Multiple Autoloader with monthly tapes and several jobs

[Alexxx]

I am a bit baffled by backup exec since moving to the new tape loader. Previously we had several tape units and we periodically put a tape in each month for a backup. With an autoloader and the possiblity of having several tapes in one device i am unsure how to point all the jobs to a single tape.

Does anyone know how you can specify that all the backup jobs duplicate to the same tape in a certain slot, so when next month comes they duplicate to the next tape in the next slot and so on. When it hits the max at 10 for example, two tapes can be removed and two inserted so the jobs start to backup to the tapes in whatever slot (or with that label?)

Another question is, if you have a policy for each selection list, is it possible to write from multiple jobs to the same tape or must it be one policy for all the selection lists and duplicate within that policy than having several policy with duplicate jobs to the same tape?

I have setup several partitions so i can specify the slot but i would like control over which month goes on which tape rather than backupexec finding a tape and overwriting it.

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

Hi,

What you're looking at here is partitioning your autoloader. So you'll be logically breaking it up into groups of slots, and pushing jobs to that.
Under Devices in Backup Exec, navigate to your autoloader, and right-click it, before choosing Configure Partitions.
You can then create your slot partitions as need be.
From there, go into your job/policy (then job), and into it's properties. Under the first tab called Device and Media, you can then set your job to point to a specific slot.
I don't know if you have a duplicate job in place yet, but you'd create a duplicate job to run at a certain time, on a certain day (shortened version here!), and duplicate a certain job. Once again, you can go into your duplicate job and point it to specific media.
You didn't mention how your backups are structured, or how many slots you have in your autoloader. What I would do from my side though, is duplicate to separate tapes. That's just my preference, and I would have better control of tape locations, what's on them in terms of data etc, making management easier.
If you're strapped for cash, or don't have enough tapes, you could set your tape to Append to media, terminate if no appendable media is available. This will make sure your data isn't erased, and you'd still have data on the tape even if all your data wasn't duplicated.

Laters!

[CraigV]

Any news?