Backup exec 2014, Backup size 1.2TB, HP tape LTO6, media is not enough, overwrite is configured

[eliranbarhum]

Hi,

We have backup exec sp1 installed on server 2012R2,

The backup is written to HP Tape LTO6 - 2.5TB Native, 6.5 Compressed.

Daily backup size is 1.2TB

In most of the week day the backup job is ejecting the cassette from the tape and ask for new cassette.

I have for each day of the week a different cassette and i don't understand why the cassette is not enough.

The job storage settings is configured to overwrite media and keep data for 1 hour, compression is configured for hardware if available otherwise software.

Backup exec settings:

 I need that the backup will fit on 1 cassette.

Kind Regards,

Eliran

[pkh]

What is the OPP and the AP of the media set that your tapes belong to?

[Larry_Fine]

Are they getting ejected in the middle of a job because BE thinks that the tape is full?  This could be a tape drive issue.

Or are they being ejected at the start of the job?  This would likely be related to your BE setting for overwrite and append.

[eliranbarhum]

Larry - the cassete getting ejected in the middle of the job because BE thinks that the tape is full

pkh - where can i find the setting for OPP and AP

thanks

[pkh]

Check the property of the media set. Check the job log and see whether the job is overwriting or appending to the tape

[Larry_Fine]

The backup is written to HP Tape LTO6 - 2.5TB Native, 6.5 Compressed.

Daily backup size is 1.2TB

Since you said that the tape is getting ejected in the middle of a job because BE thinks that the tape is full, and you are backing up less than the native capacity of your tape cartridge, you may have a clogged tape head.

See http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH193200

You will probably have to work with your hardware vendor on this.  I don't think that you have an issue with the OPP and AP as the root cause seems to be the tape getting full prematurely.

[eliranbarhum]

Media operation - Overwrite media.

[pkh]

If the data that you are backing up are already compressed or encrypted, then you would end up with more data than you have started with.  See my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/compression-short-explanation

You can check by switching to software compression and see how much data you ended up with.  Software and hardware compression produces roughly the same result.

[Colin_Weaver]

I know you posted a Media Operation - Overwrite media message, but is that the status when the job starts or does the job start as an append and this status is part of the request for a new tape?

If the job starts as an append then you are probably using tapes that already have data on them and filling up the last free space on the tape during the job operation. As BE cannot overwrite only part of a tape it then will not touch the ealier data on that tape because you would be in a "Swallowing my own tail" data loss situation if we let that happen.

The way to avoid this would be reduce the append period and/or make the job start with an overwrite operation.

BTW I am concerned about your stated retention of one hour as if that refers to the overwrite protection period 1 hour would generally be too short for data protection.

[eliranbarhum]

Hi Cloin,

Yes, i am using a tapes that already have data on them, but the data should be expired an BE should overwrite the data.

How can i configure the job to start always with an overwrite operation ?

Should the append time of period need to by very long ?

Thank you

[Colin_Weaver]

Edit the job properties and find the storage section and then change the settings inside the When the job begins section.

Tapes don;t expire media in the same way that disks do, tapes requires an overwrite operation to remove all of the sets on the tape in one go. If youy yart as job with append it will not try to overwrite a tape even if the backup sets on the tape are overwritable/expired you have to specifically do an overwrite operations.

Append period shoud be set short enough so that planned appends can work - we do noy recommend long append periods even thogh the defaut is infinite. Similarly we do not recommedn short overwrite protection periods as you might overwrite data too early hence my coment about the 1 hour you mentioned.

If you do not understand append and overwrite protection than I recommend you read the section in the admin guide covering this, I also recommend you read the Symantec Connect Blog written by pkh