About Shared Storage Option prerequisites
To configure your hardware for use with Shared Storage Option, you must ensure that the following prerequisites are satisfied:
Attach robots and drives.
Ensure that all of the servers recognize the shared devices. Device recognition may depend on operating system configuration, as follows:
On UNIX or Linux servers, you may have to modify configuration files, such as the sg driver on Solaris systems.
On Windows servers, Windows recognizes devices automatically. However, in some instances you may have to install device drivers.
Some of the following tasks may be optional depending on your hardware:
Determine the physical location of each drive within the robot. Location usually is shown on the connectors to the drives or in the vendor documentation.
This task may not be required if NetBackup device discovery accurately determines drive location within the robot.
Connect all drives and all robots.
Install SAN connecting hardware (for example, bridges, switches, or hubs).
If fiber is part of your configuration and you use a SCSI-to-fiber bridge, determine the SCSI-to-Fibre Channel mapping for your tape devices.
Hard-wired SCSI IDs are converted to Fibre Channel logical unit numbers (LUNs) that the hosts read. To ensure correct drive assignments, you should know which LUNs map to which physical SCSI IDs. Use persistent LUN mapping if possible.
Familiarity with the hardware and various vendor configuration tools help you accomplish this task. See the vendor documentation for your bridge.
Record the physical configuration.
When you set up a Shared Storage Option configuration, record your hardware information. Record the adapter, SCSI addresses, World Wide Names (WWNs), and Fibre Channel LUNs to which you connected each drive. Also, record the version levels of firmware and drivers.
Install and configure the appropriate drivers. See your vendor documentation for instructions.
On UNIX and Linux servers, create any device files that are needed. Depending on the operating system, a reconfiguration system start (boot -r) may create these files automatically.
Create the device files for each drive; use the Fibre Channel LUNs of the drives and adapters in the device file names. Add the names of the device files to your notes to complete the correlation between device files and physical drive location.
Use the NetBackup Device Configuration Guide and the man pages that are available with the operating system.
See the NetBackup Device Configuration Guide, available at the following URL:
On UNIX and Linux servers, customize the operating system by modifying the appropriate system configuration files. This task requires knowledge of the system files that use the Shared Storage Option environment and their formats. For example, on Sun Solaris systems you may need to modify the sg, st, and HBA driver files.
Modify the HBA driver files to bind Fibre Channel devices (WWN) to a specific target ID. For procedures, see the operating system documentation.
For instructions on how to configure the HBA on Windows servers, see the HBA documentation from the vendor.
Use any available hardware configuration interface to configure and ensure that the configuration is what you expect. For example, on Windows servers you can use the Hyperterminal interface to configure SCSI-to-fibre bridges.
Use the following order when you configure and verify the hardware:
Robot and shared drives
Bridges
Hub or switches
Hosts
If errors occur and you suspect the operating system, refer to the operating system logs as described in your operating system documentation.