Identify compatible tape libraries

Find the latest list of compatible tape libraries for System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM).

Virtual tape library support

Virtual tape libraries configured with a virtual fiber channel adapter are supported with certified hardware listed in the wiki. To check if your tape library is supported by the virtual fiber channel adapter, ask your tape hardware vendor to verify tape library compatibility.

Verify tape library compatibility

If the tape is listed in the Windows Server Catalog in the Hardware, Storage section, and is shown as compatible with Windows OS, it will probably work with DPM. If you already have a tape, you can run the DPM Tape Library Compatibility Test tool as described below.

Run the compatibility tool

Before you run the tool, do the following:

• Check if your target tape library and tape drives are visible in Device Manager.

• Insert a read/write data tape in slot 0. The contents of this tape will be overwritten.

• Insert cleaning tape in slot 1. The tapes must be in consecutive slots, and there should be no tapes in the slots between the tapes. The data tape's slot must precede the cleaning tape slot.

To acquire and run the compatibility tool:

1. Download the DPM Tape Library Compatibility Test Tool.

2. Extract the files. Open an elevated command prompt and navigate to the folder to which you extracted the tool.

3. To check that the tape is visible to the tool, type DPMLibraryTest.exe /CERTIFY /LL. Then certify as follows:

   • To certify a tape library, type DPMLibraryTest.exe /CERTIFY /TL <tape library name> /AT

   • To certify a standalone tape drive, type DPMLibraryTest.exe /CERTIFY /TL <device name> /SA

4. The tool runs the following tests:

   • Test 1: Basic configuration - Scans the system for attached devices and identifies standalone tape drives and tape libraries. The tool provides a summary at the end of the test. For each device, you'll see a Device Name, Serial Number, Vendor Name, Product Name, Firmware Revision, and SCSI properties. You should verify that the summary information is correct. If it isn't:

     • Check all devices are listed in Device Manager.

     • Ensure that device drivers are up-to-date.

     • If the drive mappings are incorrect, use the DPMDriveMapping.exe tool in the <DPM installation folder>/bin folder to correct the mappings. If you don't have DPM installed on the computer, copy the DPMLA.xml that DPMDriveMapping.exe creates to the folder to which you extracted the Tape Library Certification tool.

   • Test 2: Mount/dismount - This test selects a tape from the first available slot and performs a mount///dismount of the tape to and from a drive.

   • Test 3: Drive cleaning - This test performs a cleaning test using the cleaning tape. If you are using Firestreamer to a VTL where you can't remove or change tapes, use the /ST flag syntax to skip this test.

   • Test 4: I/E media - This test selects the first available tape and moves it to the I/E port and back. If your library/VTL doesn't have I/E ports, the tool will automatically skip the test.

   • Test 5: I/O - This test selects the first writable tape, writes a few buffers to it, and then attempts to read what's been written. This test only checks read/write capabilities. Any specific errors in the drive should be inspected using the advanced mode.

5. After the tool completes the test, log information will be provided in the LibraryTestTool-*Curr.errlog files which are located in the folder from which you ran the tool. If the tests are complete, then you can assume your tape library should work with DPM.

Run the compatibility tool for the Hyper-V fiber channel

• Prepare two Hyper-V hosts running DPM.

• Enable live migration on both servers. A clustered deployment isn't required.

• Run the compatibility tool on the first host server, as described in the section above, and verify that the tests complete successfully.

• Initiate live migration to the second host server and wait for it to complete.

• After DPM is running virtually on the second host server, run the compatibility tool on that host server, as described above, and verify that the tests complete successfully. If the tests pass, you can assume that the tape library will work with DPM.

Examples

The tool syntax is:

DPMLibraryTest.exe /CERTIFY /<switch_1> [/switch_2]