Does Tapes expire faster if we keep running inventory scan?

[Jwswks]

Hi all, As topic.

My backup exec 12.5 is set to inventorize everyday. Does it make the tapes expire faster?

Cos for my cleaning tape which is being inventorize everyday, expired only after acouple of mounts and it was only bought for 1 month. 

I tried as suggested to delete the media and rescan it again but no luck. Had to insert a new tape to allow for cleaning.

Any advice?

Thanks

jwswks

[Kiran_Bandi]

I remember an attribute called "Number Of Cleanings" to be set for cleaning tapes. If the tape is used for more than that, then it will be marked as expired. But actually it can be used for cleanings by changing that attribute. Cleanings tape will remain good for 10-15 cleanings in general.

Regards....

[pkh · Accepted solution]

When you do an inventory job on a tape, they are put into the tape drive and physically read.  This will definitely wear out the tape regardless of whether it is a normal or a cleaning tape.  For a cleaning tape, it is worse because you can only use it for a fixed number of times.

If you are using a tape library, I would strongly recommend that you start to use barcode labels.  You don't have to do an inventory on tapes with barcode labels, you only need to scan them which means that their barcode labels are read.  They are not put into the tape drive and read.  See my article below

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/using-barcode-labels-why-and-how

[Jwswks]

@Kiran 

Hey thanks for the info, I had around 12 cleanings till now as I was troubleshooting what could cause the tape to keep failing with tape head dirty error. Knowing that it last for 10-15 cleans will make me only put the tape in when required.

@pkh

Thanks for advicing me again. Will consider changing but now my main problem is to diagnose if the frequent on and off backup failure is due to backup exec, the tapes or the tape library and advise to higher management accordingly.

Thanks 

jwswks

[CraigV]

Hi jwswks,

Open up a new forum query if you get stuck with troubleshooting your backup failures...include your setup, error codes, when the error happens etc which makes troubleshooting on the forums easier :)

[Jwswks]

Will do Craig. 

Thanks