cleaning the tape drive...............................................................................................................27
Handling cartridges...................................................................................................................27
Operating and storage environment................................................................................................27
8 Troubleshooting.........................................................................................29
General procedure....................................................................................................................29
Optimizing performance.............................................................................................................30
Can your system deliver the required performance?........................................................................30
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 3

Problems with cartridges..........................................................................................................31
The cartridge is jammed......................................................................................................31
The drive will not accept the cartridge (or ejects it immediately).. . ... ... . ... . ... . ... ... . ... . ... . ... ... . ... . ... . ... ... . 31
Encryption troubleshooting.......................................................................................................31
Index.............................................................................................................33
4 Contents

About this guide
This guide provides information about:
•Installing the LTO SAS tape drive
•Using the LTO SAS tape drive
•Troubleshooting the LTO SAS tape drive
Intended audience
This guide is intended for users who install, operate and maintain the LTO tape drive.
Document conventions and symbols
Table 1 Document conventions
ElementConvention
Cross-reference links and e-mail addressesBlue text: (page 5)
website addressesBlue, underlined text: http://www.oracle.com
Bold text •Keys that are pressed
•Text typed into a GUI element, such as a box
•GUI elements that are clicked or selected, such as menu
and list items, buttons, tabs, and check boxes
Text emphasisItalic text
Monospace text •File and directory names
•System output
•Code
•Commands, their arguments, and argument values
Monospace, italic text •Code variables
•Command variables
Emphasized monospace text
Monospace, bold text
WARNING! Indicates that failure to follow directions could result in bodily harm or death.
CAUTION: Indicates that failure to follow directions could result in damage to equipment or data.
IMPORTANT: Provides clarifying information or specific instructions.
NOTE: Provides additional information.
Technical support
Telephone numbers for worldwide technical support are listed on the support website: http://www.oracle.com/us/support/
contact.html.
Collect the following information before calling:
•Contract number
•Product serial numbers
•Product model names and numbers
•Error messages
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 5

•Operating system type and revision level
•Detailed questions
For continuous quality improvement, calls may be recorded or monitored.
Websites
For additional information, see the following websites:
•http://www.oracle.com — Corporate website
•http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/tape-storage/index.html — Storage products
•http://www.oracle.com/us/support/contact.html — Support website
•http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/documentation/tape-storage-curr-187744.html — Products documentation
6

1 Before you start
In this chapter:
•Supported models (page 7)
•Which operating systems are supported? (page 7)
•How do I connect the drive to my server? (page 8)
•Power specifications (page 8)
•Solaris drivers (page 8)
•Backup software (page 8)
Supported models
This guide describes how to install and operate the following LTO tape drive models:
•LTO-6 internal and external tape drives. These are 6 Gb/s SAS devices with a maximum burst transfer speed of 600
MB/s. They can write uncompressed data at up to 160 MB/sec (576 GB/hour).
•LTO-5 internal and external tape drives. These are 6 Gb/s SAS devices with a maximum burst transfer speed of 600
MB/s. They can write uncompressed data at up to 140 MB/s (504 GB/hour).
•LTO-4 internal and external tape drives. These are 3 Gb/s SAS devices with a maximum burst transfer speed of 300
MB/s. They can write uncompressed data at up to 80 MB/s (288 GB/hour).
•LTO-3 internal and external tape drives. These are 3 Gb/s SAS devices with a maximum burst transfer speed of 300
MB/s. They can write uncompressed data at up to 60 MB/s (216 GB/hour).
NOTE: The compression ratio for LTO-6 is 2.5:1. For all earlier models the compression ratio is 2:1.
For a detailed product specification, please refer to http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/tape-storage/
index.html.
5. Tape LED1. Cartridge door
6. Drive LED2. On/Off switch (external drives only)
7. Ready LED3. Encryption LED (only on LTO-6 and LTO–5 tape
drives)
8. Eject button4. Clean LED
Figure 1 Front view of LTO external tape drive
Which operating systems are supported?
LTO tape drives can be connected to servers running under Solaris, Linux and other major operating systems. Refer to http://
www.oracle.com for the most recent information about the operating system versions that are supported.
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 7

