Backup two jobs to tape library

[bh3245]

So we currently have backup exec 2010 R3 setup to run a full backup once a week and a diff daily.  The server is connected to a robotic library that holds 8 LTO4 tapes.  Currentlly when a job runs if a tape gets full it pulls a second tape and continues to write the backup data. 

We are currently using AOFO for both the diff and the full jobs.  We have had some issues backing up sql and some have contributed this to using AOFO.

I would like to create two jobs one for data and one for sql and exchange without AOFO enabled.  The problem is I don't know how to set this up so that it will use tapes as it always has.  If I create a new job it will create a new tape for each job.  So it adds one extra tape to every backup that is a long ways from full. 

Is ther anyway of telling backup exec to append to the last tape it used instead of pulling a new tape?  It currently appends or overwrites the tape with the oldest data.

Hopefully thats not too confusing.

[CraigV]

Him

Check my article below which will assist you in setting this up:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/backing-databases-and-files-same-tape-separate-jobs-using-backup-exec

Thanks!

[ub40]

Hi You can create media set with owerwrite protection period over backup retention period and with allow append. All necessary jobs work with this media set. Before start weekly backup necessary type move to scratch media. Best regards ! UB

[CraigV]

...you're missing the OP's question. He wants to split his backups and target the autoloader. Not have 2 different media sets. My way works with the same media set and makes it easier to manage!

Thanks!

[bh3245]

Thanks Craig,

I actually read your post prior to posting here.  I still don't understand how to get BE to use the same tape.  We have all 8 tapes in the same media set.  So when the first job completes for the DB, even though the second job is set to append it picks an older tape than the one used in the previous job for the DB.  So it uses a tape say from a job that was ran two months ago rather than the tape that was just used for the DB backup. 

My appoligies if I'm missing something.  Thanks for your help.

[CraigV]

...check your media set settings and make sure your Append period isn't too great. If it is set incorrectly, you'll theoretically be appending to the tape until it runs out of space.

[bh3245]

My settings for my media set are as follows.

Overwrite Proteciton Period is 1 Week

Append Period is Infinite - Allow Append

I can't get my head wrapped around how this should be set.

[pkh]

@bh3245 - In order to make sure that you append to the "correct" tape, make sure that it is the only tape that is appendable.  For example, you have some daily jobs which you want to append onto one tape and you want to change the tape once a week.  Your Monday job will specify overwrite and when it overwrites Tape1, the AP starts.  If you specify an AP of 6 days,  the Tue - Fri jobs will be able to append to Tape1.  Come next week, the Mon. job will overwrite a new tape Tape2 and Tape2 is appendable.  However, Tape1 is no longer appendable because its AP has expired.  Thus the next week's Tue-Fri job can only append to Tape2.  If you set the AP to infinite, then Tape1 is still appendable and the next week's Tue-Fri job will append to Tape1, instead of Tape2 because Tape1 is older.  You can see from this example, that at any one time there is only 1 appendable tape, thus the job has no choice.

[bh3245]

The above ideas don't seem to work for my enviroment and my tape library, at least I can't seem to figure it out .  Would setting a backup job to backup to disk then backup that directory to tape be a good option?  Are there any down sides to this configuration?  It would allow me to backup my data with two jobs to one tape.

[pkh]

You should always duplicate your backup sets.  Never just copy or backup the B2D folder.  See this document

Reasons why copying backup to disk data files is NOT recommended.