User manual QUANTUM AMASS FOR UNIX 5.6 ADDENDUM REV A

[. . . ] AMASS for UNIX Version 5. 6 Addendum This addendum documents features that are new or enhanced in Quantum AMASS for UNIX version 5. 6. Features that were new or enhanced in AMASS 5. 4 and 5. 5 are also included, as well as updated information for changes in previously documented functionality. Note: The features described in this addendum are not documented in the most recent release of the complete AMASS for UNIX documentation set, which was last updated for the 5. 3 release. This addendum includes the following sections: · · · · · · · · New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 6 on page 1 New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 5 on page 5 New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 4 on page 10 Updated Information for AMASS 5. 6 on page 18 Updated Information for AMASS 5. 5 on page 21 Updated Information for AMASS 5. 4 on page 22 List of Acronyms on page 24 Contacting Quantum on page 25 New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 6 0 The following features are either new or have been enhanced in AMASS for UNIX version 5. 6: · · · Daemon Updates Database Checking Performance Support for Running Multiple Admin Requests Document 6-01238-02 Rev A, February 2007 1 AMASS for UNIX Version 5. 6 Addendum Document 6-01238-02 Rev A February 2007 Daemon Updates 0 [Update to Managing the AMASS File System (6-00028-01), page 4-11. ] The libio daemon performs read/write operations by sending SCSI commands to drives. There are two types of libio daemon: · · The libio_tape daemon performs read/write operations on tape drives. [. . . ] One list is assigned for reads and the other list is assigned for writes. For a particular volume group, the priority can be changed dynamically for the read/write priority, but the new priority takes effect for cache blocks accessed or modified after the change. Each cache list has an additional weighting factor that is used to compute a score for the cache block list. The score for a particular list is the weighting factor multiplied by the access time of the oldest cache block on the list. · · New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 4 11 AMASS for UNIX Version 5. 6 Addendum Document 6-01238-02 Rev A February 2007 · A special weighting factor can be assigned specifying that all other cache lists should be searched before this list is searched. This stops the oldest cache block age from being used to create a score for a given cache list. The weighting factor can be changed dynamically and the new settings immediately take effect. If the weighting factor is assigned to multiple cache lists, an implied priority is established based on the cache list number (in other words, search the cache list with the lower priority level first). The special weight factor for list 1 CAN NO LONGER be set to zero. Initially, all of the cache blocks available to the system live in the first list and setting the weight factor on this list causes undesired effects. When setting the weight to zero, the system will only use this list if no other cache blocks in the system are available. The moment a file has been written to media and the cache blocks are put back on the free list, the blocks will be re-used immediately, even if there are thousands of unused cache blocks available on list one (with a weight of zero). · · · · · A cache block is reallocated from the list with the highest score for all eight cache priority lists. Cache block reallocation occurs on a first-infirst-out basis. Check Drive 0 [Update to Managing the AMASS File System (6-00028-01), page 4-10. ] AMASS logic handles media and communication with libraries. If drives are found obstructed, drives are cleared and AMASS continues. If the library is offline, a message is written to the log and AMASS waits until the library is back online. This functionality can be disabled by setting the environmental variable, AMASS_DISABLE_CHKDRV. Drive Mounting and Spinup Changes [Update to Installing AMASS (6-00027-01), page A-3. ] 0 Two environmental variables control how drives mount and spin up volumes. These environmental variables, like all AMASS environmental variables, must be set before you execute the amass_start command or add the variables to the amass_start script itself. Please contact Quantum Technical Assistance Center for further assistance on setting AMASS environmental variables. The DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT and AMASS_SPINUP_DELAY variables are described as follows: · DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT This environmental variable enables the functionality for StorageTek (STK) libraries to connect to AMASS using Quantum's eXtensible Device Interface (XDI) utility. When setting this variable, multiple drive loads can be in progress simultaneously because mounts are performed asynchronously. Any customer running with an XDI/STK configuration benefits from this option. New and Enhanced Features in AMASS 5. 4 12 AMASS for UNIX Version 5. 6 Addendum Document 6-01238-02 Rev A February 2007 The environmental variable does not have to be set to any value, but only needs to be defined. For example: DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT= ; export DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT · AMASS_SPINUP_DELAY Prior to AMASS 5. 3, DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT was an environmental variable that served two functions. However, starting with AMASS 5. 3, the second function of DO_ASYNC_STK_MOUNT was moved to another environment variable called AMASS_SPINUP_DELAY. This environmental variable overrides the default spinup delay for any drive. [. . . ] The asterisks alert you that volumes in the group might have different block sizes or compression settings. **blksiz cmpr** 32768 On vols 4 used 9235 avail 516344 Using the volformat Command 0 The volformat command can now automatically determine the largest block size allowed by a device, and then format a volume using that block size. To enable or disable this feature, set the amass_use_maxblks variable in the /user/amass/etc/ amass. rc file. For example: amass_use_maxblks=TRUE Usage: amass_use_maxblks=[FALSE | TRUE] FALSE (Default) A volume in a volume group is formatted using the block size used by the first volume in the volume group. [. . . ]