How do I connect the drive to my server?
Installation requires a SAS host controller or host bus adapter (HBA) that supports tape.
Internal drives
The tape drive is installed into a spare drive bay in your server and is attached to the host server's internal SAS controller
or SAS host bus adapter. See also Installing an internal tape drive (page 9).
You need one industry-standard, 5¼-inch, half-height bay in which to install the LTO tape drive. Different models of server
require different mounting methods. Refer to your server documentation for detailed information.
External drives
A SAS cable is required to connect to an external SAS port. If your server does not have an active external SAS port, you
must purchase and install an additional HBA. (Some controllers have an external connector, but its default state is inactive
because the SAS channels are in use for internal disks.) See also Installing an external tape drive (page 15).
Power specifications
For a detailed product specification, please refer to http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/tape-storage/
index.html.
Table 2 Power specifications
All other LTO half-height
tape drives
LTO-5 half-height tape
drives
LTO–6 half-height tape
drives
13 Watts idle,7.5 Watts idle,4.5 Watts idle (hibernate)Power
consumption 26 Watts typical,24 Watts typical,29 Watts typical (writing)
40 Watts maximum40 Watts maximum42 Watts maximum
+5V @ 1.9A typical+5V @ 4.1A typical+5V @ 3.7A typicalPower
requirements +5V @ 3.9A maximum+5V @ 4.3A maximum+5V @ 4.2A maximum
+12V @ 0.7A typical+12V @ 0.75A typical+12V @ 0.9A typical
+12V @ 2.5A maximum+12V @ 2.3A maximum+12V @ 2.3A maximum
100–240 VAC, 50-60 Hz,
auto-ranging, 0.7A maximum
100–240 VAC, 50-60 Hz,
auto-ranging, 0.8A
maximum
100–240 VAC, 50-60 Hz,
auto-ranging, 0.8A
maximum
Power
requirements,external
tape drives
Solaris drivers
Tape drivers are available on My Oracle Support (MOS) (https://support.oracle.com).
•LTO-3HH and LTO-4HH SAS tape drives require Solaris 10 Update 5 (05/08) or later.
•LTO-6HH and LTO–5HH SAS tape drives require Solaris 10 Update 8 (10/09) or later.
Backup software
For optimum performance it is important to use a backup application that is appropriate for your system's configuration.
In a direct-attach configuration, where the tape drive is attached to a standalone server, you can use backup software that
is designed for a single-server environment. In network configurations you will need backup software that supports enterprise
environments.
Further details about suitable products can be found on http://www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/storage/
tape-storage/029151.htm. It is important to check for software compatibility and install any recommended upgrades.
NOTE: Certain backup applications require you to use their own tape driver instead of the Solaris tape driver.
8 Before you start

2 Installing an internal LTO SAS tape drive
If you are installing an external LTO tape drive, please refer to Installing an external tape drive (page 15).
•Prepare mounting bay (page 9)
•Attach mounting hardware (page 9)
•Install drive (page 10)
•Connect SAS and power cables (page 11)
•Secure the drive (page 13)
•Reboot the server (page 13)
Prepare mounting bay
You need one industry-standard, 5¼-inch, half-height bay in which to install the LTO tape drive.
WARNING! To avoid personal injury or damage to the server or tape drive, ensure that the server is disconnected from the
main power supply while you install the drive.
CAUTION: Static electricity can damage electronic components. Wear an antistatic wriststrap if possible. If not, to equalize
the electromagnetic charges, touch a bare metal part of the chassis, such as the backplate. Similarly, touch a bare metal part of
the drive before installing it.
1. Assemble the necessary tools and materials:
•Phillips screwdriver
•Flat-head screwdriver (if your server uses slotted screws)
•Torx screwdriver (if your server uses torx screws)
•Your server manuals (for reference during installation)
2. Perform a normal system shutdown and turn off the server and any connected peripherals.
3. Remove the cover and front panel from the server, as detailed in your server's documentation.
As you work inside the server, you may have to disconnect other signal cables or power cables from other devices to
maneuver the new drive into place. If you have to do this, make a note of their position and connections so you can put
them back correctly later.
NOTE: The server must provide forced cooling and be capable of drawing 6 cfm (0.17 m3/minute or 10.08 m3/hour) of
air through the tape drive at up to 40° C ambient operation. This reduces to 4 cfm at 35° C ambient operation. Ensure that
empty bays have the appropriate blank plates installed so that airflow is maintained.
4. Remove the filler panel from a spare 5¼-inch bay of your server, as described in your server's documentation. With some
servers, you must also remove the half-height device divider.
5. You are now ready to install your tape drive.
Attach mounting hardware
If your server requires special rails or other hardware to install the tape drive, mount them on the tape drive now.
If your server does not require special mounting hardware, proceed to Install drive (page 10) now.
Check your server documentation to ascertain the correct method of mounting, and to check whether mounting hardware is
provided with the server or must be purchased separately.
CAUTION: If you remove an existing drive, do not assume the screws that you remove are the correct length for your new
LTO drive. Use washers or shims to tighten, if necessary.
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 9

