Catalog very slow

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Despite the fact that BE V9.1 B4691 is told in the options to use storage-based catalogs, the catalogging of a LTO1 tape takes anywhere between 2 to 6 hours because it'll scan the tape file-by-file.

As far as I understand the "use storage media based catalogs" option this shouldn't be happening. Am I missing something obvious here ?

thanks,
Peter

[Swati_Joshi]

Hi Peter!

When the "Use storage media-based catalogs" check box is selected,catalog
operation completes much faster.

Refer to following technote which explains this option in detail.

http://support.veritas.com/docs/200962


Also we would like to know of you have installed latest tape drivers ?


Thanks and regards,

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.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Am I writing in French or something ?

As I mentioned in my post, DESPITE the fact that BackupExec IS told to use storage media-based catalogs in the preferences it still takes hours to catalogue a tape !!

According to the support document link you supplied:

"When the Use storage media-based catalogs check box is selected, Backup Exec is able to read the catalog information that is on the media. This allows the catalog operation to complete much faster as it is not reading each file on the media to build a new catalog".

If I look in the job details when the catalogue job is running, this is exactly what it IS doing, reading every file and folder on tape.

So my question remains, am I missing something or is BE not operating as advertised ?

regards,
Peter

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Oh, and yes we're running the latest Veritas/Symantec tape drivers although I fail to see how a driver can determine the method of cataloging.

Thanks,
Peter

[Swati_Joshi]

Hi Peter!

Are you cataloging the tape first time?

If this is the case, then it is going to take longer time.

Thanks ,

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.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

You have'll have to explain something here, I don't understand.

What's the use of storing catalogs on tape if BE is not gonna use these catalogs en re-read all files in the backupset the first time it does a catalog ?
What if I need the tape again in a year's time and my disk-catalogs have been re-moved ? Do I go over this process again ?

thanks, P.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

OK, latest update on this catalogging thing.

After 6,5 hours it finished the catalog job successfully (remember, the use storage-based catalogs option was ON). If I look in the Restore selections page for this media I see all little yellow maps with blue question marks on them.

Yep, you guessed it..."no selections exist for this resource". That's exactly what I saw before the catalog job was run.

Could someone from Symantec please explain how this catalog 'functionality' should be used ? If I follow the manual I'm not getting anywhere.

thanks,
Peter

[Deepali_Badave]

Hello,

You can perform the following steps:

1.Stop the BE services.
2.Rename the catalog folder to catlog_old from c:\Program files\Veritas\Backup Exec\Nt

3.Restart the BE services.

Then run the catalog job and verify if restore selections are available.

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.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Thank you very much, after another couple of hours of cataloging (again, with the storage based catalog option enabled, this option doesn't actually do anything does it ?) I can now select the files I need.

Leaves the question of course, do I have to go through these nonsense everytime I need to catalog a tape. Why doesn't this work as advertised ?

regards,
Peter

[azz_isa]

I agree with Peter, i've got spanned tapes, and they took hours to catalog. Yes, the use storage media based catalogs is ticked, and the suggestions are followed, but still slow. What's up?

[Ken_Putnam]

Just for grins, have you tried the catalog without "use storage based catalogs" checked?



/sacracsm on

Perhaps you are seeing an improvement and just don't know it?

/sarcasm off

[azz_isa]

and go against Veritas own advice?

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Hi Ken, I actually did try it with the setting turned off, guess what, it doesn't make any difference, hence my remark that the option doesn't seem to do anything.

If there were catalogs stored on tape as the option suggests, why would it matter whether it's the first or second time that you catalogue the tape ? According to Symantec support it does.

Why do I have to rename my catalog folder to get a tape properly catalogued ? This way I'll end up with several catalog folders renaming them depending on my restore needs. There's something fishy about this whole catalogue thing in BE.

[azz_isa]

well, for want of solutions, i did untick the box last nite, but no guesses, it's even not making no difference. Seems like that option is a red herring, else , what does it actually do? Marketing gimmick?

I'm thinking of installing arcserve and see if this is better way, then maybe someway of exporting the catalog into BE, or is there such a thing possible?

Frustration is creeping in......

[Sharvari_Deshmu]

Hello,


Have you tried the steps of renaming the catalog folder??

Also please see the following technote:

http://support.veritas.com/docs/272886


Thanks,

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.

[azz_isa]

i've tried this previously. Makes no differences.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Yes I did try renaming and re-indexing the Catalog folder and I wouldn't recommend it. I had half the files from the backup set available to select from after a 10+ hour catalog job, after this re-indexing "tip" I have none.

What does Symantec recommend in this case ? Re-catalog ?
Should I do that with the storage based catalogs option turned on ? Does it matter ?

Thanks for your prompt reply, Peter

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

Another thing, if I now select a couple of files from a recently catalogued tape for a restore operation the job starts and is now running for 1,5 hours with the byte-count still on zero. What the hell is it doing, looking for files?

Does a slow catalog job automatically imply a slow restore job?
If so, why, what's the relation?

What if the start of this thread was a production server, does Symantec think I would still be working for the same boss at this time ? Yes boss, I have the data backed up boss, just can't get it off the tape boss. Sorry boss, it may take another week boss.

What a mess.

[azz_isa]

Well said Peter,
Now come on Veritas people, surely, we are not being ignored, neither are we being played for time are we? If there's two running this problem, you can be sure loads more are experiencing the problem. Please resolve it, as like Peter says, if I'm going to get fired, I am not to recommend this product again to my next boss, and what do I say to my colleagues?

Fix these problem problems please.

[Peter_van_Leeuw]

>> "Another thing, if I now select a couple of files from a recently catalogued tape for a restore operation the job starts and is now running for 1,5 hours with the byte-count still on zero"

Wonderful, in the end it took 2,5 hours to get 135 Mb worth of data restored from a fresh catalogued tape. Apparently the location of the files on the tape is not known by BE after cataloging. Maybe it's time to implement markers on tape ?