Need one BKF file per job

[adil-it]

I need to have one bkf file per job, right now my backup is running on B2D folders and bkf files are created every week i do the backup. i have three jobs running on sunday monday and tuesday want each job to have one bkf file which should be overwritten everyweek 

settings right now are : keep data infinetly do not allow overwirte 

append to media if any appendable media is available

help would be appreciated 

[CraigV]

Hi,

Open the media set and set the size of the B2D file to the size of your backup. If you are constrained to a maximum size, then change the size of the *.bkf to this and you'd end up with multiple files, but a lot less than what you probably currently have.

Be aware that the larger the size of the B2D file, the faster the backup might run, and definitely the faster it will run to tape...however, you have a greater chance for data loss if 1 of these large files corrupts.

To get what you want in terms of separate day backups, create 3 x B2D folders and direct each job at this...

Thanks!

[adil-it]

Hi Craig

I have already created 3 x B2D folders and directed each job to these folders  i have created media sets for each job and set overwrite protection period to 1 week. maximum size to B2D file is 500 GB  for each job where as my backup size of 200 GB every day

[CraigV]

...if the total size of your backups is 200GB, then you're wasting 300GB. Rather make the size of the file 250GB and you've still got 1 file and have saved disk space for either another B2D, or something else.

Thanks!

[adil-it]

Ok i have decreased the disk size but my concern was how i can create one .bkf file for each backup job ??

Thanks

[CraigV]

...your data should be overwrite protected for 3 weeks. This would mean that 3 files would be created.

Thanks!

[adil-it]

ok doing this for 3 weeks will create 1 bkf file for each backup ?

Thnks

[Colin_Weaver]

What version of Backup Exec are you using and are you using GRT?

Your answer makes a huge difference i,.e

GRT in any BE version = IMG folder for GRT data (with BKF either only being used as a header or used for non-GRT data sets in the same job). Also if multiple GRT sets in 1 job then multiple IMG folders will be created.

2012 = 1 bkf per backup set (not per job) in this instance the term backup set actually refers to System State being one backup set, C: drive being another D: drive being another etc. As such you cannot get a whole job into one bkf. 2012 also forces disk based backup jobs to start as Overwrite you cannot append. As a side point, 2012 also won't let you have multiple B2D devices on the same volume.

2010 R3 = make sure you start each job as an overwrite as otherwise (depending on media set properties as well) the next job might add to an existing BKF from a previous job.

Also CraigVs comment about your 500GB wasting space only applies if you have enabled the allocate maximum size of bkf files setting and even then the result depends on if using 2010 R3 or 2012.

- 2010 R3 (and earlier) will allocate the maximim size and won't give it back

- 2012 will allocate in configurable chunks up to the maximum size and if a whole chunk is not filled it will truncate the unused space at the end as well (nice enhancement)

EDIT I just read your overwrite requirements:

If wanting to overwrite the Monday data from the previous week with the repeating job on a Monday - setting 1 week overwrite protection is too long as the OPP depends on the end of the previous job resulting in the media not being overwritable at the beginning of the repeating job - you should set 6 days (or perhaps 6.5 days in hours) instead.

[adil-it]

I am using backup exec 12.5 and select 1 backup set per B2D folder. i am starting all jobs with keep data infinity and append media is appendable media is available

[pkh]

When you choose to keep data indefinitely, the media cannot be overwritten.  Hence your problem.  If you want to achieve your objective your must set a shorter OPP, like 6 days.

The number of backup sets refer to the number of backup set that can be written to each .bkf file.  This parameter will have little bearing on what you are trying to achieve.  The key is setting the OPP correctly.

[Colin_Weaver]

Just for info:The reason we changed BE 2012 to only allow overwrite on disk based backups - is a very, very strong recommendation/best practice against earlier versions that we decided to enforce.

The reason for the recommendation was based on customers ending up with large (infinitely long in fact) strings of bkf files, known as a media family, that are caused by appending until the media is full and then spanning over to another media withouth over startign a job as an overwrite. if something happens to a piece of media within the seuqunce of a media family that it can cause problems for later catalog and restore operations.