Backup job spans more then 8 tapes. how to changes tapes with active job.

[mfahey]

The autoloader can use 8 tapes at time. My backup job is starting to need more then 8 tapes? I don't see a way to unlock the autoloader

and add one more tape while the job is active. If you cancel the job you have to start all over.

Is there a way to resume the job or add the additional tapes without canceling the job?

What is the best solution in this situation ?

[CraigV]

Hi,

You can accomplish this by configuring a mail slot, and using an export job to export the tapes no longer needed, and then import the new tapes.

You enable the mail slot on your library's web front-end, and can configure the job in BE to export/import.

Check the TNs below:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO12105 (Export)

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH34385 (Import)

Thanks!

[mfahey]

This makes sense. Thanks.

However my backup job is still running, the export job wont run until the backup job completes.

I have the mailslot setup, however I can't unlock the autoloader with the backup job active.

How do I get around this?

[CraigV]

I don't think you will currently. It might be applied to the next run...

[Larry_Fine]

Most libraries let an import job run while a backup is running, but some libraries do not.

To prevent the problem in the future, you may be able to permanently unlock the library.  Then when it gets full, you can swap tapes and do a scan, at which point BE should mount the new media.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH67698

How to change Backup Exec's robotic library locking behavior

[pkh · Accepted solution]

Even if you succeed in putting in additional tapes for the job to complete the backup, this is not the end of the story.  You would have to put in the original tapes when the verify stage starts and then put in the new tapes when they are required.  This is not a viable way to do things on a regular basis.

You should consider the following

1) split up your job so that the individual jobs use less than 8 tapes.

2) backup to disk

3) get a library with more slots and/or a tape drive with higher write capacity.