VTL tape Quick Erase Question

Perhaps someone else will be able to help you with the script.

Seeing that you are using "NetBackup - 7.1.x and Earlier", and are attempting the exact same thing that caused me to lose data on VTL tapes, please go through this thread in case you haven't already.

I hope the same thing doesn't happen to you. (Unlikely, if you are only targeting the scratch pool.)

vmquery –v 000_00001_TLD –rt TLD –rn 1 -pn Scratch -l>c:\scratchlist.txt

You don't need the -rt or -rn options, these don;t seem to work with the -v option, which actually kinda makes sense.

The vol group actually contains the 'rt' and the 'rn'

000_00001_TLD

The 00001 part is the library number, the TLD bit is of course the library type.

I had problems with the -l when I tested this, can you try the -w, no idea why that didn;t work (at least for me).

Martin

Tried the following  as suggested by mph999 with no luck.

C:\>vmquery -v 000_00001_TLD -pn Scratch -l>c:\scratchlist.txt
Usage: vmquery [-h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>,...,
           -h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>]
           [-b | -w | -W | -l]
           {
           -a |
           -m <media_id> |
           -v <volume_group> |
           -rn <robot_number> |
           -rt <robot_type> |
           -mt <media_type> |
           -p <pool_number> |
           -pn <pool_name> |
           -vltcid <vault_container_id> |
           -res <robot_type> <robot_number> <robot_control_host>
                <robot_coord1> <robot_coord2> |
           -assignbyid <media_id> <media_type> <pool_number> <status>
                       <assigntime> |
           -deassignbyid <media_id> <pool_number> <status>
           }
CAUTION: The act of unassigning volumes may lead to inconsistencies between the application media database and volume database, leading to the possibility for data loss. You must expire the media from an application interface.

Remove the -l as well :

vmquery -v 000_00001_TLD -pn Scratch

Does that work ?

Martin

I tried the query with and without adding the host information and both times if brought up the following.

C:\>vmquery -v 000_00001_TLD -pn Scratch
Usage: vmquery [-h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>,...,
           -h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>]
           [-b | -w | -W | -l]
           {
           -a |
           -m <media_id> |
           -v <volume_group> |
           -rn <robot_number> |
           -rt <robot_type> |
           -mt <media_type> |
           -p <pool_number> |
           -pn <pool_name> |
           -vltcid <vault_container_id> |
           -res <robot_type> <robot_number> <robot_control_host>
                <robot_coord1> <robot_coord2> |
           -assignbyid <media_id> <media_type> <pool_number> <status>
                       <assigntime> |
           -deassignbyid <media_id> <pool_number> <status>
           }
CAUTION: The act of unassigning volumes may lead to inconsistencies
         between the application media database and volume database,
         leading to the possibility for data loss. You must expire the
         media from an application interface.

C:\>
C:\>vmquery -v 000_00001_TLD -pn Scratch -h hostname

Usage: vmquery [-h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>,...,
           -h <EMM_server> | <volume_database_host>]
           [-b | -w | -W | -l]
           {
           -a |
           -m <media_id> |
           -v <volume_group> |
           -rn <robot_number> |
           -rt <robot_type> |
           -mt <media_type> |
           -p <pool_number> |
           -pn <pool_name> |
           -vltcid <vault_container_id> |
           -res <robot_type> <robot_number> <robot_control_host>
                <robot_coord1> <robot_coord2> |
           -assignbyid <media_id> <media_type> <pool_number> <status>
                       <assigntime> |
           -deassignbyid <media_id> <pool_number> <status>
           }
CAUTION: The act of unassigning volumes may lead to inconsistencies
         between the application media database and volume database,
         leading to the possibility for data loss. You must expire the
         media from an application interface.

I have a similar environment...  Windows 2008 R2 running 6.5.6 writing to a VTL for immediate backups, but we also have an HP ESL library for physically duplicating tapes for offsite.

I found a script (http://www.backupcentral.com/phpBB2/two-way-mirrors-of-external-mailing-lists-3/symantec-netbackup-18/script-to-label-expired-tapes-in-a-vtl-60765/index-30.html) and modified it to our environment to label/erase any tapes that became expired.

First, you need to find the "media_deassign_notify.cmd" (found in the Netbackup\bin\goodies directory) and move it into the Netbackup\bin directory.  This script will write out to a text file (MEDIA_DEASSIGNED.txt) whenever a tape expires.

Also, I have this script ONLY write out the tapes that begin with a barcode of "VT" (which stands for Virtual Tape).

I then have a daily scheduled job (Label_MEDIA_DEASSIGNED.bat) that parses the text file.  This script checks the status of the tape (to make sure it didn't get used within the time that it expired and the time that the script ran) and then runs the BPLABEL command to erase the data.

I then rename the text file and append it with the date.  This way, if there are any problems and/or questions, I can refer back to the older text files.

(I have renamed the media_deassign_notify.cmd and the scheduled batch file to .txt.  You will need to rename it - as well as modify it to your environment - before use.)

Hopefully, this will get you going on the right track.  It has served us well...  (Been using it for over 2 years now.)

Your issue is the scratch pool - you cannot bplabel a tape in scratch

So you need to move it somewhere else first (vmchange) and then bplabel it - it should work then

Hope this helps

Just checking back on this thread...

Did this help?  Any questions?

My VTL tapes begin with a Z and my VTL Robot is TLD(1).  I think I modified the scripts you provided correctly and have attached the same to this reply. I am using LTO4 tapes for the VTL emulation.

Do you run these scripts as a scheduled task or by putting them in the <install path>\netbackup bin directory sufficient to have the process run automatically. 

I created the c:\reports directory on the server and I attempted to manually run the media_deassign_notify batch file but the report I got was blank.

If you can verify I have set my parameters correctly in the modified media_deassign_notify file and the Label_Media_DEASSIGN files that I have attached I would appreciate it.  Naturally, the "myhost" entry would actually be my Media server host name on the physical system.

Thanks for the assistance.

My feeling is still that bplabel does not work on tapes in a scrathc pool, as per my earlier post, so i don't think any of this will work - but i stand to be corrected