Defining SCSI libraries on a SAN

If you choose, you can specify the serial number when you define the library to the server. For convenience, the default is to allow the server to obtain the serial number from the library when you define the path.

If you specify the serial number, the server confirms that the serial number is correct when you define the path to the library. When you define the path, you can set the AUTODETECT=YES parameter to allow the server to correct the serial number if the number that it detects does not match what you entered when you defined the library. As a best practice, specify the AUTODETECT=YES parameter to automatically update the serial number for the drive in the database when the path is defined.

Depending on the capabilities of the library, the server might not be able to automatically detect the serial number. Not all devices are able to return a serial number when prompted by an application such as the server. In this case, the server does not record a serial number for the device, and is not able to confirm the identity of the device when you define the path or when the server uses the device. For more information, see Impacts of device changes on the SAN.