configure IBM Tape library to Cisco UCS

[ma.elsayed]

Hello, We have Cisco UCS 5108 with 2 Fabric Interconnect 6248UP.We are running VMware on my Cisco Blades. I need to connect my ibm tape library ts3200and VTL to this Cisco UCS so that I can configure one virtual machine as TSM software to take backups of virtual machine data and Power machines. The tape library connected to Cisco Fabric Switch MDS 9148S. Kindly suggest how to configure the same.please confirm me also if it possible to connect the tape library and VTL directly to FI 6248UP or it not possible. BR, Mahmoud Said

[ssumichrast]

The easy question of connecting the tape library directly to the UCS FI is no since you're already running the FI in end host mode (relying on upstream fibre channel switch). Cannot directly attach the tape drive -- must go through the switch. 

As to passing the drive through to a VM, you will zone the drive to the ESXi servers and then need to configure a SCSI passthru for the device. However I believe you will lose the ability to vMotion the VM once you do this. 

Weve left our tape hosts as physical UCS blades to avoid this problem. The easier solution would be to use iSCSI tape libraries and then connect the VM through its normal uplinks to the library. 

[Walter Dey]

The interop matrix

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/interoperability/matrix/b_hcl_B_rel3-12.pdf

clearly says

Direct connect of tape libraries is not supported

[ma.elsayed]

I Already zoning tape libarary two drivers port name with four ucs server wwpn.After that i add scsi adapter to TSM VM which installed on server 2012 . I can see media changer device but unfortunately the two drives of library not appear .Please help  

[Walter Dey]

What is your topology; do you have a MDS switch, connecting the UCS FI as well as the tape library ? and if yes, if the FI in FC end host mode ?

As I said before, connecting tape directly to UCS FI is not supported.

[ma.elsayed]

I am not connect tape library directly to UCS fabric.I connect library through fabric swatches MDS.I zoning WWN of two library drive s with WWPN of UCS server's.Its write zoning or I zoning library node name.

[Walter Dey]

Can you post the output of the following cli commands on the MDS

show fcns database vsan xyz ?

show flogi database vsan xyz

show zoneset  vsan xyz ?

show zoneset active vsan xyz ?

[ma.elsayed]

Dear Mr.Walter,

Kindly check uploaded file you ask about.Please i see media changer device for physical library and VTL.But i can't see any driver for both .The same zoning for AIX LBAR and i can see media changer and its drivers.

[Walter Dey]

Hi

If you look at the active saveset, you see many entries like below, where the entry without A (*) means that this device has not done a flogi, and therefore is not reachable.

Walter.

PS. cosmetic issue which has nothing to do with your problem: never use vsan 1 !!

 zone name DB2-SRV2_p3_SVC_PG0 vsan 1
  * fcid 0x430600 [pwwn 50:05:07:68:0c:12:56:fe]
  * fcid 0x430b00 [pwwn 50:05:07:68:0c:22:50:bb]
  * fcid 0x431701 [pwwn c0:50:76:09:11:79:00:08]
    pwwn c0:50:76:09:11:79:00:09  <===============================

[ma.elsayed]

Please ,you mean i change vsan 1 to another vsan or what i do exactly ?

The second point zoning steps of Library drives with UCS servers are correct ?

Thank you for your assistance and your help.

[Walter Dey]

Hi

I would use any vsan id different from 1, and a different one for Fabric A resp. B. Maybe even number for A and odd number for B.

Unfortunatly fcalias are per VSAN and therefore have to change as well.

Therefore think about using device alias instead ?

When you talk about ....four ucs server wwpn... do you mean ESXi ?