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Backup Exec 2012

tedkilroy1
Level 3

Not really familiar with the product, however, I am sucessful in running backups. I am little confused about setting the "media sets", "When this jobs begins" for full backups, "keep for" and overwrite/append to media overwrite/append to media, terminate for incrementals.

I have one powervault two magazine robotic library with only six servers to backup. Thought about setting full backups once a week and combining inc/diff backup jobs.

 

Any help would be appraciated.

   

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

If you have not done so, you should talk to your management and users as to what their requirements are:  How far back to they want to be able to restore things and how fast they want things to be restored.  These would provide the bases for how long you need to keep your backup and what backup method to use.  If you set the OPP to 1 week and your management/users requirement is to be able to restore data from 6 months ago, then you are in trouble when your backup sets got overwritten.

You don't have to do incremental backups if there is no need to.  Doing incremental backups increases the time to restore things.  See my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/pros-and-cons-various-backup-schemes

To learn how to manage your data using media sets, read the Media Management section of the Admin Guide which can be found in the BE installation directory.  Also, read this document to familiarise yourself with OPP and AP.

OPP and AP explanation

Next, decide on whether you want to append to your tapes or overwrite them everytime.  There are pros and cons to each approach.

The number and frequency of jobs that you run would depend on your requirement, i.e., how much data can your company afford to loose, a day, a couple days or a couple of hours?

Nobody on this forum can give you the complete solution to your problems because we don't know your environment.  You would just have at try things out after doing some reading up.and see how well they work in your environment 

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8

lmosla
Level 6
Yes, a full backup usually on the weekend for each server with incrementals or differentials done on weekdays is the typical healthy protection strategy. Take a look at this for help on Media Management http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO74427

tedkilroy1
Level 3
Nice article, however, I was wondering if a more experienced with BE 2012 so that I could understand what I am trying to accomplish. I have a 16 slot tape drive with only 6 servers to backup. Thinking about partitioning all 16 slots and I get stuck when reading as to whether overwrite, append to media and overwrite.

lmosla
Level 6
It is difficult to give a solid answer without more knowing more about your environment. Here are a couple of articles that are better suited to your questions. http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO73435 http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH189306 http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO73312#v53890679

Kiran_Bandi
Level 6
Partner Accredited

For tape backups, Append to media Overwrite if no appendable media found is the best setting to go for. Create media sets with OPP and AP as designed for Full backups and for incrementals. General practise is to keep weekly full backups for 4 weeks and incrementals for a week or two. Consider size of backups and available medias while planning retentions.

Do not move medias into media sets manually. Let them be in Scratch set. BE will move them into media sets as and when required.

Thanks!

tedkilroy1
Level 3
I would like to do 1 full and anywhere from 1 to 2 incrmentals, depending on which server I am setting up, so set the option media set to 1 week and append for 6 days?

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

For tape backups, Append to media Overwrite if no appendable media found is the best setting to go for.

General practise is to keep weekly full backups for 4 weeks and incrementals for a week or two.

On what bases are you making these statements?  Do you have any documentation to back these statements?

If not, you should not be making such statements because what is good or best for one environment is not suitable for another.  The user has hardly given any information on his environment.  Only a foolhardy person would give advice based on almost nothing.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

If you have not done so, you should talk to your management and users as to what their requirements are:  How far back to they want to be able to restore things and how fast they want things to be restored.  These would provide the bases for how long you need to keep your backup and what backup method to use.  If you set the OPP to 1 week and your management/users requirement is to be able to restore data from 6 months ago, then you are in trouble when your backup sets got overwritten.

You don't have to do incremental backups if there is no need to.  Doing incremental backups increases the time to restore things.  See my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/pros-and-cons-various-backup-schemes

To learn how to manage your data using media sets, read the Media Management section of the Admin Guide which can be found in the BE installation directory.  Also, read this document to familiarise yourself with OPP and AP.

OPP and AP explanation

Next, decide on whether you want to append to your tapes or overwrite them everytime.  There are pros and cons to each approach.

The number and frequency of jobs that you run would depend on your requirement, i.e., how much data can your company afford to loose, a day, a couple days or a couple of hours?

Nobody on this forum can give you the complete solution to your problems because we don't know your environment.  You would just have at try things out after doing some reading up.and see how well they work in your environment 

tedkilroy1
Level 3
Thanks PKH, that was a perfect explanation and which is why I started this thread. For whatever reason the manual wasn't clear.