BackupExec 2012 catalog folder space

[Oldskoolskater]

Hi All

I'm running BE 2012 SP3 with the latest hotfixes and have a question surrounding the size of the catalogs folder.

We have a 100GB folder and only 1.3 GB free so I'm going to need to do something quick sharp before problems arise. We have had many extra servers added to the backup which explains the recent increase in the catalog size and the only options I see available to me are to use NTFS compression on the Catalogs folder, or to add additional disk storage.

I realise that additional disk storage would be the preferred option but I may struggle to find any so it may have to be the compression option, I do worry though about the performance hit once compressed - does anybody have any advice or experience with this?

We need to keep 6 weeks of data so retention and truncate catalog options are set accordingly.

cheers

Oldskoolskater

[CraigV]

Hi,

You can move the Catalogs folder as per the TN below:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH29603

THanks!

[Oldskoolskater]

Thanks, I don't have the option to move the catalog to a new location on the media server - Is it possible to point the folder to a UNC path for a NAS or similar?

Would rather address the issue locally on the server.

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

No...it would have to be a local drive. If the NAS does iSCSI then this should work. Otherwise you'd have to shorten the period of time you retain catalogs for.

Thanks!

[Siddhant_Saini · Accepted solution]

Hello,

According to me you'd have two options: 

1. Go to the Backup Exec icon on the top left > Configuration and Settings > Backup Exec Settings > Catalogs option and check the option 'Truncate Catalogs after'. Set it according to your requirements. 

2. Change the location of the Catlogs folder by referring to point 1 and the following article: http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH29603

Edit: Compression here would not be a good option as Microsoft itself states that if you run a program that uses transaction logging and that constantly writes to a database or log, configure the program to store its files on a volume that is not compressed. Refer to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/251186

[Oldskoolskater]

Hmm, my options are limited for sure.

What about keeping the data for 6 weeks as required by the business, but setting the truncate catalogs to 4 weeks so that I can get quick backups within 4 weeks.

Anything over 4 weeks (i.e. between 4 to 6 weeks) that requires a restore I would have to re-catalog the tape prior to restore.

Does that sound feasible?

[Siddhant_Saini]

Yes, it does sound feasible. 

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

...just to expand on the answer you have been given. All this means is that if something needs to be restored from a period of time after 4 weeks, but before the 6 week retention period expires, you'll need to first catalog the tape to add that data back into the BEDB, and then restore.

Thanks!

[Oldskoolskater]

Cool, presumably the restore job will give me the tape numbers as usual, and I then catalog those tapes..?

[CraigV]

When you try restore from a specific date it should ask you for a specific tape...

Thanks!

[pkh]

Note that when you set the catalogs to truncate, it only supplies to catalogs which has not been created. The existing catalogs will not be truncated