05-25-2012 02:46 AM
Hi.
I have problem with LTO3 tape media labels and descriptions in Backup Exec 2012. If I manually edit Media Description (Right click on tape media), everything works. But after backup job writes to this tape, Media Description is deleted.
The same problem is when I tried "Label Media", but it would be enough just Media description for me....
Solved! Go to Solution.
06-13-2012 08:21 AM
This might help
By Default any Media Description applied to Tape or VTL media in Backup Exec 2012 will be removed during any form of Overwrite Operation. A method to change this behaviour is available by registry modification.
Warning: Incorrect use of the Windows registry editor may prevent the operating system from functioning properly. Great care should be taken when making changes to a Windows registry. Registry modifications should only be carried-out by persons experienced in the use of the registry editor application. It is recommended that a complete backup of the registry and workstation be made prior to making any registry changes
1) Use Regedit to locate
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec for Windows\Adamm
2) Within the ADAMM key create a REG_DWORD value called
PreserveMediaDescriptions
3) Set the value data to 1 to maintain the media descriptions during overwrite operations (default behaviour would be set the value data to 0)
05-25-2012 07:35 AM
Check whether that media is already labelled.
05-25-2012 08:37 AM
I don't understand... I need to have Media Description on each tape. But after any backup on these tapes the Media Description disappeared....
05-25-2012 10:01 AM
Media description is cleared whenever a tape is overwritten, erased, etc. The Media Description should not be cleared by an appending backup.
05-25-2012 10:06 AM
This has been confirmed an issue in BE2012 with overwrite backups only. It does not occur if you append to the media. If you open a call with Technical Support they can escalate it for you. Otherwise it will be addressed in an upcoming driver release.
05-25-2012 07:51 PM
I think this behaviour of the Media Description field not being preserved has been observed for a few versions of BE prior to BE 2012. Most users have given up on using the Media Description field.
05-28-2012 12:44 AM
So that doesn't exist any way how to preserve Media Description in BE2012 ? This issue si also with using LABELs ?
05-28-2012 12:54 AM
When you label a tape, the label is preserved until the tape is re-labeled. Note that when you re-label a tape, the contents of the tape is deleted.
If you are using barcode labels, then you cannot re-label the tape. The internal label will always follow the barcode label. The tape would automatically be re-labeled to match the barcode label when it is next overwritten.
06-07-2012 02:32 PM
The behavior with the Media Description field resetting, after the media is overwritten, is working by design, in BE2012 and has been for years in previous products.
As for the Media Label field it inherits the bar code label, if a bar code is affixed to the media AND the tape library has a bar code reader. If you do not have a bar code label affixed to the media AND your tape change supports non-bar coded media, then this field will get reset too upon an overwrite.
After discussing this with development, we've decided this will not be changing after all. The workaround is to re-populate these fields after the tapes are overwritten.
06-07-2012 06:43 PM
Thanks for confirming what I said previously.
06-08-2012 08:22 AM
I would like to see an option added to BE 2012 that the media description is not cleared when being overwritten by the same media set. I know the media description was not being overwritten in BE 2010.
Thanks
06-11-2012 04:24 AM
I agree.... We upgraded from BE 2010 and there was not this problem !
06-11-2012 05:47 AM
I haven't seen this happening before BE 2012 and was hoping it was a bug that would be fixed in an update.
E.g. a tape with label 000035 has description "Week rotation #2", the description disappears with every overwrite. Seems odd that we would need to keep a spreadsheet for managing descriptions for each tape, by design.
Will BE ship with an Excel license in the future?
06-11-2012 07:02 PM
Why do you need to keep track of which backup is on which tape? BE keep track of this information. When you restore from a particular backup, BE will be able to find the correct tape.
06-12-2012 03:03 AM
I need to know what tapes are inserted in the drive from BE 2012 console and be able to check whether Overwrite protection is OK and others......
I tried to solve the problem with Symantec and here is the result:
06-12-2012 07:39 PM
In your case it might be easier to use the label field, rather than the media description field. You can label your tapes like "Weekly1", etc, rather than the numbering scheme that you are using.
06-13-2012 01:32 AM
No, the situation with LABEL media is the same as with MEDIA DESCRIPTION, after any backup to media LABEL is reseted to bar code number placed on tape and MEDIA DESCRIPTION is deleted.....
06-13-2012 01:44 AM
I thought you are using a stand-alone tape drive. If you are using a library with barcode labels, then you should let BE and the tape libary manage the tapes for you. If you have set the OPP and AP correctly, everything is o.k. BE will overwrite the correct tape. You can check the expiry of the OPP when you click on the tape. If you have not set your OPP correctly, then you are in trouble. You would not be able to prevent BE from using the tape. I think you are over-working the problem.
06-13-2012 03:35 AM
For myself, it is alot easier to work with a Media Description then with barcodes or numbers. Again, I only ask that an option be added to the product to NOT delete the Media Descriptions on Overwrites, within the same Media Set.
06-13-2012 08:21 AM
This might help
By Default any Media Description applied to Tape or VTL media in Backup Exec 2012 will be removed during any form of Overwrite Operation. A method to change this behaviour is available by registry modification.
Warning: Incorrect use of the Windows registry editor may prevent the operating system from functioning properly. Great care should be taken when making changes to a Windows registry. Registry modifications should only be carried-out by persons experienced in the use of the registry editor application. It is recommended that a complete backup of the registry and workstation be made prior to making any registry changes
1) Use Regedit to locate
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Backup Exec for Windows\Adamm
2) Within the ADAMM key create a REG_DWORD value called
PreserveMediaDescriptions
3) Set the value data to 1 to maintain the media descriptions during overwrite operations (default behaviour would be set the value data to 0)