Conference msgaxp::optical

    "never worked" is kind of strong...
    
    There's a strong CSC support group, a strong Engineering group, and
    lots of info in this notes file. 
    
    If the customer is down, an IPMT case should have been filed by MCS.
    
    Now to specifics: 
    
    Which RW5xx box? 
    What O/S and version?
    What CPU? 
    What interface is desired? 
    	(BTW, the HSJ and HSD -are- supported interfaces, the HSz is not)
    What SW did the customer buy to make the RW5xx run?
    	A SW package is required - there is no native support in any of 
    	our O/S's....
    What is the customer trying to do with RW5xx? 
    
    There is probably a solution for this customers problem... but we need
    to hear about the problem in a formal manner to work on it.
    
    This notes file is -not- the formal channel, though we'll try...
    
    The Storage architecture web page references the Optical Web page....
    
    http://flamingo.dec.com/optical_home.html
    
    It seems to be down for some reason right now... Have to see if we can
    fix that.
    
    Chris
    

    Denny,
    
    I will defer to other to explain how the name "RW500" relates to all
    the variations of RW5xx jukeboxes.  Hopefully your search on RW524 got
    you started.
    
    The OSMS software is the primary software product sold with RW5xx
    jukeboxes but other software products do also work with these
    jukeboxes.  Check the SPD's for HSM, Networker, SLS, etc to determine
    what support these products provide.  Many of these products have
    their own notes conferences through which you can get pointers.
    
    The OSMS SPD's are available for both the OpenVMS and Digital
    UNIX products.  These should answer many of your questions. Please
    look at note 488.  I will place the V3.4 SPD's for the OpenVMS
    product there later today.
    
    The OpenVMS OSMS product has supported HSC's (via K.SCSI module) in
    the past and the current (V3.4) allows the jukebox to be connected
    via some of the HSD or HSJ controllers.
    
    Again, start with the SPD's and the product managers.
    
    After you get the SPDs, reply back if you have more specific questions.
    
    Rob

    re .1
    
    I don't know th answers to any of your questions. The customer is 600
    miles away, and I've never met them, talked to them nor seen their
    their environment.
    
    My immediate need is NOT to solve this customer's problem but to
    acquaint myself with the RW5xx line of products and their capabilities. 
    All I'm looking for is some sources of marketing and/or technical
    literature, preferably on-line, (DEC internal or WWW) which describes
    the function/features/capabilities/configurations of the RWxx series of
    devices.
    
    Re .2
      I will follow your suggestion and look for the SPDs indicated.  
    
    Thanks,
       Denny 

    re .2
    
    Oh, I forgot to add that my search for RW524 in the StorageWorks Web
    site found Nothing!  I did find an apparent old URL, when I attempted
    to connect, I got Page not Found errors!!  I find it distressing that
    this information is soo difficult on the Web!?!?!
    
        Denny
    

    I just tried the URL given in .1 using Netscape 3.01
       http://flamingo.dec.com/optical_home.html
    
    I got an error: "flamingo.dec.com does not have a DNS entry".
    
    I have no problems getting to other internal web sites!
    
        Deny

    Try http://alcor.shr.dec.com/optical.htm (please note the page I
    found was ".htm" not ".html"
    
    Rob

    
    I'm using  Http://alcor.shr.dec.com/optical.htm
    and it seems to work OK.
    
    Give us a call sometime, and we'll fill you in on supporting the
    opticals.
    
    Steve Waskewicz
    Customer Support Center
    1-800-354-9000
    Press 1 for hardware, ask for JUKEBOX_SWR_HWR queue
      "   2  "  software, same queue.

    I'm having a little trouble connecting to
         http://alcor.shr.dec.com/optical.htm, 
    but this seems like more like a loading issue, either at alcor, or the
    network.  I'll keep trying.
    
    In the mean time I have found and reviewed the OSMS SPD and I also
    finally found an Optical Solutions through the Digital External home
    page.  The Optical Solutions page gave an overview and discussed the
    RW546, RW551/RW552 and RW555/RW557 systems.  This was a good start, and
    may satisfy my immediate needs.
    
    Re .7
    
    I just may be giving you a call.  There's  good possibility that I may
    be going to the customer in question within a month, and one of my
    tasks most likely be to determine if they can get their RW5xx to work,
    and how.  Once I know the exact model they have, and whether they
    have/installed the OSMS software, I'm sure I'll be in touch!
    
        Thanks, 
    
          Denny

    The JUKEBOX_SWR_HWR queue referred to in 788.7 has changed to 
    the STORAGE_OPTICAL queue.
    Bill