Diskstorage keeps on growing despite of overwrite period is exceeded.

Are you appending or overwriting your media? Best practice for B2D backups is to overwrite...

Thanks!

Note::

look closer on the name and dates of the .bkf files on the NAS..

the nameing, whitch should indicates that in witch order BE has created the files rages from B2D002518 to B2D009548 while the oldes dated file is B2D004415-

Are you doing Incremental or differential backups as if yes then BE will keep the full backup until such time as all depending backups can also be overwritten.

Do you have any backuop sets where you were testign and then stopped performing the same backup (as last copy of any backup set on disk  retained for ever (by default)

Also as this is NAS storage are there any point in time where the NAS might go offline from the media server (as we are investigating an issue with unplgged USB disks not reclaiming old sets when the disk is disconnected and it is possible that a NAS could experience the same if not always online on the media server.)

@CraigV:

Where can I find this option?

the closest thing I came across is this option

Backup Exec Settings -> Storage
Under the "Tap/Disk cartridge Devices" section
Media overwrite options
1-Overwrite scratch media before overwriting recyclable media contained in the targeted media set. (Chosen)
2-Overwrite recyclable media contained in the targeted media set before overwriting scratch media.

@Colin Weaver:

I'm doing incremental and the backup jobs are weekly jobs where full backup is don on thu and inc sun-wed.

No test backup sets.. the same weekly backup is running week after week as intended.

the NAS has gone offline(in BE) once 2 or maybe 3 weeks ago. The incremental job that was supposed to run that nigh failed. But after setting the NAS back online in BE the following night job ran successfully

Where can I find this option?

the closest thing I came across is this option

Backup Exec Settings -> Storage
Under the "Tap/Disk cartridge Devices" section
Media overwrite options
1-Overwrite scratch media before overwriting recyclable media contained in the targeted media set. (Chosen)
2-Overwrite recyclable media contained in the targeted media set before overwriting scratch media.

Nidall -

Here are a couple of places for you to look to see what's happening:

1) Check to see if Data Lifecycle Management (DLM) is running on your media server:

a) In BE2012, click the Backup Exec Jewel (upper left corner)

b) Click "Configuration and Settings", "Audit Log"

c) Select the category "Backup Set Retention" and make sure that you sort by Date at least once (I normally do it twice to get the most recent at the top).

d)The dates/times that DLM  has run are listed - DLM CAN run as often as every 4 hours - you CANNOT force DLM to run manually.

e) You should see 2 types of transactions: "Deleted expired image" AND "Deleted expired media" - deleting the image happens first and moves the BKF into the "Scratch" category while deleting the media happens afterward and is the process of removing the BKF from the disk storage.

f) If you do NOT see DLM running recently and deleting files, then you may have a problem with DLM and either need to log a case, delete some files manually (via BE2012 interface), or re-verify that your expectations for when backups are available for pruning are what BE expects, or all of the above...

2) Check to see if the existing backup sets are available for being pruned by DLM

a) In BE2012, Click Storage, <your storage device>, Backup Sets

b) This non-sortable list gives you ALL of the backup sets that are on the device in order from most recent Backup Time to the oldest

c) Scroll to the bottom - if you have more than 1000 backup sets on the device be very persistent at scrolling to the VERY bottom.

d) Select one of the backup sets that you believe is expired (and should be removed) right-click and select "Delete"

e) If there are no other backup sets that are dependent upon this one you will only receive a prompt to delete the set - DLM should be doing this to this set in the near future.

f) If there ARE other backup sets that are dependent upon this one, after you answer "Yes" to do you want to delete?, you will be given a list of the dependencies.

g) The list of dependencies will have all of the backup sets that are preventing this one backup set from being deleted.  Carefully review the dates on the dependent backup sets, if any are in the future, that is why DLM is not pruning that backup set.

h) Correct your expiration date and time settings and you may also need to delete backup sets manually to remove ones you believe should be expired, but which Backup Exec does not.

Good Luck.

Ok so thee incrementals running for a week and being retaing for 8 weeks will mean that the full will not be deleted for 9 weeks as the full cannot be reclaimed before the incrementals have been. (this is one of the rules of DLM there are others)

Hi Colin,

I'm aware of that rule. But as I mentioned before I have files on the NAS stretching 13 weeks back and BE keeps on writing new files instead of reusing the media(.bkf).

I mentioned in another reply that our NAS went Offline only once for 2-3 weeks ago.. Now it has done that (going offline)  2 times, 2 days in a row.

OK well if you have the issue where you NAS is going offline and DLM tries to operate against that offline drive, which we have usually seen against unplugged USB diskse offline device, then I believe the workaround is once the device is online, run an inventory and catalog job against the. (not sure how long this might take)  and then once thjs has finished, with 4 hours (as long as the device remains online it should reclaim the data.

EDIT: if above does not help suggest you log a formal support case as we may need etra logs etc as we may need a more in depth look into your problem.