# Timeout values for slow Spectra library response? **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [16 February 2026 17:55 UTC](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/t/timeout-values-for-slow-spectra-library-response/421 "2026-02-16T17:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tmesser](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@tmesser](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/u/tmesser)\ **Post date:** [16 February 2026 17:55 UTC](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/t/timeout-values-for-slow-spectra-library-response/421/1 "2026-02-16T17:55:17Z")
To be clear, I don’t necessarily consider this a CTA bug, but I’m providing information and looking for suggestions. ## Summary cta-rmcd returns 0 even when a mount or dismount times out ## Details **CTA version: 5.11.11.0-1** **Operating System and version: AlmaLinux 9.7** **Xrootd version: 5.9.1-1** **Objectstore backend: PostgreSQL** ## Steps to reproduce Mount or dismount tape when library is busy. This has been difficult to reproduce outside of a busy production environment. ## What is the current _bug_ behaviour? rmcd returns 0 even when tape has not dismounted. Tape remains mounted, then CTA has a cleaner error and taped goes offline. ## What is the expected _correct_ behaviour? I’m not exactly sure. Return code should be something other than 0, perhaps. ## Relevant logs and/or screenshots 02/05 12:39:15 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: RMC92 - unmount request by 1000,33 from localhost.localdomain 02/05 12:39:15 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: RMC98 - unmount FAA269 8 0 02/05 12:44:52 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: returns 0 02/05 12:51:28 2440104 rmc\_srv\_mount: RMC92 - mount request by 1000,33 from localhost.localdomain 02/05 12:51:28 2440104 rmc\_srv\_mount: RMC98 - mount FAA199/0 on drive 8 02/05 12:56:36 2440104 rmc\_srv\_mount: returns 0 02/05 13:03:19 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: RMC92 - unmount request by 1000,33 from localhost.localdomain 02/05 13:03:19 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: RMC98 - unmount FAA199 8 0 02/05 13:07:35 2440104 rmc\_srv\_unmount: returns 0 {“epoch\_time”:1770318441.586744138,“local\_time”:“2026-02-05T13:07:21-0600”,“hostname”:“tpsrvf2101”,“program”:“cta-taped”,“log\_level”:“INFO”,“pid”:2950234,“tid”:2950234,“message”:“In Scheduler::setDesiredDriveState(): success.”,“drive\_name”:“F1\_F9B4D1”,“instance”:“prd”,“sched\_backend”:“cephUser”,“drive”:“F1\_F9B4D1”,“up”:“down”,“force”:“no”,“reason”:“[cta-taped] ERROR Cleaner failed. Cleaner failed to dismount tape: Failed to dismount tape: vid=FAA199 slot=smc8: Failed to dismount tape in SCSI tape-library: vid=FAA199 librarySlot=smc8: Failed to read message header: In io::readBytes: timeout”,“comment”:“”,“schedulerDbTime”:0.001207} ### Possible causes This occurs when the Spectra library (running BlueScale) is busy and may be slow to respond. The timeout values we are using on the taped may not be ideal. Spectra has suggested 12-20 minutes per their spec. taped TapeLoadTimeout 300 taped WatchdogMountMaxSecs 600 taped WatchdogUnmountMaxSecs 600 ---
**Author:** ![tmesser](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@tmesser](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/u/tmesser)\ **Post date:** [27 February 2026 17:49 UTC](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/t/timeout-values-for-slow-spectra-library-response/421/2 "2026-02-27T17:49:27Z")
Hi everyone, Still looking for some input here. What are other sites using for tape server timeout values? ---
**Author:** ![vlado](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/779978/32.png) [@vlado](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/u/vlado)\ **Post date:** [4 March 2026 16:44 UTC](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/t/timeout-values-for-slow-spectra-library-response/421/3 "2026-03-04T16:44:20Z")
Hi Tim, In the absence of a reply from anybody else, let me give you what we see at CERN for our Spectra Logic TFinity tape libraries running BlueScale. We are using the standard timeout values that you mention above: ```auto [root@tpsrv601 cta]# grep TapeLoadTimeout /etc/cta/cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S?.conf /etc/cta/cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S3.conf:taped TapeLoadTimeout 300 /etc/cta/cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S4.conf:taped TapeLoadTimeout 300 [root@tpsrv601 cta]# grep Watchdog /etc/cta/cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S?.conf [root@tpsrv601 cta]# ``` We do not see any particular timeouts as long as the robotics of the libraries are physically working fine. As you can see from the logs below, the mount / dismount operations could exceed 5 minutes, still the session finishes with a success: ```auto [root@tpsrv601 cta]# grep 'sion finished' cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S*|grep success | grep mountTime|tr ',' '\n'|grep '"mountTime'|tr ':' ' '|tr -d '"' | sort -k 2 -n -r | head -5 mountTime 484.56015 mountTime 420.028635 mountTime 401.000624 mountTime 387.482968 mountTime 332.809072 [root@tpsrv601 cta]# grep 'sion finished' cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S*|grep success | grep mountTime|tr ',' '\n'|grep '"unmountTime'|tr ':' ' '|tr -d '"' | sort -k 2 -n -r | head -5 unmountTime 353.45748 unmountTime 210.729228 unmountTime 210.627866 unmountTime 201.691003 unmountTime 182.124809 [root@tpsrv601 cta]# grep 'sion finished' cta-taped-SPECTRALIB2-LTO9-F05B2S*|grep success | grep mountTime|tr ',' '\n'|grep '"unloadTime'|tr ':' ' '|tr -d '"' | sort -k 2 -n -r | head -5 unloadTime 247.260356 unloadTime 245.031349 unloadTime 244.363445 unloadTime 237.853739 unloadTime 236.865485 ``` This morning, one of the libraries had a problem and the mounts failed / timedout. This is what `cta-rmcd` reported: ```auto 03/04 06:46:22 2767 rmc_srv_mount: RMC92 - mount request by 1000,33 from localhost 03/04 06:46:22 2767 rmc_srv_mount: RMC98 - mount L63990/0 on drive 2 03/04 06:58:32 2767 lasterror: Function entered: asc=8 ascq=1 save_errno=5 rc=-4 sensekey=11 skvalid=1 03/04 06:58:32 2767 lasterror: Entry found in scsierr_acttbl: action_str=RBT_NORETRY 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: smc_mount: SR017 - find_cartridge L63990 failed : Logical Unit Communication Time-out 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_srv_mount: returns 2203 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: RMC03 - illegal function 4 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: RMC02 - send error : Input/output error 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: Call to netwrite() failed: rep_type=MSG_ERR neterror=Input/output error 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: RMC02 - send error : Input/output error 03/04 06:58:32 2767 rmc_sendrep: Call to netwrite() failed: rep_type=RMC_RC neterror=Input/output error ``` As you can see, the return value was 2203, i.e. not 0. I am not sure if this helps you, but this is all I have at this point. Let me know if you need more. Best regards, Vladimir ---
**Author:** ![vlado](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/779978/32.png) [@vlado](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/u/vlado)\ **Post date:** [4 March 2026 16:47 UTC](https://cta-community.web.cern.ch/t/timeout-values-for-slow-spectra-library-response/421/4 "2026-03-04T16:47:12Z")
One more add-on - here is example of failed unmount from this night: ```auto 03/04 02:58:51 8759 rmc_srv_unmount: RMC92 - unmount request by 1001,33 from localhost 03/04 02:58:51 8759 rmc_srv_unmount: RMC98 - unmount L53440 14 0 03/04 03:11:01 8759 lasterror: Function entered: asc=8 ascq=1 save_errno=5 rc=-4 sensekey=11 skvalid=1 03/04 03:11:01 8759 lasterror: Entry found in scsierr_acttbl: action_str=RBT_NORETRY 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: smc_dismount: SR020 - read_elem_status failed : Logical Unit Communication Time-out 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_srv_unmount: returns 2203 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: RMC03 - illegal function 5 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: RMC02 - send error : Input/output error 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: Call to netwrite() failed: rep_type=MSG_ERR neterror=Input/output error 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: RMC02 - send error : Input/output error 03/04 03:11:01 8759 rmc_sendrep: Call to netwrite() failed: rep_type=RMC_RC neterror=Input/output error ``` Again, the return value is 2203. Vladimir