wojcik@hudson.crl.dec.com (Theodore Wojcik) (06/13/90)
Here is the summary I promised the net when I posted my request for help. I received a couple of "we're interested too" messages and some very good help from terryk at encore (thanks terry!) and another message from Robert Claeson at ERBE DATA AB who has Exabytes on his Multimax. As it stands now, I tried one of our Exabytes on our Multimax and it didn't work. In fact, the system wouldn't even boot. Turns out that we have a differential EMC and the drive was single ended. I have a differential drive on order, more when I install it. Thanks to all who responded, the summary follows: =============================================================================== Date: Tue, 29 May 90 14:28:00 EDT From: Terence Kelleher <terryk@pinocchio.encore.com> To: wojcik Subject: Re: Exabyte tape drives on Encore Multimax Organization: Encore Computer Corp I formerly did IO support work for Encore and I implemented the Exabyte support in the Multimax. You may notice that Encore does not sell the Exabyte and does not recommend its use. You won't get any direct support from Encore on them, if there are problems. The basic IO systems we ship already have the Exabyte support. You need only connect it. Use no less than 24 guage wire, preferably in twisted pairs to run outside of the cabinet. The cable must be shielded and really should have a full braided sheild, rather than a simple foil sheild. If you have a differential SCSI bus on the Multimax, get a differential Exabyte and use that. The differential is far less prone to bus errors than single ended. Encore advises against running the single ended cables outside of the cabinet. If you have a spare EMC, with no disks on it, use that, to prevent the possibility of the external cable impacting the performance and reliability of the disks. The Exabyte gets handled the same as the CDC, from the user prospective. All device specific differences are managed in the EMC or MSC code. The Exabyte should be set to ID 3 if it is the only tape drive on its SCSI channel or ID 2 if it is on with the CDC. ID 3 is addressed as lun 8 and ID 3 as lun 10 (unix lun in the minor number, see make_node or mknod). If you run into any specific problems, I'd be glad to answer any questions. Just let me know. - -- Terence Kelleher Encore Computer Corporation terryk@encore.com ------- End of Forwarded Message In article <1594@hulda.erbe.se>, prc@erbe.se (Robert Claeson) writes: |> In article <5408@crltrx.crl.dec.com>, wojcik@hudson.crl.dec.com (Ted Wojcik) writes: |> |> >I have an Encore Multimax here with a CDC tape drive that we've been |> >using to backup. I am trying to convert everything here to Exabyte |> >backup. |> >Has anyone attached an Exabyte drive to a Multimax? What problems did you |> > have? What software did you need to find? Are there wierd cables needed? |> |> We went out and bought a standard Exabyte unit for our MM320 with the |> non-differential EMC. It worked just fine from the start. At least UMAX V |> (which is what we use here) includes drivers for ExaByte. Connecting an |> ExaByte to a differential EMCD wouldn't be any harder, since there |> are ExaByte units for differential SCSI available now. |> |> -- |> Robert Claeson E-mail: rclaeson@erbe.se |> ERBE DATA AB ------- Forwarded Message Date: Fri, 1 Jun 90 14:03:32 EDT From: Terence Kelleher <terryk@pinocchio.encore.com> To: terryk@pinocchio.encore.com, wojcik Subject: Re: Exabyte tape drives on Encore Multimax You are attempting to put a single ended Exabyte onto a differential ended Multimax. Your choice here is to either get a single ended EMC to use only for the Exabyte (about $15,000), a differential upgrade for the Exabyte (I think they are available) or a new Exabyte, with a differential interface. Differential Exabytes are available through PSI, near Boston (617-729-7715). They may also be available through other distributors. Terry ------- End of Forwarded Message -- +-+--------------------------{ Standard Disclaimer: }----------------------+-+ |o| The opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not |o| | | represent the official views of Digital Equipment Corporation. | | |o|-------------------------{ Return mail addresses: }---------------------|o| | | (Usenet) {decvax, ucbvax, allegra}!decwrl!crl.dec.com!wojcik | | |o| (Internet) wojcik@crl.dec.com |o| | | T. J. Wojcik, Systems Manager | | |o| Digital Equipment Corporation +---------------------------+ TM |o| | | Cambridge Research Lab | | | | | | | | | | |o| 1 Kendall Sq. Bldg. 700 Flr. 2 | d | i | g | i | t | a | l | |o| | | Cambridge, MA 02139, USA | | | | | | | | | | |o| (617)621-6652 +---------------------------+ |o| +-+------------------------------------------------------------------------+-+