Forum Discussion

Treeeman's avatar
Treeeman
Level 4
11 years ago

BackupExec 2012 - Disable Auto-Eject Tape Library

Hi,

i have a short question.
One of my customer reported me, after each Backup Job the Tape of the Tape Library will be ejected. For the next Job a Tape will be insterted back again.
So this procedure consumes a lot of time an my customer asked me if its possible to leave the Tape inside the Drive.

I answered my customer, that this behavior is "by design" and its a part of the Tape Library, not BackupExec.

So my question is:
- Am i right?
- Is there no possibility to disable this "Library Feature" an let eject the Tape if i select the option in BackupExec?

 

Thanks!

Best regards
Marco

2012
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Basics
Features
Tip-How to
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • Larry_Fine's avatar
    Larry_Fine
    11 years ago

    I think there is some confusion between "export" and "eject".

    The "eject after backup job" setting has no impact on a tape library, that option is for use with stand-alone tape drives.

    BE controls the ejection of the tape from the tape drive (and back to a storage slot) in a tape library.

    Normally, BE waits for 60 seconds to see if another job wishes to use the same tape, to avoid the time consuming dismount & re-mount cycle that your customer was complaining about.  If 60 seconds isn't enoungh for your customer environment, you can increasse that timer.

    It can be changed in BEutility.exe under "edit configuration" for a server or the registy value is “Next Job Wait Time” under “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec For Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\Misc”.  I would suggest trying a setting of 120 seconds.

     

  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    Hi,

     

    A tape autoloader/library should not automatically eject the tape. A stand-alone tape drive would do so for obvious reasons as it would need a manual insertion of the next tape.

    Have you made sure that there is no Export slot designated on the library with an Export job scheduled to eject the tape once the job expires?

    Thanks!

    EDIT: You might also want to refer to the links below...seems like this is a default behaviour of BE 2012:

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/backup-exec-ejecting-tape-when-it-shouldnt

    https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/ideas/stop-default-tape-eject-behaviour-be-2012

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    11 years ago
    The behavior that you described is by design. One of the Symantec engineer said that he would put through a proposal to change the behavior to that wanted by your customer but nothing seems to come out of it
  • Larry_Fine's avatar
    Larry_Fine
    Level 6
    11 years ago

    I think there is some confusion between "export" and "eject".

    The "eject after backup job" setting has no impact on a tape library, that option is for use with stand-alone tape drives.

    BE controls the ejection of the tape from the tape drive (and back to a storage slot) in a tape library.

    Normally, BE waits for 60 seconds to see if another job wishes to use the same tape, to avoid the time consuming dismount & re-mount cycle that your customer was complaining about.  If 60 seconds isn't enoungh for your customer environment, you can increasse that timer.

    It can be changed in BEutility.exe under "edit configuration" for a server or the registy value is “Next Job Wait Time” under “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec For Windows\Backup Exec\Engine\Misc”.  I would suggest trying a setting of 120 seconds.

     

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    11 years ago
    Can you provide a link to the document which documents this registry key?
  • Larry_Fine's avatar
    Larry_Fine
    Level 6
    11 years ago

    I don't see a technote on it anymore.  It is clearly listed in the bediag.txt file produced.  If you are uncomfortable with the registry change, feel free to use Beutility.exe.

    Here is what BEutility help says about it:

    Next job wait time

    Indicates the amount of time that the Backup Exec server keeps possession of a storage device after a job completes.

    You can use this option to save time when multiple append jobs are sent to a particular Backup Exec server during the same backup window.

    Increasing the wait time between jobs delays the start of the media dismount sequence. If an append job is sent to the storage device before the allotted time expires, the media dismount sequence is averted. The job then starts immediately.

    If an append job is not sent to the storage device in the allotted time, the media dismount sequence begins. When the job completes, the Backup Exec server releases the storage device.