Question

Library and Drive Sharing Across CommCells

  • 14 March 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 90 views

Badge +3

Hello,

is it possible to share a direct attached library (SAN) across CommCells over ethernet?

 

 

Thank you


6 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +23

Hey @Sergej,

For what purpose. Would you like different commcells to be able to write data to the same library, or restore etc?

Userlevel 3
Badge +10

Based on your tag I am guessing that you have a shared tape library?

 

the answer is yes by partitioning the library otherwise no since it would require some pretty awful zoning shenanigans. You do not want want multiple comcells sending scsi commands to a single library.

 

what make and model library are you using?

Userlevel 3
Badge +9

Based on your tag I am guessing that you have a shared tape library?

 

the answer is yes by partitioning the library otherwise no since it would require some pretty awful zoning shenanigans. You do not want want multiple comcells sending scsi commands to a single library.

 

what make and model library are you using?

This is the only way I’ve done this in the past, multiple CommCells for a customer all leveraging a single (very large) tape library with some software (ACSLS) in between to make the single physical library look like smaller logical ones, it was another layer of management to consider though.

Badge +3

 

I would like to start greenfield (two CommCells) and with a shared library across CommCells I would be able to restore from old environment.

What I exactly mean is regarding following documentation:https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/9889_library_and_drive_sharing_across_commcells_overview.html

I’ve already build it in the lab, but was not able to see/scan the library on the target CommCell (Share Library → Step 7). To add cell shared library on the target isn’t an issue, I can see slots which are already used by source CommCell.

At that point I do not exactly understand why I do not see physical library. Source MA (where the library is attached to) is shared and I can see him on the target CommCell.

But, is a physical (SAN) connection needed on both MAs (source and target) or should it be possible to share the library without SAN connection on target MA, only over ethernet from source MA to target MA?

 

Thank you

Userlevel 1
Badge +3

I would assume not, this looks to be proxying requests to the source commcell. That said my guess is that you skipped a step. Specifically it looks as if in order to address this library the drives and controller has to have been detected in both commcells. 

 

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/9944_library_operations_configuration.html

Detach the library from the old MediaAgent computer, and then attach it to the new MediaAgent computer.

Verify that the library and drives are visible to the operating system in the new MediaAgent computer.

For a more detailed explanation on verifying the driver configurations, see Driver Configurations.

In the Select MediaAgents dialog box, add the old and new MediaAgents. For more information about the <Library and Drive Config> window, see Display the Expert Storage Configuration window.

Click on the Data Paths tab.

Expand the library that you want to change host, expand the library controller, right-click the library controller, and then click Change Host.

The Change Host dialog box appears.

Select the new MediaAgent to which the library is currently attached, and then click OK.

The Confirm Update Host dialog box appears.

Click Yes.

The Information dialog box appears.

Click OK.

Under the same library, expand the master drive pool, right-click the drive pool, and then click Change Host.

The Change Host dialog box appears.

Select the new MediaAgent to which the drive is currently attached, and then click OK.

The Confirm Update Host dialog box appears.

Click Yes.

The Information dialog box appears.

Click OK.

In the Expert Storage Configuration window, click Start, and then click Detect/Configure Devices...

The Detect Library dialog box appears.

Click OK.

 

Badge +3

seems it is possible to install on the MediaAgent (with attached Library) two instances, each from different CommCell.

Now I was able to detect and configure the library on target MA.

I’ll run tests and update you about results.

 

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