Different models of server require different mounting methods. Always refer to your server documentation for details. The
following diagrams illustrate common mounting methods. If mounting hardware is supplied with your tape drive, it may
not be exactly the same as shown in the illustrations.
Figure 2 Attaching mounting rails
1. M3 mounting screws
2. M3 offset mounting screws
Figure 3 Attaching locating screws
Install drive
NOTE:
If cable access for the tape drive bay is awkward, it may be easier to access power and other connections if the tape drive is
installed in the top bay. You may need to move other devices to lower bays to achieve this. Refer also to your server
documentation.
Slide the tape drive into the open bay, aligning the tray or rails with the slots in the bay, as shown in (page 11).
10 Installing an internal LTO SAS tape drive

Figure 4 Installing tape drive
NOTE: The illustration shows a server that uses mounting rails. If your server does not use mounting hardware, check that
the holes in the chassis are aligned with the holes in the side of the tape drive.
Do not secure the drive at this point because you may have to move the drive to get the cables into place.
Connect SAS and power cables
IMPORTANT:
A SAS HBA and SAS cable are required. The connector on the SAS drive is a SAS plug connector as per SFF–8482.
1. If a SAS HBA is not already installed, follow the instructions supplied with the HBA to install it before you install the tape
drive.
2. Connect the purchased SAS cable to the new HBA. The connector on the SAS drive is a SAS plug connector as per SFF–8482.
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 11

3. Connect the SAS cable to the tape drive, as illustrated below. Note the difference in power cabling for LTO-5 and later
tape drives, compared to all earlier LTO tape drives.
LTO-5 and later tape drives: Connect a spare power cable from the server's internal power supply to the power connector
on the SAS data cable.
2. SAS connector to tape drive (SFF-8482 SAS cable
with power)
1. Power connector on data cable
Figure 5 Connecting cables to the LTO–5 and later tape drive
All other LTO tape drives: Connect a spare power cord from the server's internal power supply to the power connector
on the tape drive.
2. Separate power connector1. SAS data connector to tape drive (SFF-8482 cable
without power)
Figure 6 Connecting cables to all other LTO tape drives
CAUTION: Never use a cable where power is supplied through the SAS connector because this may damage the
drive. Always use a spare power cord from the server's internal power supply to connect to the conventional power
connector on the drive itself. (This caution does not apply to LTO-5 and later tape drives, see Figure 5 above.)
12 Installing an internal LTO SAS tape drive

Secure the drive
1. Secure the drive, as described in your server documentation. The following diagrams are examples only.
Server latch2Plastic rail1
Figure 7 Securing drive, mounting hardware used
M3 screws1
Figure 8 Securing drive, no mounting hardware used
NOTE: If you cannot tighten the screws, use washers to secure them.
2. Ensure blank plates are in place over empty bays and replace the cover on the server.
Reboot the server
Reboot the server to power up the tape drive and server.
Watch the boot screen carefully after installation. If there are any errors or unexpected messages go back and check the SAS
cabling carefully.
•Have you installed the correct SAS cable?
•Have you reconnected all devices securely?
If this does not resolve the problem, refer to Troubleshooting (page 29) for further guidelines.
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 13

14

3 Installing an external LTO SAS tape drive
If you are installing an internal LTO tape drive, please refer to Installing an internal tape drive (page 9).
In this chapter:
•HBAs and cables (page 15)
•Connecting the tape drive to an external SAS port (page 15)
•Reboot the server (page 16)
HBAs and cables
This chapter describes how to connect your tape drive to an external port on the host controller or new HBA. If the server has
an active external SAS port, a recommended SAS cable is required to connect to it. If the server does not have an active external
port, you must purchase and install an additional HBA that supports external connection to tape and a recommended cable.
NOTE: If you use a recommended cable (not supplied) to attach directly to the external SAS port and the tape drive does
not function, one possible cause is that the port is inactive or not supported for external tape devices. Refer to your server
documentation for further information on supported configurations.
Connecting the tape drive to an external SAS port
1. If installing a new HBA, follow the instructions supplied with the HBA to install it.
2. Connect the purchased SAS cable to the external SAS connector on the new HBA.
1. SAS connector on server (types may vary, mini-SAS SFF-8088 shown)
Figure 9 Connecting the SAS cable to the server
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 15

