BE2014 SP1: Backup Method is grayed out for Backup to Tape job

[kha]

I have a job to run to tape (keep forever - no overwrite).

It backups up folders on D:/LogsArchive (local backup server) to a backup tape.  It looks like a waste of space on tape if I just keep runing full backup every month to the tape that is set to keep forever and DO NOT OVERWRITE.  I only archive logs once in a while or every quarter.  I want to change the job to use backup method = incremental, but that option is grayed out.

I see the weekly full backup job (B2D) has backup method available for me to pick from dropdown list.

Any idea why i can't choose backup method for my monthly backup to tape job?

[Larry_Fine]

When editing your Full backup job, use the "add a backup job" dropdown at the top of the "schedule" page.  One of the choices is incrmental.  I don't think you can change your Full job to Incremental.  You have to add an Incremental job, based upon the Full job.

[kha]

You are right, i cannot run the incremental job (only) without the full backup job.  

When I choosed to create backup "to tape", it's automatically create full backup job and also with incremental backup job.

So, I schedule the full backup job to run monthly, few hours before the incremental backup job (also run monthly).  The full backup job runs to disk and keep for 2 days.  The incremental backup job runs to tape - keep forever.  

So, I put my full monthly backup to tape on hold to see how the new monthly backup job set turns out

[pkh]

With your current setup, you wold probably end up with close to nothing on your tape because in the few hours between the full and incremental backup, there would be nothing much changed or added to the folder.  Remember incremental backups only backup changes and additions since the LAST full backup.

You should schedule the full backup to run periodically, like 6 months or a year, and specify overwrite so that it uses a new tape.  The incremental backup can specify append to append to this tape.  If both the full and incremental backups start at exactly the same date and time, then the full backup would supercede the incremental backup.  There is no need to backup to disk.