However, there is no forced error indicator in the SCSI architecture, and the revector operation is nonatomic. As a substitute, the OpenVMS shadow driver exploits the SCSI commands READ LONG (READL) and WRITE LONG (WRITEL), optionally supported by some SCSI devices. These I/O functions allow data blocks to be read and written together with their disk device error correction code (ECC). If the SCSI device supports READL/WRITEL, OpenVMS shadowing emulates the DSA forced error with an intentionally incorrect ECC. For details see Scott H. Davis, Design of VMS Volume Shadowing Phase II —
http://research.compaq.com/wrl/DECarchives/DTJ/DTJ301/DTJ301SC.TXT
The DS6000 provides volumes as
Usually the OpenVMS SCSI Port Driver recognizes if a device supports READL/WRITEL, and the driver sets the NOFE (no forced error) bit in the Unit Control Block. You can verify this setting with the SDA utility: After starting the utility with the analyze/system command, enter the show device command at the SDA prompt. Then the NOFE flag should be shown in the device’s characteristics.
The OpenVMS command for mounting shadow sets provides a qualifier /override=no_forced_error to support
Appendix A. Operating systems specifics | 327 |