Archive:How to configure RDX Drives

Overview

RDX is a disk-based removable storage which is intended as a replacement of a tape storage. RDX storage system offers reliable storage for backup, archive, data interchange and disaster recovery. It is based on the removable hard disk drives as well as solid state drives for storing big amounts of the backup data.

RDX uses SATA (hardware interface for connecting drives to the computer) for connecting the removable media in the drive and the USB port with external drive or SATA with internal drive for the connection to the computer. Note that WORM (Write Once Read Many) media are also available.

Configuring RDX drives

To configure the RDX drives, proceed as follows:

1. Create a new RDX drive group.
2. Add a new RDX drive.
3. Create a new media pool for the RDX drives.
4. If required, create a new media type.
5. Add media to a media pool.

Creating a new drive group

You have to create a new drive group for the RDX drives. From the Components -> Drives, click the New Group button and create a new drive group called RDX.

Device configuration and adding a new drive

Depending on your operating system, proceed to one of the following sections.

Device configuration on Linux

To enable SEP sesam to access the removable device, ensure that you have sufficient privileges with read and write access to the device file for the RDX drive. By default, such access is granted only to the root user.

Before you can configure the RDX drive on Linux, you have to check which device name is used for the RDX drive. If you attach the RDX drive to the Linux system, most distributions will automatically mount it (e.g., in /media).

• If this is not the case, check by the dmesg command, which device is used for the RDX drive (usually /dev/sdXY).
• It is important that each time you change the RDX drive, it is detected with the same device name. You can detect it with the udev rule. For details, see About udev rules.
• It is also recommended to format the inserted RDX tapes with a common Linux file system (ext3/reiserfs/xfs).

Adding a new RDX drive on Linux

After the drive group has been created, add a new drive to the RDX drive group.

1. From the Components -> Drives, select the RDX drive group and click the New Drive button. The New drive window opens. Specify a drive name, type, and path for removable media – see device name of your RDX drive above.
2. Under the Drive tab, specify the following options:
• Drive Number: will be automatically assigned
• Drive Name: will be automatically assigned
• Loader: No Loader
• Drive Type: DISK_CHNG
• Device Server: Your backup server or the system to which the drive is attached.
• Drive Group: RDX
• Path for removable media: Volume name of the DISK_CHNG media with the directory, e.g., /media/rdx-mountpoint.


3. Switch to the Options tab and proceed as follows:
• Device Path: Mount point where the media will be mounted.
• Auto Unload: yes
• Mount Command: mount
• Unmount command: umount
• Eject command: eject
  


4. Click OK to add a new drive.

Adding a new drive on Windows

Once you created the RDX drive group, add a new drive to it.

1. From the Components -> Drives, select the RDX drive group and click the New Drive button. The New drive window opens.
2. Under the Drive tab, specify the following options:
• Drive Number: will be automatically assigned
• Drive Name: will be automatically assigned
• Loader: No Loader
• Drive Type: DISK_CHNG
• Device Server: Your backup server or the system to which the drive is attached.
• Drive Group: RDX
• Path for removable media: Volume name of the DISK_CHNG media with the directory, e.g., E:/SESAM-DISK.
  


3. Switch to the Options tab. Specify the drive letter for the Device Path and sm_eject_media for the Eject command, as shown in the screenshot.
   
   
4. Click OK to add a new drive.

Creating a new media pool

After you have successfully created a drive, create a new media pool.

From the Components -> Media Pools, click the New Media Pool button. In the New Media Pool window specify the name of the pool (e.g., RDX_pool), select RDX drive group and specify the retention time. For details, see Managing EOL.

Create a new media type (if required)

Under the Configuration -> Media Types, check whether a media type DISK-RESERVE_1GB exists, as shown in the screenshot.

If it does not exist, create it by clicking New button in the Media Types window and specify the options, as shown in the screenshot.

Add media to a media pool

Add your first RDX media to the RDX media pool. You have to repeat this step for all RDX removable media.

	Note
	On Windows, the directory which is specified as a Path for removable media has to exist on media before adding it to the media pool.

From the Components -> Media Pools, select previously created media pool (RDX_pool) and click the New Medium button. In the Adding a new media window specify media pool, media type, drive, etc., as shown in the screenshot.

	Note
	If you are unable to add new media, check the day protocol under Logging -> Day Log on the SEP sesam Server for possible errors. For details, see Day Log.