Cartridge Space Reclamation issue

NetBackup will not be able to re-use media until *ALL* images on said media have expired.

If your bpexpdate command did indeed expire all the data on the tape then try running bpexpdate -deassignempty to unassign & allow for re-use.

Expired image space on a tape cannot be reclaimed.

ALL images on a tape must be expired before tape can be overwritten.

See this blog for more info: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/understanding-how-netbackup-writes-tape

Netbackup doesn't calculate how much space is free on specific partt of the tape. Therefore IF it could write to it, you'd potentially face over-writting other data as your backup may be bigger than the space available. Hence why it only uses the tape again when all images have expired that are on that tape.

This tape was expired via

bpexpdate.exe -m 3BCYL5 -d 0 -force -host cbs_master

the cartridge was expired, but the  cartridge is not being reused by NetBackup. then i run this command:

bpexpdate -deassignempty -m 3BCYL5 -force -M master_server
Deassigned 0 out of 36 media-ids found.
 

now guide me how can i free the space to reuse the tape.

Please show us output of this command:

nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 3BCYL5

D:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\admincmd>nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 3BC
YL5
NBEMMCMD, Version: 7.5
====================================================================
Media GUID:                     aaafc3e0-ef90-46b0-a316-4802a3a5f7fb
Media ID:                       3BCYL5
Partner:                        -
Media Type:                     HCART2
Volume Group:                   000_00000_TLD
Application:                    Netbackup
Media Flags:                    1
Description:                    Added by Media Manager
Barcode:                        403BCYL5
Partner Barcode:                --------
Last Write Host:                NONE
Created:                        05/28/2012 15:35
Time Assigned:                  -
First Mount:                    05/28/2012 16:10
Last Mount:                     10/01/2012 11:49
Volume Expiration:              -
Data Expiration:                -
Last Written:                   -
Last Read:                      -
Robot Type:                     TLD
Robot Control Host:             cbs_medsvr01
Robot Number:                   0
Slot:                           15
Side/Face:                      -
Cleanings Remaining:            -
Number of Mounts:               2163
Maximum Mounts Allowed:         0
Media Status:                   ACTIVE
Kilobytes:                      0
Images:                         0
Valid Images:                   0
Retention Period:               -
Number of Restores:             0
Optical Header Size Bytes:      0
Optical Sector Size Bytes:      0
Optical Partition Size Bytes:   0
Last Header Offset:             0
Adamm Guid:                     00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Rsm Guid:                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Origin Host:                    NONE
Master Host:                    cbs_master
Server Group:                   -
Upgrade Conflicts Flag:
Pool Number:                    14
Volume Pool:                    SDP-Pool
Previous Pool Name:             -
Vault Flags:                    -
Vault Container:                -
Vault Name:                     -
Vault Slot:                     -
Session ID:                     -
Date Vaulted:                   -
Return Date:                    -
Media on Hold:                  0
====================================================================
Command completed successfully.

D:\Program Files\Veritas\NetBackup\bin\admincmd>

There is no time assigned on that tape and it has a status of active

This means that the next time it gets written to it will overwirte it

It is ready for you - there is nothing else to do except wait for it to be used

I agree with Mark.

Tape is available to be overwritten.

If there are more available tapes in SDP-Pool, NBU will choose the one with least amount of mounts.

(Number of Mounts:               2163)

10/1/2012 3:26:43 PM - current media 3BCYL5 complete, requesting next resource Any
10/1/2012 3:27:58 PM - granted resource 3BCYL5
10/1/2012 3:27:58 PM - granted resource IBM.ULT3580-HH5.002
10/1/2012 3:27:58 PM - granted resource cbs_medsvr01-hcart2-robot-tld-0
10/1/2012 3:27:58 PM - mounting 3BCYL5
10/1/2012 3:29:40 PM - current media 3BCYL5 complete, requesting next resource Any
10/1/2012 3:30:37 PM - granted resource 3BCYL5
10/1/2012 3:30:37 PM - granted resource IBM.ULT3580-HH5.002
10/1/2012 3:30:37 PM - granted resource cbs_medsvr01-hcart2-robot-tld-0
10/1/2012 3:30:38 PM - mounting 3BCYL5
10/1/2012 3:32:21 PM - current media 3BCYL5 complete, requesting next resource Any

When i run a manuall backup, while keeping all other cartridges frozen in this pool, this cartridge keeps mounting and unmounting in a infinite loop.

Check bptm log on media server to see what is happening.
If bptm log folder does not exist, create it and retry.

Please also ensure that Media Manager logging is enabled on media server as well as robot control host if they are different:

Add VERBOSE entry in vm.conf 
(D:\Program Files\Veritas\volmgr\)
Restart Device Management Service.

Media Manager actions and errors will now be logged in Event Viewer System and Application logs.