Overwriting a Backup to Disc folder

[Amida]

Hi Guys

My current backup solution looks like this. I'm using Backup Exec 2010 to backup my information store to a folder then after that's done another server with a Tape drive backups the folder. The problem I'm having is Backup Exec doesn't overwrite the the previous backup it appends so the first day my backup is 70GB and the next day it's 140GB which is too for my tape drive.

I have set the backup to overwrite and the Media set is set to keep backup for 1 Day which is the least I can get. Any idea how I can get it to overwrite everyday as the tapes will keep the weekly and monthly backups.  

[Hywel_Mallett]

Firstly, you need to check your media overwrite preferences. (Tools, Options, Media Management). Ensure that "Overwrite recyclable media contained in the targeted media set before overwriting scratch media" is selected.

When you say that the media set is set to keep backup for 1 day, do you mean that's the Overwite Protection Period? I think that in your case I'd use an OPP of (24 - however many hours your backup takes to run) hours, and an Append Period of 1 hour. That should allow the backup to be overwritable by the time the next backup runs.

However, the biggest change to make is the backup to tape portion. It sounds like you're backing up the Backup-to-disk folder and files within it. DON'T DO THIS! Doing it this way will mean that restoring is a real pain. Instead you should duplicate the backup-to-disk job. You can do this using a policy, so that your backup-to-disk job runs, and as soon as it's finished the job gets duplicated to tape. This will also assure that your tape contains only one backup. If you wanted, you could then retain your backup-to-disk jobs for longer.

[JoaoMatos]

Hi,

how Media-Set options are configured?

Take a look to the appendable option, I guess the Media-Set is configured to allow appends,

It allow Appendable backups?

Regards,

JoaoMatos

[Colin_Weaver]

If you set your overwrite protection up correctly and set your backup job to START as an overwrite this should not happen. As you said you want to oeverwrite each day you need to set less than 1 day overwrite proctection because the protection period starts at the end of the job. We do have an option to set the Overwrite Protection in hours so set it to (for example) 12 hours.

However a (STRONG) word of Warning: Flat File backups of BKF and IMG folders are not recommended because you are in effect only protecting 1/3 of what should be considered to be a very large relational database - as such if you restore that 1/3rd back in time you immediately introduce inconsistencies that can cause problems for restores - just for information the other 2 1/3rds are the catalogs folder and the content of the BEDB itself.

As such we recommend that to get disk based backups onto tape you MUST use a duplicate backup job - meaning the tape drive would have to be attached to the same server.

[Amida]

thanks for the prompt response  Hywel

the reason I'm Backing up to disc and then to tape is the server with the tape drive installed is 32bit and my exchange is 64 bit so I cannot backup the information store directly to tape. we are replacing the server in Feb so it's just make shift until the new server is in.

where do I go to change the OPP? 

[Hywel_Mallett]

The OPP and APP are found in the media set properties. So you should know first which media set you are targetting with your backup job. Then go to the Media tab in Backup Exec, and right-click the media set in question, and select properties.

[DRo]

Backup Exec 12.5- Attemptign full Exchange backup to disk-

My prob is similar to the original question except I want to retain my full Exchange backup for 5 days, And afterwhich begin an overwrite of the earliest one. I Attempted a number of media set options but i cant seem to get it right. Overwrite or append in the job creation confuses me a bit. It backed up fine on Tuesday and Wednesday but failed last night after 3 attempts. It actually copies the full Information Store then somehow fails at the end and says it was a directory error. I believe my media set options were set to overwrite 0 hrs and Append 0 hrs.

Also I can see the basic difference but i dont fully understand between the B2D00... files and the IMG000... files within my backup to disk folder within Devices. Sorry I hope this isnt a big bother to you. The main issue is how to setup the backup cycle to retain 5 days on the disk and then overwrite. Your expertise is very skilled. Thanks.

[Hywel_Mallett]

I suggest you post this question in a new thread so it doesn't get missed.