topic Re: Direct connect Tape Library to FAS8040 in ONTAP Hardware

Direct connect Tape Library to FAS8040

DBenderNGS — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:21:14 GMT

Need some guidance as I'm fairly new to NetApp. I'm looking to purchase a Dell TL2000 Tape library to direct connect to our NetApp 8040. The library comes with a dual port HBA SAS controller which I assume I can direct connect to a free onboard SAS port on each controller. I've inherited this filer so not clear on the original setup but only two of the on-board SAS ports on each controller are in use (0a/0c) and each controller has an expansion card as well with two ports used (3 DS2246 shelves ea). Can I connect the tape to one of the free onboard SAS ports (0b or 0d)? Or should I get an additonal expansion i/o card to use specifically for the library.

Thanks all.

Re: Direct connect Tape Library to FAS8040

andris — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 20:58:07 GMT

What version of ONTAP are you on?

You can use any free SAS port (onboard or card) for attaching SAS tape drives.

I looked in IMT: http://mysupport.netapp.com/matrix/#welcome

I didn't see explicit info on Dell TL2000 being supported.

It doesn't show up in the built-in tape configuration files, either.

That said, it might "just work" - dynamically qualified.

If it doesn't, you might need to create a tape configuration file.

See: https://library.netapp.com/ecmdocs/ECMP1610206/html/GUID-AEF05EF4-F582-4E8D-ABC0-4F784AD1643F.html

Note: A SAS tape drive will only use one link of the quad-link SAS connection. That's expected behavior (if you happen to notice the other links showing "down" in any ONTAP CLI output).

Re: Direct connect Tape Library to FAS8040

DBenderNGS — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 14:20:20 GMT

Andris,

Appreciate the info on the SAS connections. We're running cDOT 8.2.4. I didn't see the TL2000 listed on the compatibility list either so probably have to look at a library that is compatible with the filer.

David