OA50886: A TAPE JOB APPEARS TO BE HUNG DUE TO CHANNEL ERRORS WHICH CAUSESTHE PATH TO BE TAKEN OFFLINE

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Customer is running tape jobs.  During mount processing, there
  is a hardware failure and the following messages are on the
  console:
  IOS002A 0CF0,NO PATHS AVAILABLE
  
  IOS102I DEVICE 0CF0 BOXED,  PERMANENT ERROR, NO PATHS
  IOS451I 0CF0, BOXED, NO ONLINE OPERATIONAL PATHS
     :
  IEF524I 0CF0 PENDING OFFLINE
  
  IOS070E 0CF0,MOUNT PENDING
  
  Once a mount is issued, software waits for the mount to complete
  on the tape hardware.  A x'85' not ready to ready is sent to
  software.  If the mount doesn't complete after 2 minutes,
  software requests the status of mount.  If the paths or device
  have failed then retries are done.  Certain IOSCOD return codes
  should be considered permanent errors after 10 minutes or so as
  the IO can't be started to the device. If the devices become
  avialable during the retry of the mount processing, the job's
  mount will finish and the job will continue.  If the job's mount
  doesn't finish during the original retry processing it will
  terminate afer 255 retries which occur at 2 minute intervals.
  
  EXTERNAL SYMPTOMS:
  Messages are received on system log that the mount is still
  pending after 30 minutes with the device having been BOXed by
  IOS.
  
  KNOWN IMPACT:
  Job fails to complete for an extended period of time.
  
  Verification steps:
  Messages will be received in the system log for the device
  indicating the mount is still pending but the hardware has been
  boxed by IOS.
  
  Additonal keywords:
  MSGIOS002A MSGIOS102I MSGIOS451I MSGIEF524I MSGIOS070E IOS002A
  IOS451I IOS002I IOS071 MSGIOS071I IEF524I
  

Local fix

• Cancel the job and restart so another tape device would be
  used.  The client may have to manually unload the tape from the
  drive if it is a private mount so it can be mounted on a
  different device.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: Users of TS7700 Virtualization Engine        *
  *                 D/T3957, D/T3584 ,and D/T3494 native         *
  *                 tape library.                                *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: After the initial mount request had     *
  *                      been accepted at the library, there's   *
  *                      a hardware error which caused the       *
  *                      drive to be boxed by IOS.  The initial  *
  *                      mount never completed at the library.   *
  *                      MIH processing attempted multiple       *
  *                      retries without success.  MIH should    *
  *                      do additional checking for a boxed      *
  *                      condition along with permanent I/O      *
  *                      error (IOSCOD=x'51') and terminate      *
  *                      the request immediately.                *
  *                                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• MIH processing was updated to detect a permanent-error condition
  (IOSCOD = x'51') and if the device is boxed terminate the
  request immediately.  Retries will not be attempted in this
  case.
  

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:

  UA83673 UA83674

Modules/Macros

• AOMTMIH
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  DEV SUPPORT SER

• Fixed component ID

  5695DF113

Applicable component levels

• R210 PSY UA83673

     UP17/06/15 P F706

• R220 PSY UA83674

     UP17/06/15 P F706

Fix is available

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