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Nuri_Inuki's avatar
Nuri_Inuki
Level 4
12 years ago

BE2010R3SP2 - Backups Disappeared!!

Running BE 2010 R3 SP2.  User requested I restore the SQL Backup from Monday night (3/18)'s backup.  I attempted to do so on the 19th but failed, as job was saying it was unable to take the database offline.  So, I figure I'll just work on it later.  Tonight, I was able to kill all the connections to the database and attempted to do the restore again.  To my surprise and frustration, all my backups are gone!! The only backup listed for the SQL server was tonight's (3/21) and last night's (3/20).  When I configured the job, I told it to do full backups and to keep for 5 weeks!!  I'm so frustrated!!  What the hell happened?!  Did I configure the B2D media wrong?  I had it set at a max of 10 backup sets.  Does BE automatically wipe out all the backups on the file and start from 0 again once it hits max? WTF HAPPENED?!?!?!

God, what the heck!? I'm so upset right now.  I have other important servers that are all designed the same way and backing up the same way.  If this is happening on every one of them....how am I suppose to answer to management if they ask me to restore a previous night's backup and it's not there?!?!!?!?

2010
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Restore
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    12 years ago

    Data retention is controlled by the OPP in your media set.  It has nothing to do with the max. backup sets parameter of the B2D property.

    For example, if you want to retain your data for 2 weeks, then you got to create a media set with the OPP set to 2 weeks and then target your job to this media set.

    I would suggest that you read the media management section of the Admin Guide which can be found in the  BE installation directory.

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  • Nuri_Inuki's avatar
    Nuri_Inuki
    Level 4
    12 years ago

    Okay...now I'm really concerned.  I had the DB backup duplicated to tape the previous Saturday (3/17).  That data is gone as well.....job logs said the duplicate to tape was successful...opening up the log shows an error stating:

    Duplicate
    Source backup set had completed with following error/exceptions.
    V-79-57344-33037 - Physical Volume Library Media not found.

    So...the job failed then? Well...no...the logs said it's successful. So I must be a complete idiot.  Again, I went to the tape -> right-click -> Restore Data and it only shows data for another server backed up on the same date.  My SQL server is not listed at all.

    Seriously...what am I doing wrong?  I obviously don't know how to configure a backup job if I'm trying to tell BE to keep data for 5 weeks and I'm not maintaining more than 2 days worth.

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    12 years ago

    Data retention is controlled by the OPP in your media set.  It has nothing to do with the max. backup sets parameter of the B2D property.

    For example, if you want to retain your data for 2 weeks, then you got to create a media set with the OPP set to 2 weeks and then target your job to this media set.

    I would suggest that you read the media management section of the Admin Guide which can be found in the  BE installation directory.

  • Nuri_Inuki's avatar
    Nuri_Inuki
    Level 4
    12 years ago

     

    I've read the documentation a few times and I thought I understood it, but then after you suggested it again, I went and actually checked the OPP settings. I'm going to kill the last admin that set this up.  He set OPP to NONE, so even though I was putting media in the 5 weeks media set, it still got overwritten.

    One thing that I'm still unclear about (even after reading the documentation a few times and searching the forums) is how max backup sets work.  What happens after you hit the max backup set?  Does it create a new file?  What if you hit the max file size before max backup set? Does it create a new file also?

    Another thing I'm unclear about, is with how Append and OPP work together.  If Append Period is set to 7 days, and OPP is set to 10 days, my understanding is that OPP doesn't kick in until it's done writing.  What happens if you append to the tape on day 6?  Does that push OPP out another 10 days from the 6th day (essentially having OPP ending on the 16th now instead of the 11th)?  What if you gone past the append period but have not pass the OPP, have not hit max backup sets nor the max file size?  Will BE still create a new file?

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    12 years ago

    When either the max backup set or the max size limit is hit, BE will create a new .bkf file.

    OPP is calculated from the END of the last job that writes to the media, so when you append to a media the  OPP is extended.  This is one reason why you don't append to disk media

    When you exceed the AP, you would not be able to append to the media.

    For a better understanding of OPP and AP, do read this document

    OPP and AP explanation