Troubleshooting Tape Library Management Issues

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Applies To: System Center Data Protection Manager 2010

The following table provides troubleshooting guidance on tape library issues.

Tape Library Issues

Error Message Possible Cause Resolution

SetDPMSharedDatabase fails.

Exceptions have not been added to the firewall.

Add the following exceptions to the firewall on the DPM server:

  • SqlBrowser

  • SqlServer

  • Windows Management Instrumentation

Tape is written by a non-DPM application using a physical block size either less than 1024 bytes or more than 65536 bytes.The tape in <LibraryType> <Library> at <MediaLocationType> <MediaLocationInfo> has been written to by another tape backup application using an unsupported physical block size.

DPM only supports reading a physical block size between 1024 bytes and 65536 bytes. Therefore DPM cannot read or overwrite the contents of this tape.

If the tape was used by any other backup application with an unsupported block size, the block size information will persist with the tape.

To resolve this issue, do the following to erase the contents of the tape:

  • In DPM Administrator Console, in the Management pane, on the Libraries tab, select the tape, and then click Erase tape

    After erasing the tape, DPM will be able to use it for backups.


    Note

    If you have a standalone tape drive, you might have to erase the tape using a tool other than DPM.

A new tape library or stand-alone tape drive does not appear in DPM Administrator Console.

After performing the Rescan operation, DPM Administrator Console cannot identify a new tape library or stand-alone tape drive on the DPM server.

After you install a new tape library and then perform the Rescan operation, if the tape library does not appear on the Libraries tab in the Management task area of DPM Administrator Console, do the following:

  • Ensure that the tape library and drives are properly connected.

  • For SCSI connections, ensure that the logical unit number (LUN) for each device is unique.

  • Ensure that Device Manager lists all tape libraries and stand-alone tape drives attached to the DPM server. If they do not appear in Device Manager, do the following:

    1. In Control Panel, double-click System.

    2. In the System Properties dialog box, on the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.

    3. In Device Manager, expand Tape drives, and if you added a tape library, expand Medium Changers.

    4. Right-click the tape drives and medium changers if you added a tape library, and then click Scan for hardware changes.

    5. After the devices appear in Device Manager, return to the Libraries tab in the Management task area, and then click Rescan.

  • Ensure the proper drivers are installed for each device.

Library jobs start to fail after removing a tape that was stuck in the tape library.

The library jobs fail because Media Manager continues to report the nonexisting tape in the drive.

To update the DPM library information, do the following:

  1. Properly remove the tape from the drive by following the recommended procedures of the tape library vendor.

  2. Power down and then restart the tape library.

  3. In DPM Administrator Console, on the Libraries tab in the Management task area, click Inventory library.

  4. In the Inventory dialog box, select Detailed inventory, and then click Start.

DPM Library Management cannot find the Quantum tape drive in the Qualstar tape library.

If you are using the incorrect drivers for the Quantum tape drive, DPM Library Management cannot find it because the drive was not initialized and configured.

We recommend that you run Ltotape.sys for the Quantum LTO drives.

A new tape does not appear in DPM Administrator Console.

After you add a new tape to your tape library without using Unlock library door or Add tape (IEPort), the new tape might not appear in the DPM Library Management task area.

To display the new tape, do the following:

  1. In DPM Administrator Console, click Management on the taskbar.

  2. On the Libraries tab, in the Actions pane, click Inventory library.

  3. In the Inventory dialog box, select Fast inventory, and then click Start.

A tape does not appear in the Library Management task area.

If you run a detailed inventory on the tape library after inserting a tape, the tape does not appear in the Library Management task area.

To display the tape in the Library Management task area, insert the tape in the tape library and then do the following:

  1. In DPM Administrator Console, click Management on the navigation bar.

  2. On the Libraries tab, select the tape library.

  3. In the Actions pane, click Inventory.

  4. In the Inventory dialog box, select Fast inventory, and then click Start.

  5. After the fast inventory is complete, in the Inventory dialog box, select Detailed inventory, and then click Start.

DPM does not detect a newly inserted tape.

In DPM Administrator Console, if you run a detailed inventory, it will not detect inserted tapes that are new.

You must first run a fast inventory, which detects any tape (with or without a bar code) in any library.

After you run a fast inventory, the detailed inventory will detect the new tape.