IC61104: WIN64 SANDISCOVERY CAUSES OPEN BUSY FAILURE

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager V6.1 Fix Pack 2 (6.1.2) Server Downloads
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager V6.1 Fix Pack 3 (6.1.3) Server Downloads

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Windows 64-bit Tivoli Storage Manager servers or storage agents
  using SAN Discovery can cause reservation conflict errors for
  any other server or storage agents using ttape drives in the
  same SAN environment.  Reservation conflict errors indicate that
  a drive has been unexpectedly reserved by a host on the SAN.
  When a Tivoli Storage Manager server or storage agent expects a
  drive to be available, but it encounters a reservation conflict,
  the following errors will be generated:
  
  UNIX:
  ANR8779E Unable to open drive XXXX, error number=16
  
  Windows:
  ANR8779E Unable to open drive XXXX, error number=170
  
  Both of these errors represent reservation conflicts on their
  respective platforms.
  
  Any Windows 64-bit Tivoli Storage Manager server or storage
  agent using SAN Disocvery can cause reservation conflicts for
  any other server or storage agent in the same SAN environment.
  These reservation conflict errors are caused when SAN Discovery
  utlizes the Windows 64-bit HHBAAPI, supported by Microsoft. The
  Windows 64-bit HBAAPI creates unnecessary drive reservations
  by opening tape devices through the registered tape device
  driver (e.g. IBMtape).
  
  Microsoft has been asked to resolve this situation with their
  HBAAPI; however, they have stated that such a change would
  require a complete redesign of their HBAAPI, and thus, have
  rejected the design change request presented.
  
  In order to better resolve this situation, Tivoli Storage
  Manager servers and storage agents need to more robustly handle
  reservation conflict errors by retrying any "busy" errors
  obtained during attempts to open a tape device.  The HBAAPI
  reservation should be held for a very small window as its
  purpose is to only obtain information about the drive (e.g.
  serial number).  Thus, Tivoli Storage Manager server or storage
  agent attempting an open on a device and getting a reservation
  conflict can workaround the issue with a retry.
  
  This APAR will address the retry attempt by introducing a retry
  loop that will attempt to open a device and retry up to 30
  seconds whenever a reservation conflict error is seen.  If the
  reservation conflict persists beyond 30 seconds, the server or
  storage agent will result in the same failure seen before.
  
  This is a workaround to the Windows 64-bit HBAAPI behavior.  It
  changes how the server and storage agent reacts to the HBAAPI
  and not how  the HBAAPI behaves.  Therefore, this change, when
  available, will need to be applied to ALL servers and storage
  agents in the SAN environment -- not just the Windows 64-bit
  servers and storage agents.
  
  Additional Keywords: zz61
  

Local fix

• Disable SAN Discovery on all Windows 64-bit servers and storage
  agents.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All Tivoli Storage Manager servers and       *
  *                 storage agents that share SAN devices with a *
  *                                                              *
  *                 Windows 64-bit server or storage agent.      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: See ERROR DESCRIPTION.                  *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing level when available. This      *
  *                 problem is currently projected to be fixed   *
  *                 in levels 5.4.5.1, 5.4.6, 5.5.3, and 6.1.2.  *
  *                 Note that this is subject to change at the   *
  *                 discretion of IBM.                           *
  ****************************************************************
  See ERROR DESCRIPTION.
  

Problem conclusion

• The described problem has been resolved.  Please note that all
  servers and storage agents on the SAN will need this change
  applied, including UNIX.  This change alters how any server or
  storage agent reacts to Windows 64-bit HBAAPI behavior.  It
  does not change the Windows 64-bit HBAAPI behavior itself.  Any
  server or storage agent that does not apply the change will
  likely see the same reservation conflicts.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TSM SERVER

• Fixed component ID

  5698ISMSV

Applicable component levels

• R54A PSY

     UP

• R54H PSY

     UP

• R54L PSY

     UP

• R54S PSY

     UP

• R54W PSY

     UP

• R54Z PSY

     UP

• R55A PSY

     UP

• R55H PSY

     UP

• R55L PSY

     UP

• R55S PSY

     UP

• R55W PSY

     UP

• R55Z PSY

     UP

• R61A PSY

     UP

• R61H PSY

     UP

• R61L PSY

     UP

• R61S PSY

     UP

• R61W PSY

     UP

• R61Z PSY

     UP