Backup exec software and changing backup hard drives.

[bryanbotha]

Hi There

In all backup exec software I use, i notice that there is a common problem when using b2d folders.
We run all of our clients backups to external hardrive and a few of the clients like to swap those external drives on a daily basis.

The problem that I have is this, when a backup drive is swapped, the backup jobs do not run, they just sit in a queued state, as if they are not picking the disk up.
This happenson all version of the backup exec software and at all of the clients that interchange backup drives.

Restarting the backup exec services, pausing and unpausing even disabling and re enabling the b2d folder does not solve the problem, all i can do is delete the b2d folder and recreate in the backup exec software.

Is there something I can do to fix this problem?

Any help is appreciated.

Regards
Bryan

[CraigV]

Hi Bryan,

It would be the same as removing a tape drive...backups would also queue. Backup Exec itself doesn't actually run periodic scans for hardware changes. What Windows reports, it will see, but the services (and mainly the device service) need a restart to accomplish this.
I have seen a post about selecting the option to eject the media, so maybe look into that. But a B2D isn't like a removable B2D (like the RDX systems)...it is sort of seen as being fixed.
Try the eject option, and post the results.

Laters!

[Colin_Weaver]

This should hlep

Say you have 5 USB drives for Monday through Friday backups.

1) Configure each drive to always use their own drive letter.
2) Create a different removable B2D on each drive (Mon - Fri for instance)
3) Put all the removable B2Ds into a single drive/device pool
4) Configure your jobs to use the drive/device pool.
5) Make the last job of any day end with an eject of the media. - this is key failure to do this will result in queued jobs when you unplug the USB drive and insert the one for the next day (unless you also restart the Backup Exec Device and Media Services anyway )


Note this sequence was tested by a collegaue with BE 12.x - to help a customer - I am not sure if it works with BE 2010

[bryanbotha]

Not in my case unfortunately.

These clients only have 2 drives which they change on a daily basis, i thought about what you suggested, i.e creating 2 jobs pointing to the respective drive and folder, but it will not work because monday will not always be drive 1 and tuesday will not always be drive 2 etc.

Basically what i want is that backup exec must pick up BOTH drives as if it is 1 drive.

Perhaps ghosting the one drive to the other drive will help?

Let me have a look at the eject option and see how it helps me.

[CraigV]

Any news here Bryan?