(Critical update) IBM VXA3 tape drive firmware update v3233 for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 - Servers

Download Description

• New IBM xSeries firmware and device driver file naming convention

Severity: Suggested

Version 3231 to version 3233:

• Fixes various time out errors.

Version 3221 to version 3231:

• Internal Self Test will timeout during a load when X23 media is loaded from Physical End Of Tape.
• Corrects Internal Self Test abort issues caused by Unload button.
• Correct Tape unload issues for certain servo errors.
• Fixes some issues with aborting of commands.
• Add current temperature output in the VXA log summary.
• Distinguish between manual/SCSI load/unload operations in the hard FSC table:
  
  1B=SCSI load; FB= SCSI unload; FC= manual inject; FD= manual eject button.
  
  
• Fix issue where Worn tape at start of user data region not recognized when writing from Logical Beginning Of Partition.
• Internal Self Test results in LED’s being lost when attempting to run on a cleaning tape.
  

Version 320C to version 3221:

• Add SAS SCSI commands and Task Management functions to higher level SCSI code.
• Fix various hang conditions.
• Holding Eject button down while injecting cartridge causes interference.
• In some logs, the drive and tape ID in the sick tape table appears to be invalid.
• Fix ILLEGAL REQUEST during partition.
• When host issues constant Test Unit Readys, the log fills with them.
• Fix hang due to the drive being disconnected while an emergency unload was initiated.
• Fix Illegal Request occurring on a mode select (partition) command.
• Fix error during space forward and crashing into either end of data or filemark/setmark.
• Added text descriptions (vs hex number) for all Fault Symptom Code's in the logs.
• Cleaning cartridge use is adding false time to the dirty timer.
• Change that ties in all worn/spent media conditions into user notifications (LED's, log sense, ...).
• Added detection of Physical End Of Tape during tape path load of cleaning media.
• Improved the handling of tape loops that occur while we are trying to move away from Beginning Of Tape or End Of Tape.
• After a load of a broken tape, the tape is correctly ejected but both the Green ready LED and Clean LED are on.
• Add Load & Unload Retry Counts to the Retry Level Log Sense Page (page 3Ah)
• Use the position of tape at power-up to estimate the last place tape was written when dirty format starts.
• Fix condition where servo error can cause tape to appear uninitialized.
• When running Internal Self Test with an write protected X tape, the drive ejects the tape and sets the LED indication to look like it passed the test when it was never run.
• When running the Internal Self Test on a VXA-3 drive using a V17 tape the test will fail and unrecoverable error is posted but is cleared after 3 to 4 seconds. After the status is cleared it looks like the test has passed.
• Provide the ability to perform an emergency eject via the drives eject button.
• A case exists where we do not position back far enough during our permanent read retry.
• Logs sometimes contain an enormous number of entries for Test Unit Read commands.
• Tape won’t unload if servo broken when coming out of media preservation mode.

Version 3209 to version 320C

• Allow emergency abort to perform emergency tape ejection.
• Internal SelfTesT should function in the same manner as the Send Diagnostic command when it comes to detecting errors and posting the appropriate error status. When dead bit is set, internal selftest should fail with FSC 18 and flash the fault LED the same as a Send Diagnostic command.
• Ensure host has opportunity to complete read prior to transitioning during read pause timeout handling.
• Fix premature Cleaning LED on write.
• Fix rare case where End of Data tape count not accurate.
• Ensure that servo motion stops when SCSI reset occurs during shoe shine operation.

Version 3206 to version 3209

• Enhanced the Internal Self Test to assist in failure isolation.
• Fixed cleaning related problem in Symantec Backup Exec
• Fixed situation where drive cannot use compression in Windows.
  

Version 3203 to version 3206

• Randomized timeout of automatic move away from BOT to reduce error possibility.
• Fixed uncontrolled hi speed tape motion when running motor.tst
• Enhanced logical load tape previously written detection.
• Added averaging of capstan tach to improve yields and reduce flunks.
• Enhanced stuck tape load mechanism.
• Fixed lockup problem after a servo error shutdown.
• Repaired unused channel table programming error.
• Enhanced Write and Read retry processing.
• MFG tool modification for tape management.
• Enhanced logical load tape previously written detection.
• Fixed dwell timer problem.
• Eliminated stiction value from automatic offset in active tension loop.
• When checking for VXA1format during configuration reset, ensures that the tape has been initialized before using the format.
• Records overtemperature condition in NVRAM hard FSC table.
• Fixed condition where drive isn't always disconnecting on stalled (recovering) writes.
• Added bits to Sense Data for IBM to reflect device requires service, media degraded, and media dead.
• Added Sick Tape Count to data stored on tape; update Sick Tape Count on tape each time a Sick Tape call is made, use stored sick tape count of non-zero to set Media Worn flag in Log Sense page 3C.
• Randomized shuttle turnaround point for the short shuttle test.
• Fixed case where an expired cleaning cartridge in a forward motion after the load cannot even begin because of EOT.
• Prevented system directory update on re-load following write command.
• Used partition size from Logical Format data for Mode Sense partition size, instead of calculated value from LFMT tape count values.
• Fixed incorrect warning following dirty format recovery from POR.
• Fixed speciic cases where drive not seen on bus.
• Added lot number info into the final test output file.
• Added REPORT LUNS command.
• Added sense data on LOAD command during cleaning.
• Added support for tape mapping.
• Fixed servo state timeout during load.
• Fixed Read Retry of good packet on out of range general Read error.
• Removed high tension pause.
• Revised Funct25 error rate criteria.
• Functional error rate criteria was revised to the followings
  - W single head: 4% average: 3%
  - R single head: 4% average: 3%
• Cleaning Required Unit Attention sent only on no-data transfer motion command.
• Utilized tape map for media utilization management.
• Post system directory write validation.
• Forced on-the-fly format for writes at BOP.
• Fixed case where cleaning light can come on too soon if write retries are running too high, the drive is cleaned and the same tape is reinserted and restarted from the same place.
• Disabled interrupts in critical region of grabbing the dirty timer to update tension and cleaning required timers.
• Limited read speed when read performance is marginal.
• When worn or spent tape is loaded, turn on Cleaning Required flags (not just the LED) and use Tape Worn or Tape Spend reason for cleaning required.
• Cleanup outstanding write command following write timeout cap off failure.
• Added Tape mapping. This modification changes the way that dirty format is handled to ensure that we attempt to pull the tape map from the media as an initial step.
• Decoupled abort processing by passing abort off to RTM. Until abort completes, queue any SCSI action commands that come in, but allow information commands to execute.
• Ensured heads not clogged prior to system directory write attempt.
• Added Media preservation process following long period of inactivity.
• Ensured tape motion achieves maximum speed during yo-yo retries.
• Increased Inquiry page C7h command timeout values by 3 minutes to account for Preservation Mode move.
• Ensured heads not clogged prior to system directory write attempt.
• Added cleaning sweep to yo-yo retry scheme.
• During RESET processing (reset interface, move drive to BOP) accept Inquiry, Req Sense, Report LUNs and TUR commands.
• Media preservation following long period of inactivity. Utilizing the full 1/2 meter at end of tape for tape path unload.
• Added count of cleaning wheel touches to NVRAM.
• Eject spent cleaning media without loading tape path.
• Changed read validation speed to .95X. Ensuring overwrite of system region.
• Special EOT handling for cleaning cartridge so that it gets ejected with the clear leader showing.
• Produced appropriate sense ASC/ASCQ when encountering PBOT/PEOT.
• Changed cleaning duration from 10 seconds to 5 seconds.
• Adjusted Servo test flunk criteria.