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Bls1987's avatar
Bls1987
Level 3
11 years ago

netbackup robot concept

I am fresher in Netbackup, We are running with Net Backup 7.1. From now we can go in Server Room and install/remove the backup Tape in Robot.

I am little bit confusion regarding the process, how the robot can store the tape in Tape Media how they nw the exact location of the tape?

7.1.x and Earlier
Backup and Recovery
Basics
NetBackup
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    11 years ago
    As mentioned by Nate - the actual location of the tapes are held by the library in it's memory. The library will run it;s own inventory, usually when powered on and the barcode reader will scan all the tapes to learn their locations. The library knows when and where tapes move so another inventory is not usually required unless tapes are moved manually - eg. using robtest utility, or by opening the door and moving, inserting new, or removing existing. When an inventory is run in NBU, this is NOT the same as the robot running it's own inventory. The next point is very important - NBU does not 'look' in the library to see where the tapes are, it cannot do that. Instead, NBU asks the robot - where are the tapes, and the robot (or library) responds and sends the locations of the tapes to NBU. NBU stores this information in the 'volume' database. This can be seen with the vmquery -a command. The NBU volume database is to do with physical aspects of tapes. Once a tape is in here it is never removed unless you delete the tape. NBU also has a media data base - you can see this with the bpmedialist command. Generally, tapes are only in this database when they contain images. When all the images on the tape expire, the tape is removed from the media database, but remains in the volume database. When the tape is reused, it goes back into the media database. Therefore sometimes tapes will not appear in the media DB, this is normal if they contain no valid images. (An image is valid if it hasn't reached it's expire time - after that it is invalid).
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    11 years ago
    I gave a description of the DBs in this post https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/difference-between-volume-database-and-media-database The assign time is useful to know about - the assign time is the date/ time given to a media when it is entered into the media database. Until the tape expires and is removed from the media database, it keeps the same assign time. Therefore, seeing if the tape has an assign time is a good way to see if it is in the media database.

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  • Nate_D1's avatar
    Nate_D1
    Level 6
    11 years ago

    That is all controlled by the brains of the tape library, and there is a barcode reader that directs netbackup to the ID of the tape.  I dont think this sounds like much of a netbackup question though? Is that all the information you needed?

  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    11 years ago
    As mentioned by Nate - the actual location of the tapes are held by the library in it's memory. The library will run it;s own inventory, usually when powered on and the barcode reader will scan all the tapes to learn their locations. The library knows when and where tapes move so another inventory is not usually required unless tapes are moved manually - eg. using robtest utility, or by opening the door and moving, inserting new, or removing existing. When an inventory is run in NBU, this is NOT the same as the robot running it's own inventory. The next point is very important - NBU does not 'look' in the library to see where the tapes are, it cannot do that. Instead, NBU asks the robot - where are the tapes, and the robot (or library) responds and sends the locations of the tapes to NBU. NBU stores this information in the 'volume' database. This can be seen with the vmquery -a command. The NBU volume database is to do with physical aspects of tapes. Once a tape is in here it is never removed unless you delete the tape. NBU also has a media data base - you can see this with the bpmedialist command. Generally, tapes are only in this database when they contain images. When all the images on the tape expire, the tape is removed from the media database, but remains in the volume database. When the tape is reused, it goes back into the media database. Therefore sometimes tapes will not appear in the media DB, this is normal if they contain no valid images. (An image is valid if it hasn't reached it's expire time - after that it is invalid).
  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    11 years ago
    I gave a description of the DBs in this post https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/difference-between-volume-database-and-media-database The assign time is useful to know about - the assign time is the date/ time given to a media when it is entered into the media database. Until the tape expires and is removed from the media database, it keeps the same assign time. Therefore, seeing if the tape has an assign time is a good way to see if it is in the media database.
  • Adonis_Manansal's avatar
    Adonis_Manansal
    Level 6
    11 years ago

    Nate.D and mph999 is correct. in addition, (from NetBackup DeviceConfig Guide page85) stated: "A robot is a peripheral device that mounts and unmounts media in tape drives. NetBackup uses robotic control software to communicate with the robot firmware".

    You can read NetBackup DeviceConfig Guide to further understand how NetBackup controls Tapes.