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Backup Job Waiting on Tape

rickyrak
Level 4

Hello All -

I seem to have a very annoying situation with Backup Exec that I cannot seem to solve.   Basically I have 4 backup jobs that run daily to tape.  The first backup is an NDMP backup which uses 1.5 tapes (2 tapes in my tape library).   Upon completion of this job, the second tape is still appendable for use of the other 3 jobs that run to tape (which are duplicate policy jobs from Disk).

At the end of my third running job, BEX reports the job completed successfully and then immediately after i receive an error asking for an overwriteable or appendable tape.   However the problem is that the tape is still in the drive (shown by BEX) and the tape still has space.  So in short its asking for an overwriteable tape when there is actually one already in the drive!

My only logical thought process is that because it is an append job and its a duplicate policy job, BEX is checking the data it has to copy form disk to tape and seeing that it does not have enough space, and thus is seeking a 3rd tape.  My problem here is why the tape doesnt eject as a full tape.  Even after i add a 3rd tape the device still looks for an overwritable tape (even though I inserted scratch media a brand new tape).

 

Any ideas on what could be halting the job (even though BEX claims Job Completed successfully) ?

 

12 REPLIES 12

ZeRoC00L
Level 6
Partner Accredited

What if you configure your third job to eject the tape at the end of the job ?

I think the 4th job will put the overwrite-able tape back into the drive and start on where it's left.

Is the 4th job configured to use an appendable tape ?

Ken_Putnam
Level 6

My only logical thought process is that because it is an append job and its a duplicate policy job, BEX is checking the data it has to copy form disk to tape and seeing that it does not have enough space, and thus is seeking a 3rd tape.

BackupExec does not do capacity checking when selecting tapes to use

Sounds more like the APP period is too short (it is measured from the time the first job starts writing to the tape volume), or that the last job is specifying a different media set

rickyrak
Level 4

The 4th job is scheduled to use an appendable tape, or if appendable is not available use an overwriteable tape.

 

I will try to change the 3rd job to eject the tape and see what happens.

rickyrak
Level 4

How can I change the APP period?   THis has always worked for me in the past so there should be something I need to change.

 

Any idea why the tape would remain in the drive and still in use by BEX (tape shows with green play icon) even though the job reported completed successfully?   What is the tape still doing?

 

The only way I am able to fix it is to eject the tape through the library interface, but then BEX reports it as unknown media.

 

Ken_Putnam
Level 6

How can I change the APP period?

APP is set by media set.  Go to the media tab, right cick the desired media set/properties

Any idea why the tape would remain in the drive and still in use by BEX (tape shows with green play icon) even though the job reported completed successfully?

Any active alerts?  If BackupExec has ejected the tape because one of the jobs requested it, then it  will post an alert that you need to either resond to manually or by setting and Auto-Response (and the job clock will continue to run until BE receives a response).   This could also  be why BE is asking for an Overwriteable tape

 

rickyrak
Level 4

The append period is set to infinite - allow append

 

Regarding the tape, there are no active alerts.  When i click on the drive, it simply shows the tape and shows with a green arrow, but not actually writing any data.  Its like the library is just holding it but not actually doing anything with it.  Is there a better way to troubleshoot it to see what might be holding it up?  Is there a way to cancel any current activitiy?

Usually when this happens I have to stop the BEX services, manually eject the tape and then restart the BEX services.

sdcadmin
Level 5

Rickyrak,

I have run into this annoying issue from time-to-time as well.  I go to the Media tab and select All Media.  I find the appendable tape, right-click and select Associate with Media Set...  I change the media set to scratch media.  The tape is re-engaged and the system reassigns the media set that I had it associated with previously.  I hope this helps.

William

rickyrak
Level 4

William -

 

THanks for your offer and possible solution.   Unfortunately, my tape in the drive currently still shows "in use"  with a green arrow.   When I try to perform your suggested operation, it tells me that it cannot move media because it is still in use.

So now BEX is looking for overwriteable media that it is using!

 

So annoying :(

 

Welcoming any other tips you might have....

sdcadmin
Level 5

Do your tapes have barcodes on them or some type of tracking label?

rickyrak
Level 4

Yes the tapes have barcodes.  I even tried a brand new tape with brand new barcode and no luck.

Ken_Putnam
Level 6

double check that the media set specified by the last duplicate job has not somehow  been changed

sdcadmin
Level 5

Do the subsequent jobs have the same media set name as the first job?  I have had this type of oversight to hold up some of my jobs in the past.