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Configuring tape drives and media changers on ESX 3.x

Details

This article provides instructions for configuring tape drives and media changers so that the virtual machines on ESX 3.x hosts can access the devices. 
 
Note: Fibre channel attached tape drives are not supported in ESX. For more information, see the SAN System Design and Deployment Guide.

Solution

Add the hardware to the chassis as usual. When the hardware is physically added, log in as root to the ESX host's management interface and configure the tape drive and media changer so that the virtual machines can access the devices.
 
There are two main steps for configuring the devices:
  1. Connecting the tape drive to the ESX host and making it available to the service console
  2. Making the tape drive available to a virtual machine
Connecting the tape drive to the ESX host and making it available to the service console
 
To connect the tape drive to the ESX host and make it available to the service console:
  1. Make sure the tape drive is connected to an Adaptec SCSI card, not a RAID controller. For a list of supported Adaptec cards, search the Hardware Compatibility Guide.

    Note: VMware recommends that you d    edicate the SCSI card to the tape drive.

  2. Check that the service console sees the tape drive with the command:

    # cat /proc/scsi/scsi

    The output of the command looks similar to:

    Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 03 Lun: 00
    Vendor: IBM Model: ULTRIUM-TD2 Rev: 36M3

    Note: If the tape device does not show up, perform a rescan of the Adaptec HBA using esxcfg-rescan. For more information, see Performing a rescan of the storage (1003988).

    Note: If the ESX host console operating system sees the tape device, install the ESX 3.x host specific backup software agent that has support for your tape device. If no ESX 3.x host specific backup agent is provided by your backup software vendor, try to install the backup agent your vendor supplies for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 Update 6. Test this agent on an ESX 3.x host test bed before installing it on your ESX 3.x host production system.

  3. Use either the management interface or VirtualCenter to map an SCSI target from the controller to your virtual machine.
  4. Determine the path that the tape drive was given by the VMkernel with the command:

    # cat /proc/vmware/scsi/vmhba1/3:0

    The output of the command looks similar to:

    Vendor: IBM Model: ULTRIUM-TD2 Rev: 36M3
    Type: Sequential-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 04
    Id: 31 31 31 30 30 31 32 34 31 30 55 4c 54 52 49 55
    Size: 0 Mbytes
    Queue Depth: 2
    ...

    Note: In ESX 3.5.x use esxcfg-mpath -l to determine the device notation

  5. Using a unique SCSI target ID that is different from the local boot device, a dd a SCSI generic device. Use the management interface to assign the address vmhba1:3:0:0.

    The tape drive lines in the .vmx file look like:

    scsi1:3.present = "TRUE"
    scsi1:3.deviceType = "scsi-passthru"
    scsi1:3.name = "vmhba1:3:0:0"

    Note: You cannot dedicate the entire SCSI controller to a virtual machine. You must manage it one SCSI ID at a time. If you are using a robotic tape library, you need to assign one SCSI ID for each tape drive and one SCSI ID for the robotic changer.

    Note: Tape drives are currently only supported using Adaptec SCSI cards with the LSI Logic virtual SCSI controller. Ensure that you use the LSI Logic virtual SCSI controller.

  6. Using the management interface, add the hardware to the ESX host:
    1. To add the tape drive (which is the first device), click Hardware > Add Device > Generic SCSI Device.
    2. To add the media changer, click Add device > Generic SCSI device. Under Device Connection, select Manually. Specify a device, then enter the information accordingly.
Making the tape drive available to a virtual machine
 
Ensure that the SCSI controller attaching the tape drives and media changer is dedicated to the virtual machine.
 
To confirm that the SCSI controller is dedicated:
  1. Log on to the management interface as root or as an administrative user.
  2. Right-click on the virtual machine, click Edit Settings and click the Hardware tab.
  3. Ensure that in the SCSI Controller section, Bus Sharing is set to none.
  4. If the SCSI controller is shared, you must change the setting. To change the setting:
    1. Click the SCSI Controller link.
    2. Choose none from the Bus Sharing menu.

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Actions
  • KB Article: 1000024
  • Updated: Oct 28, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware ESX
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 3.0.x
    VMware ESX 3.5.x