MSL2024 Mail Slot Usage

[mrsym0r]

Greetings all,

we own an HP MSL2024 robotic tape library. We are currently using backup exec 11D however are upgrading to 12.5 within the next month. Our tape library is fully loaded, barcoded, and includes one cleaning tape. Full backups on Friday night, and incremental backups on weekdays.

What I would like to accomplish is the following scenario:

1. backup takes place between 10pm & 3am (which is currently happening)

2. Tape written to is placed in mail slot

3. tape is removed and taken offsite, backup tape from the day prior is reinserted in the mailslot

4. tape reinserted has its barcode scanned & put back into rotation


I have been trawling various support forums for the last hour and a half without finding any relevant information - the closest I found was someone recommending this be done with BEMCMD.exe and a scheduled task. Surely the above mentioned scenario is not uncommon for medium sized organisations?

[Riyaj_S]

This can be accomplished by creating a "  Export Media Template " :

Adding an export media template to a policy

http://support.veritas.com/docs/309856

How to export media using export media template in Backup Exec 11d for Windows Servers?

http://support.veritas.com/docs/288715

[pkh]

I also have a MSL2024 and is doing the same thing as you are proposing. 

Before using the MSL2024 in BE 12.5, make sure that only 23 slots are recognised.  If there are 24 slots, then you would need to go back and re-enable the mailslot in MSL2024.  After re-enabling the mailslot, you would need to delete the library from BE and restart the BE services.  This will re-install the library and there should be only 23 slot.  You would also need to run a full inventory of the library.

Riyaj is correct in that you need to have an export media template in your policy to automatically export the tape to the mailslot.  However, note that this export job will generate an alert which takes 20 mins to clear, meaning that your library would be tied up for 20 mins.  See https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/idea/export-job-takes-20-minutes-complete.  Also, the tape would be exported even if the backup job is unsuccessful.

To put your off-site back into circulation, do the following

1) place it in the mailslot

2) go to Devices in BE and click on slots for the MSL2024.

3) on the right-hand pane, right-click on the slot that you want to move the tape to and select Import.  After the import job is done, the tape would be recognised by BE and the tape label would show next to the slot.  The tape is now back in circulation.

Alternatively, after putting the off-site tape in the mailslot, you can use the MSL2024 web interface to move the tape to the correct slot.  Then in BE, right-click on this particular slot and then click scan.  The tape label should appear in the slot and you are in business.

All the above assumed that your tapes are barcoded which they are.

If you have any other questions, let  me know.

[pkh]

BE will lock the library during the backup.  You might also want to schedule a BE job to unlock the library.  Otherwise, you would have to to unlock the library from BE before you can open the mailslot.

[Rick_B]

Is there any way to automatically import media that is put into the mail slot?  We have an HP EML tape library with a 15 mail slots and we typically return 30 or so offsite tapes once a week to the library.  Our library is off site and there is a lot of manual intervention with putting the tapes in, selecting 15 empty slots and running the import (and doing this twice).  What I want is to have the operator place the tapes in the mailslots, close the door and the tapes be automatically imported into empty slots.  Any help is appreciated!

[pkh]

@Rick - you should start a new discussion so that your question get the attention that it deserves.