SL500 - How to Decode Library Reported Sense Keys

Asset ID:	1-71-1495135.1
Update Date:	2012-10-01
Keywords:

Solution Type Technical Instruction Sure

Solution 1495135.1 : SL500 - How to Decode Library Reported Sense Keys

Applies to:

Sun StorageTek SL500 Modular Library System - Version All Versions to All Versions [Release All Releases]
Information in this document applies to any platform.

Goal

How to decode Sense Keys generated by SL500 Library.

Fix

Sense Keys, ASC, ASCQs are useful while troubleshooting SL500 Hardware Problems.
These are recorded in the Library Event Logs and also in the host messages.

Examples :

----SL500 Event Logs---
2012-08-07T19:58:49.239, 0.0.0.0.0, unknown, default, 1202, (null), info, 0000, "task = 0x101d5210, senseKey = 0x6, asc = 0x29, ascq = 0x1, bitPtr = 0, bpv = 0, command = 0x1, sksValid = 0, fieldPtr = 0"
2012-08-07T19:58:49.301, 0.0.0.0.0, unknown, default, 1202, (null), info, 0000, "task = 0x101e0f58, senseKey = 0x6, asc = 0x28, ascq = 0, bitPtr = 0, bpv = 0, command = 0x1, sksValid = 0, fieldPtr = 0"

---/var/adm/messages from a Solaris host---
Jul 10 18:03:29 backup tldcd[21503]: [ID 581476 daemon.error] TLD(0) key = 0x4, asc = 0x40, ascq = 0x1, UNKNOWN ERROR, KEY: 0x04, ASC: 0x40, ASCQ: 0x01

Decoded Information for above :

0x6, 0x29, 0x1 : Unit Attention, Power-On Occurred
0x6, 0x28, 0x1 : Unit Attention, Not Ready-to-Ready Transition
0x4, 0x40, 0x1 : Hardware Error, General

Refer to the "REQUEST SENSE" chapter of the SL500 Library Interface Reference Manual for further explanations and recommended actions.

Here is a List of SL500 Sense Keys.

0h No Sense
2h Not Ready
4h Hardware Error
5h Illegal Request
6h Unit Attention
Bh Aborted Command

NOTES :

Tape Drives also provide Sense information and can be read by host and the backup application.
Refer to the Tape Drive Manuals to decode in the same manner.

Identity from the logs whether it is a drive or Library Controller that is responsible for the recorded Sense information and decode accordingly.

Below example shows sense keys generated by drives.

----/var/adm/messages
May 16 23:22:59 backup scsi: [ID 107833 kern.warning] WARNING: /pci@7c0/pci@0/pci@8/SUNW,qlc@0/fp@0,0/st@w500110a0008d94fa,0 (st3):
May 16 23:22:59 backup Error for Command: read                    Error Level: Fatal
May 16 23:22:59 backup scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]    Requested Block: 0                         Error Block: 0
May 16 23:22:59 backup scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]    Vendor: HP                                 Serial Number:      ,
May 16 23:22:59 backup scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]    Sense Key: Media Error
May 16 23:22:59 backup scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]    ASC: 0x11 (unrecovered read error), ASCQ: 0x0, FRU: 0x0

---bptm logs--
06/20/2011 09:31:05 - Warning bptm (pid=524646) cannot locate on drive index 104, locate scsi command failed, status = 0x2, key = 0x8, asc = 0x0, ascq = 0x5
06/20/2011 09:31:05 - Warning bptm (pid=524646) read error on media id NV3085, drive index 104 reading header block, There is an input or output error.

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