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Easiest way to re-catalog old tapes?

jonnyguitar
Level 4

I have been given a random bunch of old tapes - several hundred - and need to import the data onto a SAN.

I have some catalogs but they are incomplete apparently.  I've no idea which tapes contain the catalogs files.

The data has no expiry time, and was backed up in backup exec.  

Can anyone suggest the best way to import the data?  I have backup exec 2012 installed but I guess it would complicate things to add data to my existing catalog.  I assume I need to find a quick and dirty way to scan all the tapes and recatalog appropriately.

Is this possible?

 

Thanks

 

14 REPLIES 14

Jaydeep_S
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

You will need to Inventory the tape and see if there are any backup sets visible on the tape. If not then the only way to read the contents of the tape is to perform a catalog operation.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

You will need to Inventory the tape and see if there are any backup sets visible on the tape.

Doing an inventory will not tell you the contents of the tape.  You need to catalog the tape first.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

There is no quick and easy way to see the contents of the tapes.  You would just have to catalog them one by one.  Since you don't know what backup sets are on these tapes, you might want to 

1) uncheck the "request all media in sequence" option, and

2) use storage-based catalog 

If you don't want to mix the catalogs of these old tapes with your existing catalogs, then

1) stop all the BE services

2) rename the Catalog directory under the BE installation directory to Catalog.old

3) create a new Catalog directory

4) start all the BE services.

jonnyguitar
Level 4

Thanks pkh.  Please can you provide me with the steps to catalog them one by one?  I've done the "Inventory and catalog" but I don't think it was enough?  

Backup_Exec1
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hi

 

Below link describes step by step process involved with explanation too ,

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH142684

Try doing the above mention steps in the given order and update the outcome

 

Hope that helps

 

Thanks

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

To re-catalog your tapes, do one of the following

1) if you are using a stand-alone tape drive, just put the tape into the tape.  In the Storage tab, right-click on tape drive, select inventory and then select catalog

2) if you are using a tape library, put in as much tapes as you can.  In the Storage tab, right-click on the library and select inventory and then select catalog.

jonnyguitar
Level 4

Hi everyone.  When I do a "Inventory and Catalog" the job fails with "The requested media is not listed in the media index and could not be mounted".

What's going on?  I don't understand this error, as they are obviously not in the media index, hence why I am doing an "Inentory and Catalog".

I just need a fast way to pull the data of the tapes, once.  I don't even care too much about catalogs really, but I guess they are necessary if using BE.

If this is not easy to do in BE, does anyone know of any other software that might be more suitable?  

 

Thanks

jonnyguitar
Level 4

I've since run an inventory on its own which was successful.  But then I run a catalog on its own and fails again with same error.

 

 

Backup_Exec1
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hi

Have you performed the steps in same order given in the link above by me and also check for any hard read write error on tape or tape drive if there are any please run cleaning operation on tape drive

 

Thanks

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

Did you do the following when you catalog the tape?

 

1) uncheck the "request all media in sequence" option, and

2) use storage-based catalog 

jonnyguitar
Level 4

I unchecked  "request all media in sequence" and also unchecked " use storage-based catalog ".  I've been advised to check " use storage-based catalog " option now from a colleague - so i'll give it a bash.

 

thanks

jonnyguitar
Level 4

I get the same error after ticking "use storage based catalog" ...

However I can see data in the catalogs (ie on the restore screen).  

But it might only be from some of the tapes I guess. 

At the end of the day, I just dont have the confidence in this product really.  I've read somewhere the errors are red-herrings, which would explain why I can see the information in the restore screen.

 

 

jonnyguitar
Level 4

Yes, done all that.  Still get the error.

jonnyguitar
Level 4

The error by the way, is ""The requested media is not listed in the media index and could not be mounted".

It does not make any sense, given that I am cataloging the tapes, obviously the media wouldn't be in the index.