How To Configure The OnStream DI-30 for use in SME 5.1.2

By Kelvin Lee

 

Note : I’ve only tested this on SME 5.1.2. It might work on older versions but I can’t be sure.

 

OnStream’s web site recommends the use of ide-scsi + osst to drive the DI-30. This approach does not require a kernel patch or a kernel recompile (which is required if you decide to use the ide-tape kernel patch instead). It was by accident that I discovered that SME 5.1.2 ships with both ide-scsi.o as well as osst.o because officially, SME does not support the OnStream DI-30. However, my tests indicates that the osst.o modules that ships with SME does not seem to work properly. However, the latest version of osst available that is supported under kernel 2.2.19 used by SME works and have been included with this How-To.

 

Additionally, I’ve not been able to successfully use the DI-30 with flexbackup (I did not spend too much time on this, so it might be possible) but have had no problems so far with taper once taper has been correctly configured.

 

 

1.         Install the DI-30 Drive

Follow the recommended instructions on installing the DI-30 into your SME Server

 

2.         Download and install the updated osst.o module

Once you downloaded the new osst.o module, you may replace the one that shipped with SME which can be found in :

 

/lib/modules/2.2.19-7.0.8/scsi

 

3.         Modify rc.sysinit to automatically load ide-scsi and osst (thanks to Ari for

his help on this)

a) make a backup of your rc.sysinit file

# cp /etc/rc.d/rc.sysint /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.bak

 

b) edit the rc.sysinit file

# pico -w /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit

 

c)  search for the section that reads "# Initialize the serial ports." (it's near the end)

 

d) Add the following section:

# install the ide-scsi module

insmod ide-scsi

insmod osst

 

Then reboot and allow the ide-scsi and osst modules to load.

 

4.         Run the Makedevs.sh script to create the osst device nodes

The Makedevs.sh script is listed here

 

#!/bin/sh
# Script to create OnStream SC-x0 device nodes (major 206)
# Usage: Makedevs.sh [nos [path to dev]]
major=206
nrs=4
dir=/dev
test -z "$1" || nrs=$1
test -z "$2" || dir=$2
declare -i nr
nr=0
test -d $dir || mkdir -p $dir
while test $nr -lt $nrs; do
  mknod $dir/osst$nr c $major $nr
  chown 0.disk $dir/osst$nr; chmod 660 $dir/osst$nr;
  mknod $dir/nosst$nr c $major $[nr+128]
  chown 0.disk $dir/nosst$nr; chmod 660 $dir/nosst$nr;
  mknod $dir/osst${nr}l c $major $[nr+32]
  chown 0.disk $dir/osst${nr}l; chmod 660 $dir/osst${nr}l;
  mknod $dir/nosst${nr}l c $major $[nr+160]
  chown 0.disk $dir/nosst${nr}l; chmod 660 $dir/nosst${nr}l;
  mknod $dir/osst${nr}m c $major $[nr+64]
  chown 0.disk $dir/osst${nr}m; chmod 660 $dir/osst${nr}m;
  mknod $dir/nosst${nr}m c $major $[nr+192]
  chown 0.disk $dir/nosst${nr}m; chmod 660 $dir/nosst${nr}m;
  mknod $dir/osst${nr}a c $major $[nr+96]
  chown 0.disk $dir/osst${nr}a; chmod 660 $dir/osst${nr}a;
  mknod $dir/nosst${nr}a c $major $[nr+224]
  chown 0.disk $dir/nosst${nr}a; chmod 660 $dir/nosst${nr}a;
  let nr+=1
done

 

 

5.         Create symbolic links to point to /dev/osst0 and /dev/nosst0

Because the backup scripts in SME references the devices /dev/st0 and /dev/nst0, we need to point those devices to /dev/osst0 and /dev/nosst0 respectively.

 

a) backup current /dev/st0 and /dev/nst0

cd /dev

mv /dev/st0 /dev/st0.old

mv /dev/nst0 /dev/nst0.old

 

b) create symbolic links to osst

ln –s /dev/osst0 /dev/st0

ln –s /dev/nosst0 /dev/nst0

 

6.         Configure taper as your backup program

I followed Darrel May’s excellent How-To on using taper as the backup program. You will need to configure taper a little further through its Change Preferences screen and set the following :-

Under Tape Drive Preferences

Have fast fsf : NO

Can seek : NO

Can fsr : NO

Set block size : NO

Block size : 032K

Need to erase tapes : YES

Use eom : NO

Illegal end of tape : NO

 

 

Under Unattended Preferences

Overwrite unrecognised tapes : YES

 

7.         Configure SME for nightly tape backups

The last step is to use SME’s server manager panel to enable tape backups.

 

 

That should be it. The OnStream DI-30 should now be working. Just remember that with taper, restores will need to be done interactively via it’s console interface. Good luck ! Just remember to test restores from time to time to make sure the backup is working as expected.