Making sense of Media Sets Want to send 2 of 10 tapes off-site

[IT_Chap]

Prior to BExec 2012 I would target a monthly duplication to tape job to a specific LT)5 tape, or pair of LTO5 tapes if large enough, having partitioned the tape magazine into partitions of 2.  I could then take those 2 tapes out and send them way to permanent off-site storage.

BExec2012 was set up by a consultant in such a way that there are no partitions in the magazine, and we just filled it up with 10 tapes, calling it "Media Set 1", and therefore leaving  it to BExec to manage where it writes the tapes.  The result of this is that the monthly backup to tape operations completed a few days ago, filling one tape completely, and about 5% of another tape.   The previous month's backups are also on the full tape.

So the question arises, can I /should I just yank out those 2 tapes from the set of 10 and sned them away, or does it 'break' the media set or in some other way upset BExec's management of that media set.   I certainly don't want to send the whole media set away, as 8 are empty and they are expensive.

All answers appreciated.

[pkh · Accepted solution]

You can just send these two tapes off-site.  Doing so will not break your media set.  This is normal.  Your job will use the other tapes in the media set.

When they return from off-site, put them into the slots and do an inventory if you are not using barcode labels or a scan if you are using barcode labels.  They would then be recognised and can be used.

[IT_Chap]

Many thanks! That was the answer I was looking for.