IC58281: TSM DRIVE PATH IS LEFT OFFLINE AFTER A PREVIOUS DRIVE FAILURE IS RECOVERED FROM AND DRIVE IS ACCESSIBLE AGAIN.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When an I/O error occurs such that TSM is unable to access the
  defined drives, TSM updates the drive paths offline and starts
  polling the drives. Once the drive is accessible again, the
  drive is put back online but the drive path is left offline.
  For example, the activity log would show :
  
  ANR8311E An I/O error occurred while accessing drive VTL-RMT3
   (/dev/rmt3) for WRITE operation, errno = 5.
  ANR1411W Access mode for volume 272D80L3 now set to "read-only"
   due to write error.
  ANR0514I Session 39 closed volume 272D80L3.
  ANR8311E An I/O error occurred while accessing drive VTL-RMT3
   (/dev/rmt3) for OFFL operation, errno = 50.
  ANR8963E Unable to find path to match the serial number
   defined for drive VTL-RMT4 in library VTL .
  ANR8873E The path from source TSM55 to destination VTL-RMT4
    (/dev/rmt4) is taken offline.
  ANR8848W Drive VTL-RMT4 of library VTL is inaccessible;
   server has begun polling drive. (SESSION: 39)
  ANR8963E Unable to find path to match the serial number
   defined for drive VTL-RMT2 in library VTL .
  ANR8873E The path from source TSM55 to destination VTL-RMT2
    (/dev/rmt2) is taken offline.
  ANR8848W Drive VTL-RMT2 of library VTL is inaccessible;
   server has begun polling drive.
  
  The above shows that the 272D80L3 suffers from a WRITE error
  in drive VTL-RMT3 because. This happend because of a failover
  that was initiated on an IBM TS7520 (or TS7530) VTL.
  Following that, the TSM server tries to dismount the tape but
  this fails because of the failover in progress. The TSM server
  is then unable to access the other 2 drives, VTL-RMT2 and
  VTL-RMT4 and starts polling the drives. It also updates the path
  for those 2 drives to an OFFLINE status.
  Once the VTL failover completes, it allows the tape to be
  dismounted. Also, the TSM server is able to access the other
  drives again which were polling. The messages are :
  
  ANR8468I LTO volume 272D80L3 dismounted from drive VTL-RMT3
   (/dev/rmt3) in library VTL.
  ANR8839W Drive VTL-RMT2 of library VTL is accessible.
  ANR8839W Drive VTL-RMT4 of library VTL is accessible.
  
  However, following this, the drive paths are left offline for
  the drives that are accessible again. A QUERY PATH shows :
  
  Source Name   Source Type   Destination   Destination   On-Line
                                Name          Type
  ----------   -----------   -----------   -----------    --------
  TSM55         SERVER        VTL-RMT2         DRIVE         No
  TSM55         SERVER        VTL-RMT3         DRIVE         Yes
  TSM55         SERVER        VTL-RMT4         DRIVE         No
  
  After this, it is necessary to update the drive paths to online
  to use the drives again. For example :
  
  upd path tsm55 vit-rmt2 srct=serv destt=dr library=vit online=y
  
  TSM Versions Affected:
  TSM V5.4 and 5.5 servers on all platforms.
  
  Additional Keywords:
  san discovery fail over retry
  

Local fix

• Turn off sandiscovery with "sandiscovery off" server option or
  "setopt sandiscovery off" admin command to prevent path from
  going offline. With sandiscovery off, the drive path remains
  online and the drive is usable once accessible again.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All TSM servers with tape drives.            *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: See ERROR DESCRIPTION.                  *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing level when available. This      *
  *                 problem is currently projected to be fixed   *
  *                 in levels 5.4.5 and 5.5.2. Note that this is *
  *                                                              *
  *                 subject to change at the discretion of IBM.  *
  ****************************************************************
  See ERROR DESCRIPTION.
  

Problem conclusion

• The described problem has been resolved.
  

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

• R55A PSY

     UP

• R55H PSY

     UP

• R55L PSY

     UP

• R55S PSY

     UP

• R55W PSY

     UP