IT38395: WHEN MULTIPATH AND ENCRYPTION ARE IN PLACE, VSNAP DISK SHOW LISTS AS UNUSED DISKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN USE.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Using IBM SPECTRUM PROTECT PLUS, having VSNAP appliance where
  encryption is enabled on top of multipath disks, this problem
  can occur.
  VSNAP DISK SHOW lists as UNUSED disks that are currently in use.
  
  
  Output from the customer's system can be similar to this one:
  [serveradmin@xxxxxx1 ~]$ vsnap disk show
  UUID | TYPE  |. | SIZE   | USED AS | KNAME | NAME
  ------...--------------...-------------------------------------
  ----------------
  9.15 | MPATH |. | 5.TB   | unused  | dm-5  | /dev/mapper/mpatha
  9.50 | MPATH |. | 1000GB | VMFS_vol| dm-22 | /dev/mapper/mpathaa
  
  9.16 | MPATH |. | 5TB    | unused  | dm-6  | /dev/mapper/mpathb
  9.17 | MPATH |. | 5TB    | unused  | dm-7  | /dev/mapper/mpathc
  9.18 | MPATH |. | 5TB    | unused  | dm-8  | /dev/mapper/mpathd
  9.19 | MPATH |. | 5TB    | unused  | dm-9  | /dev/mapper/mpathe
  9.21 | MPATH |. | 100GB  | VMFS_vol| dm-10 | /dev/mapper/mpathf
  9.0d | MPATH |. | 502GB  | VMFS_vol| dm-11 | /dev/mapper/mpathg
  
  NAME
  
  
  /dev/sdee
  
  
  +-/dev/mapper/mpatha
  
  
   +-/dev/mapper/disck_encr-xxxxxxxxxx-999-ffff-000    zfs_member
  
  KNAME      TYPE     SIZE VENDOR   MODEL            SERIAL
  FSTYPE
  /dev/sdee  disk       5T IBM      2145             xx
  mpath_member
  /dev/dm-5  mpath      5T
  /dev/dm-45 crypt      5T
  
  
  VSNAP DISK SHOW is reporting incorrect output.
  
  
  
  IBM Spectrum Protect Plus Versions Affected:
  IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.8 and higher
  
  
  
  
  Additional Keywords: SPP, SPPlus, TS006298232, MULTIPATH,
  ENCRYPTION
  

Local fix

• You can see the full tree-like output using command "vsnap disk
  lsblk" which shows the correct output.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level 10.1.8 and 10.1.9.           *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See Error Description                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply fixing level when available. This problem is currently *
  * projected to be fixed in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus level     *
  * 10.1.10. Note that this is subject to change at the          *
  * discretion of IBM.                                           *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• vSnap constructs disk information by parsing the output of the
  system command "lsblk". In some cases when running encrypted
  pools on multipath disks, the output of "lsblk" is structured
  differently. The vSnap code did not parse the results correctly
  resulting in incorrect disk information being displayed. The
  problem has been resolved by updating the vSnap code to
  correctly handle both output formats.
  

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:

Modules/Macros

• vSnap
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SP PLUS

• Fixed component ID

  5737SPLUS

Applicable component levels