Tag: tape

Display the status of a tape drive on Solaris

root@solaris:/ # luxadm probe
No Network Array enclosures found in /dev/es

Found Fibre Channel device(s):
(Removed to show only the tape devices)
Node WWN:500104f0009429c3 Device Type:Tape device
Logical Path:/dev/rmt/0n
Node WWN:500104f0009429c6 Device Type:Tape device
Logical Path:/dev/rmt/7n
Node WWN:500104f0009429c9 Device Type:Tape device
Logical Path:/dev/rmt/9n
Node WWN:500104f0009429cc Device Type:Tape device
Logical Path:/dev/rmt/11n

This drive showed the status of the tape drive

root@solaris:/ # mt -f /dev/rmt/7n status
HP Ultrium LTO 3 tape drive:
sense key(0x0)= No Additional Sense residual= 0 retries= 0
file no= 0 block no= 0

This drive shows that no tape is loaded or the drive is offline.

root@solaris:/ # mt -f /dev/rmt/9n status
/dev/rmt/9n: no tape loaded or drive offline

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AIX – Some tape commands

Getting information about the tape drive.

root@aix:/ # lscfg -vpl rmt0
rmt0             U787E.001.AAA2714-P2-C1-T2-L0-L0  4.0 GB 4mm Tape Drive
Manufacturer…………….ARCHIVE
Machine Type and Model……IBM4326NP/RP  !D
Device Specific.(Z1)……..5ALG
Serial Number……………DR0N6QG 0011
Load ID…………………0011
Part Number……………..21H5154
FRU Number………………59H3481
EC Level………………..E30312
Device Specific.(Z0)……..0180020283000018
Device Specific.(Z3)……..L1
PLATFORM SPECIFIC
Name:  st
Device Type:  byte

Getting information about the tape. It is using compression and a variable length block size.

root@aix:/ # tctl -f /dev/rmt0 status
rmt0 Available 06-08-01-0,0 4.0 GB 4mm Tape Drive
ttribute  value description                          user_settable
block_size 0     BLOCK size (0=variable length)       True
compress   yes   Use data COMPRESSION                 True
mode       yes   Use DEVICE BUFFERS during writes     True
ret_error  no    RETURN error on tape change or reset True

Rewinding tape drive

root@aix:/ # tctl -f /dev/rmt0 rewind

Reading tape and redirecting output to a file. In this case, the operating system showed that the tape itself is damaged.

root@aix:/ # tctl -f /dev/rmt0 read > /tmp/testtape
tctl: 0511-578 Cannot read 512 bytes: The media surface is damaged.