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Backup grabbing wrong media

Joe_Schmuckitel
Level 2
I have an Exabyte VXA-2 1x7 library. I have backup media assigned by day (Monday, Tuesday, etc) with two Thursday backup tapes. Monday is in slot 1, Tuesday slot 2, etc. Thursday tapes get swapped each Friday, ie Thursday1 taken out and offsite, and Thursday2 put in.

About every two weeks (this is the only pattern I can find) the device grabs the wrong media. It then continues to grap random media, though it successfully backs up every night. I suspect that it has something to do with the Thursday media, but am not sure what or how to fix it.

Any ideas are appreciated.
8 REPLIES 8

Ken_Putnam
Level 6
When running an Overwrite job, BackupExec will grab the oldest tape it can see first (the one that has been in scratch status longest)

You could partition the library (think virtual tape drives) and create a separate job for each night, pointed at the correct partition, or when you swap tapes, you could re-label starting with the first tape that you want BackupExec to use.

Joe_Schmuckitel
Level 2
I am going to try this. I won't be able to respond for about a week or two until I am sure this worked. I am going to assume that it will, and thank you in advance for your help. The only issue I forsee is that when the backup outgrows a single tape, it will not be able to grab the next tape. I'll have to think about that.

Sharvari_Deshmu
Level 6
Hello,

We request you to keep us updated.

Also please see the foll technote:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/262055


Thanks,

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Ken_Putnam
Level 6
IIRC, partitions are not limited to a single slot, tho defining two per partition will mean that only half the number of jobs can be run before you need to swap tapes, say Friday and Wed, rather than just on Fridays

Joe_Schmuckitel
Level 2
Thanks Sharvari. I will keep the posting updated.

tejashree_Bhate
Level 6
Hello,

Request you to update us on this issue.

Thanks

Joe_Schmuckitel
Level 2
So far so good. I will update in another week or so because it only happened once every week or two.

Ashutosh_Tamhan
Level 6
Hello Joe,

thank you for the update!

Regards,
Ashutosh

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked assumed answered and would be moved to answered questions pool.