Help w/ 3590 B11 tape media library

[Guest.Visitor]

I've got an off-site AS/400 model 510 running V3R7 that has the 3590 B11 tape media library. I am unable to get it to load a tape from the "tower". Or otherwise use it in any fashion. Someone at the site tells me that the "tower" is loaded with tapes, and there is no tape in the tape drive. Also, the "unit ready" light is flashing green. I can sign on to the system from my office. Device TAP03 is the 3590 tape unit (device category *TAP). Device TAPMLB01 is the 3590 tape media library (device category *MLB). "CHKTAP TAP03" returns "Device TAP03 not ready", which makes sense because there is no tape in the drive. "CHKTAP TAPMLB01" returns "*MOUNTED not correct" (CPF415A), which loses me completely. The second level text talks about using SETTAPCGY. So I tried... "SETTAPCGY DEV(TAPMLB01) OPTION(*MOUNTED)" and took all the defaults. Got "Library device function not successful" (CPF67E4) caused by "No device available" (CPF416A); the second level text reports "Media library device TAPMLB01 is varied on, but no devices are allocated for the library device scheduler to utilize." The recovery is "Allocate a resource within the library device to the library device description TAPMLB01 by using the Vary Configuration (VRYCFG) command. Specify the configuration object TAPMLB01, the configuration type *MLBRSC, the status *ALLOCATE and the specific resource to allocate." So... From the "Work with Media Library Status" (WRKMLBSTS), I take option 4 to Allocate resource on the TAP03 device ("VRYCFG CFGOBJ(TAPMLB01) CFGTYPE(*MLBRSC) STATUS(*ALLOCATE) RSRCNAME(TAP03)"). The response is "Status of drive resource TAP03 not changed. Reason code is 2008." (CPD8F91) and "Status of drive resources in device description TAPMLB01 not changed." (CPF26AF). Reason code 2008 says that "The device is in use by another device description". Since TAP03 is varied on, I vary it off, and try the VRYCFG command again. This time I get the same messages, but with reason code 2003, which says that "The resource is not attached to this media library." The second level text is of no help; it tells me to "Use the WRKMLBSTS or WRKHDWRSC commands to determine the names of the drive resources associated with this media library device. Then, try the request again." And that's where I'm stuck at. I would appreciate any help with this as we're in a rather desperate situation with our backup. TIA. Dan Bale IT - AS/400 Handleman Company 248-362-4400 Ext. 4952 D.Bale@Handleman.com

[J.Panzenhagen]

I am not familiar with your type of drive, but I believe it is necessary to have the device in a ready status in order to work with the tower. We have a 3570/B01. I can unload tapes and move to the next tape, but only when the first tape has been loaded. I don't know if this tells you anything that you didn't know anyway, but it's the best I can do. John

[Guest.Visitor]

Thanks for the response, John. The onsite user reported that the "Unit Ready" light was flashing green. It seems to me that it might be in enough of a ready state to let the AS/400 tell it to load a tape. Maybe not. I don't know enough about the unit to be able to tell the onsite user how to make it more "ready" than it already is. - Dan Bale

[Guest.Visitor]

Hi Dan In fact you have two devices. The tapmlb01 and the tap03. With the WRKHDWRSC *STG command you have to configure the tapmlb* and then create the tap03 based on the tapmlb01-description.(In the book CISC-RISC there is a good description how to configure it). Check also the SST, if the ressources are correct. If it isn't working, delete all descriptions and IPL the card, where the device is attached to. After that, you should at least have the possability to use. good luck Robert

[Guest.Visitor]

Robert, thanks for your response! Before I proceed, please note that this problem predates my arrival at this company. After reading your post, and almost ignoring your advice about re-configuring the devices, I asked the question here I should have asked two weeks ago: Has the media library ever been used? I.e., have we ever gotten the AS/400 to load a tape from the cartridge tower? Have we ever had a save operation work so that when one tape is full, the unit removes that tape and inserts the next? To my astonishment, the answer is "No". The only thing we know is that the tape drive works; the user can insert a tape and the drive can use it. Given this newfound information, I am anxious to find the book you referred to, "CISC-RISC". I have never heard of this book; could you give me a more specific reference? FWIW, this tape unit runs on a model 9406 - 510 running V3R7 on a PTF cume from 1997 (!!!!). IBM service has recommended two microcode PTFs to get current. (IBM hardware service inspected the units yesterday, the diags were good.) SST shows: Under "Hardware Resources That Require Attention": Opt Description Type-Model Frame ID Resource Name Disk Controller 9337-482 DE01 Disk Controller 9337-482 DE02 Tape Library 3590-B11 RMD02 Selecting "show detail" on the tape library, I get: Message Number Message 0 Frame ID is blank. 1 EIA location is blank. Under "Failed and Non-Reporting Logical Hardware Resources", I'm seeing a bunch of "Unknown Resources", type-model ****-***, Status Failed, and Resource Name all beginning with UNKnnn. Also, about 50 display station and printer devices all with a Status Unknown. Under "Packaging Hardware Resources", there is a message at the bottom of the screen, "There are resources with unresolved locations. Press F11 to see list." F11 shows the two disk controllers and the tape library mentioned above. Back to the "Packaging Hardware Resources" screen, using option 9 to expand each resource, I find no reference to any of the three "missing" resources. Do we have some unused DASD on our hands? Is this a "real" problem? Oh, and how does one "IPL the card"? I've left a voice mail with the IBM service person who ran the diags on the tape unit yesterday, regarding this new info. Given the urgency of the situation, I would very much appreciate it if you could send your reply to me, at D.Bale@Handleman.com , as well as posting it to the forum. TIA, Dan Bale D.Bale@Handleman.com IT - AS/400 Handleman Company 248-362-4400 Ext. 4952