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Spencer_Conklin's avatar
Spencer_Conklin
Level 3
19 years ago

Setting up a rotating media set using external USB hard drives

I have 2 USB hard drives. I am currently able to make full backups to these drives by stopping the BackupExec services, disconnecting the first drive (drive1), connecting the 2nd drive (drive2), and restarting the services. Then I have to manually erase everything on the new drive to make space for the new back up.

In a perfect world, I would be able to have a media set (or 2?) and simply connect the external hard drives at the right time. The software would do a full backup (on Friday) and then do differential backups on the following days (Mon, Tues, Wedn, Thurs). Then I would stop the service (BTW - does anyone know a DOS command I can use to stop and start services so I can create a batch file) remove the drive, connect the next one, and start the services again.
Now for my question. Can this be done?

17 Replies

  • Ken_Putnam's avatar
    Ken_Putnam
    Level 6
    19 years ago
    IMNSHO, Veritas tottal blew it when they designed B2D on removable media

    First. each removable drive that contains a B2D folder must be connected as the same drive letter each time that you attach it to the server

    Next, each drive must have a UNIQUE drive letter - that is you cannot swap the drives on V: but must use V; and Q: for example.

    They should have treated the B2D device as a pseudo tape drive and accepted any compatible data that is mounted there.

    To stop start services, use the "NET STOP xxxxx" command and the "NET START xxxxxx" command.
  • Spencer_Conklin's avatar
    Spencer_Conklin
    Level 3
    19 years ago
    Great response!
    Ok - this seems feasible. I will just get 2 USB cables and setup each drive with it's own letter. Next - I will remove one of the drives and store that in our fire proof safe. When the backup rotation is finished on the connected drive - after a week, I will connect the other drive from storage and remove the freshly backed up drive. That way Windows wont lose track of what drive letter goes to which drive.

    The next question is - how do I set up a media rotation for each drive so that it alternates every other week?
    Thanks!
  • Ken_Putnam's avatar
    Ken_Putnam
    Level 6
    19 years ago
    Will you be running a Full on the weekends and INCR/DIFF during tghe week, or weekly fulls only?

    For fulls only, set the OPP (Overwrite Protection Period) of the media set to 13 Days
  • Spencer_Conklin's avatar
    Spencer_Conklin
    Level 3
    19 years ago
    I will be doing a full on Friday and differentials on M, T, W, TH.
    Once a week I will rotate the external USB drves.
    I will update this post after I have another USB cable so that both drives can be connected.
  • Ken_Putnam's avatar
    Ken_Putnam
    Level 6
    19 years ago
    Will you be using the same media set for FULLS and DIFFS?

    If so rather than 13 days OPP I would recommend 9 days


    And you did plan to swap drives on Friday morning, right? So that the full and all associated DIFFS are on the same HD
  • Spencer_Conklin's avatar
    Spencer_Conklin
    Level 3
    19 years ago
    OK - finally getting around to finishing this. I have both drives connected. One is F: the other is G:
    I created 2 new devices under Backup-to-Disk Folders - again one is F and the other is G.
    I started the Setup Media Rotation wizard only to realize it was going to force the use of this media set every week.
    If I want to do a Full back up on Friday and incremental on the weekdays and CHANGE the drive so that F: is getting backed up on one week, and G: is getting backup on the other. Then it will go back to F: and so on ......
    How do you do that?
  • Ken_Putnam's avatar
    Ken_Putnam
    Level 6
    19 years ago
    Put both drives in the same media pool, then only have one conected at a time
  • Spencer_Conklin's avatar
    Spencer_Conklin
    Level 3
    19 years ago
    I have put the drives in a media set. It is called F and G Rotation. I start the "New Job using wizard" wizard. I see where I can select the backup type. I am choosing differential. I do not see where I can choose that drive F: gets a full back up on Friday and a differential on M,T,W,TH every other week. I then want the G: drive to get a full on Friday and differential on M,T,W,TH on the alrernating week.