Files in this download contain Licensed Materials, property of IBM,
(C) Copyright IBM Corp. 1998~ All Rights Reserved. See the
Licensing agreement presented when the driver is downloaded.
The readme files contain information that may not be included in the IBM
Tape Device Drivers Installation and User’s Guide (IUG). The readme
files take precedence over the IUG. Therefore, any information in this
file that conflicts with information in the IUG will supercede the IUG.
The IBM Tape Device Drivers for the AIX platforms are responsible for
assisting in AIX host application to tape device communication. The tape
driver for AIX (Atape) works with IBM System Storage Tape Products in
providing basic and advanced tape functionality for backup/restore and
archive environments.
ATTENTION: Tapeutil provides only a subset of device and command
support that the IBM Tape Diagnostic Tool (ITDT) provides. The
functions and capabilities of tapeutil are now performed by ITDT.
Please use ITDT in place of tapeutil, as tapeutil is deprecated.
IBM Tape Diagnostic Tool (ITDT) provides the customer with functionality
to perform maintenance tasks and run diagnostic tasks to determine tape
device issues. This is available to download with the device driver.
“IBM Tape Device Drivers Installation and User’s Guide” describes the
IBM Tape and Medium Changer Device Drivers for AIX, HP-UX, Linux,
Solaris, and Windows operating systems. This is available to download
at IBM Fix Central website: http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/
Supported Operating Systems
The tape driver for AIX (Atape) is developed to support various versions
of AIX. For details on supported tape attachment please refer to the
System Storage Interoperation Center website.
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/config/ssic/
Tape Drivers for AIX
The tape driver for AIX (Atape) is named Atape.n.n.n.n.bin,
where n.n.n.n is the version number of the driver.
Atape levels 12.x.x.x support AIX versions 5.3 and above
Atape levels 11.x.x.x support AIX versions 5.2 and above
Atape levels 10.x.x.x support AIX versions 5.x with Data Encryption
Atape levels 9.x.x.x support AIX versions 5.1 and above
Atape levels 8.x.x.x support AIX versions 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2
Atape levels 6.x.x.x and 7.x.x.x support AIX versions 4.3 and 5.1Archive drivers are availabe for older AIX Operating Systems.
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Atape NOTICES:
Use the following instructions to install and configure it:
a. Download the driver in binary to your workstation. The following
instructions will assume that you named the file
/tmp/Atape.x.x.x.x.bin.
b. Issue the command: installp -acXd /tmp/Atape.x.x.x.bin Atape.driver
This installs and commits the Atape driver on your system.
c. Configure the tape device by entering the following command:
cfgmgr -v (-v is not required but will show where it hangs if
it does)
Notes:
- When using Atape 11.x.x.x levels with 3592 and alternate pathing
it requires 3592-J1A D3I0_A0D or 3592-E05 D3I1_A21 drive code or
higher. - Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) specification requires the block
descriptor to be set to a multiple of 4 (0,4,8…). On the update
of SAS tape drive code for LTO3 Half Height (85V2), LTO4 Full
Height and LTO4 Half Height to levels 82F0 or beyond, an update
to latest device driver will be needed. A change to enforce the
specification in the tape drive causes an adverse reaction with
the current device driver that will cause the host to not be able
to communicate with the SAS tape drives. - Booting from a SAS attached tape drive is not supported on
Power servers. - Booting from a Fibre attached tape drive is not supported on
Power servers. - DPF and CPF alternate pathing is not supported for SAS tape
drives and libraries with the FC 5900 and 5912 SAS HBAs. - NPIV attachment support via the FC 5735 Fibre Channel HBA
(requires VIOS 2.1.3 or later) - No System FW support for SAS boot on Power servers.
- User may experience communication interruption with the tape device
if there are link errors in the SAS interface (No cable pull support
on SAS adapters)