3. Connect the SAS and power cables to the tape drive and plug the other end of the power cable into the power outlet,
as shown below.
3. Power on/off switch1. SAS connector
2. Power connector
Figure 10 Connecting the SAS and power cables
Reboot the server
Switch on the tape drive and power up the server. The power on/off switch is on the front panel.
Watch the boot screen carefully after installation. If there are any errors or unexpected messages go back and check the SAS
cabling carefully.
If this does not resolve the problem, refer to Troubleshooting (page 29) for further guidelines.
16 Installing an external LTO SAS tape drive

4 Verify installation
Once you have installed the drive hardware, check that drivers have been installed correctly and that you have the correct
version of backup software, and verify that the tape drive is functioning properly before you store your valuable data.
We recommend that you download the latest driver from the My Oracle Support (MOS) website (https://support.oracle.com).
See also Solaris drivers (page 8).
NOTE: Certain backup applications require you to use their own tape driver instead of the Solaris tape driver.
1. Switch on the drive and the server.
2. The tape drive will run its hardware self-test, which takes about 5 seconds. If the self-test passes, the green Ready LED
flashes and then shows steady green. If the test fails, the Drive Error and Tape Error LEDs flash, while the Ready and
Clean LEDs are off. This continues until the drive is reset. See Understanding the LEDs (page 19) for more information
about front panel lights.
3. Verify that the tape drive installation was successful.
4. For all operating systems ensure that you have downloaded any upgrades necessary for your backup application. Check
http://www.oracle.com for software compatibility and install any recommended upgrades.
5. Carry out a backup-and-restore test to check that the drive can write data to tape. Use a blank cartridge.
Native backup applications can be used to check basic tape drive operation, but they will not support all the advanced
features of your tape drive. We recommend that you upgrade your software application before running this test.
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 17

18

5 Understanding the LEDs
In this chapter:
•Your StorageTek LTO tape drive (page 19)
•Understanding LED sequences (page 20)
Your StorageTek LTO tape drive
See also Understanding LED sequences (page 20).
5. Tape LED1. Cartridge door
6. Drive LED2. On/Off switch (external drives only)
7. Ready LED3. Encryption LED
8. Eject button4. Clean LED
Figure 11 Front view of StorageTek LTO-5 and later external tape drive
Earlier versions of the LTO tape drive do not have an Encryption LED.
5. Drive LED1. Cartridge door
6. ReadyLED2. On/Off switch (external drives only)
7. Eject button3. Clean LED
4. Tape LED
Figure 12 Front view of StorageTek LTO-4 external tape drive
StorageTek LTO Half-Height SAS Tape Drive 19

Understanding LED sequences
The meaning of different patterns of LEDs is as follows:
Table 3 LED sequences
Action requiredCauseLED Sequence
Make sure the drive is switched on. The power
on/off switch on an external drive incorporates
a green LED.
Drive may not have power,
may be faulty or may have
been power-cycled or reset
during a firmware upgrade.
All LEDs OFF.
Check the power cable connection and replace
the cable if necessary. On external drives, you
can use the power cable from your monitor or
another device to check that the connection is
working.
If the power supply is present and all LEDs
remain off, power-cycle or reset the drive. If
it still fails, call for service.
Power-cycle or reset the drive.The drive has failed to execute
power-on self-test (POST). If the error condition reappears, call for
service.
Ready and Clean OFF. Drive
and Tape FLASH.
None. This is normal.The drive is ready for
operation.
Ready is ON.
None.The drive is carrying out a
normal activity (read, write). If the drive is upgrading firmware, do not
reset or power-cycle it.
Ready FLASHES.
None.The drive is downloading
firmware. Do not reset or power cycle the drive.
Ready FLASHES fast.
None.Firmware is being
reprogrammed. Do not reset or power cycle the drive.
Ready is OFF, others are ON.
Load the LTO cleaning cartridge. See Cleaning
cartridges (page 26) for supported cartridges
and instructions.
The drive requires cleaning.
Clean FLASHES. If the Clean LED is still flashing when you
load a new or known good data cartridge after
cleaning, call for service.
None. The cleaning cartridge will eject on
completion.
Cleaning is in progress.
The cleaning cycle can take up to 5 minutes to
complete.
Ready FLASHES and Clean is
ON.
Unload the tape cartridge. Make sure that you
are using the correct format cartridge; an LTO
The drive believes the current
tape or the tape just ejected is
faulty.
Tape FLASHES. data cartridge or LTO Universal Cleaning
Cartridge. (See Use the correct
media (page 25).)
Reload the cartridge. If the Tape LED still
flashes or starts flashing during the next
backup, load a new or known-good cartridge.
20 Understanding the LEDs