Forum Discussion

huge_pickle's avatar
huge_pickle
Level 4
13 years ago

Backup Exec 2012 not overwriting data on a USB drive

Thanks in advance for your help.  I will describe my situation and my problem here:

1. Create a backup job for my Windows server 2008 R2 server (Hyper-v host with 2 guest vms). Backup Exec is running on the host and the backup includes both VMs. I've set the data retention period to 12 hours.

2. Run the backup, which uses up about 290Gb of a 320 GB drive. The backup completes successfully.

3. The next day, run the backup again to the same drive.   Note that more than 12 hours have passed and if I navigate to "backup sets" the expiration date and time for the previous backup shows to be in the past.

4. Note that the backup runs for ~30GB, enough to fillthe remaining space on that USB drive. Then, the status changes to "loading media" and the backup hangs there indefinitely.

 I'm not sure why it does not overwrite the previous backup data since the retention policy has passed. please note that under Backup Exec stabbings, I have set the "media overwrite protection level" to "None". I'm not entirely sure what that does but it does not help this particular situation.

 

Thanks!

2012
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    13 years ago

    In BE 2012, the management of backup sets in disk storage is done using DLM.  You should read this blog on how DLM works.

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/data-lifecycle-management-be-2012

    In particular, note the fact that the last recovery is not deleted even if its protection period has expired.  In your case, the last recovery point will be the previous backup.  At the minimum, you will always have 2 backup sets on our disk.  Read my article on when backup sets are deleted under DLM

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/when-backup-sets-are-deleted-under-dlm

    Since you are using USB drives, there is a known problem regarding backup sets not being re-claimed if their overwrite protection expires while the USB drive is off-line,  See this document

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH196201

    As previous advised, you should set your Overwrite Protection Level to Partial or Full.  Setting it to None will turn off overwrite protection for your disk cartridge devices or tapes.

  • AmolB's avatar
    AmolB
    Moderator
    13 years ago

    I have set the "media overwrite protection level" to "None". I'm not entirely sure what that does but it does not help this particular situation.

    You need to set the Overwrite Protection Level as "Partial". You may get unexpected results if you 

    set the level as "None". Also make sure you configure the backup jobs to overwrite instead of appending.

    In the BE configuration & settings, select the option "Use recycable media before using scratch media"

     

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    13 years ago

    In BE 2012, the management of backup sets in disk storage is done using DLM.  You should read this blog on how DLM works.

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/data-lifecycle-management-be-2012

    In particular, note the fact that the last recovery is not deleted even if its protection period has expired.  In your case, the last recovery point will be the previous backup.  At the minimum, you will always have 2 backup sets on our disk.  Read my article on when backup sets are deleted under DLM

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/when-backup-sets-are-deleted-under-dlm

    Since you are using USB drives, there is a known problem regarding backup sets not being re-claimed if their overwrite protection expires while the USB drive is off-line,  See this document

    http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH196201

    As previous advised, you should set your Overwrite Protection Level to Partial or Full.  Setting it to None will turn off overwrite protection for your disk cartridge devices or tapes.