Question about Append period & Overwrite Protection Period

[RicoLui]

Question about Append period & Overwrite Protection Period

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO22325

I have question about the sample


The Sample has this settings
Append = 5 days
Overwrite Protection Period = 14 Days
The media can be overwritten on Day 19

I would like to know what will happen if I run same backup job on "Day 6 to Day 18" with same media

Will the job fail & ask for overwrite-able media?

[Colin_Weaver]

You haven't told us

1) what the job start settings are

2) Whether you have a library

3) If you do have a library what other media might be available.

However assuming that

a) on Day 1 the media was overwritten

b) that there was enough space on the media for 5 days of backups

c) that the job ws starting as Append or Overwrite if no appendable media

d) that there is only that one tape in the system (library or stand alone drive)

Then yes it will sit asking for overwriteable media when the job on the 6th day tries to start.

[pkh]

From Day 6 and onwards, the tape cannot be appended to because the AP has expired.  If your job targets the same media set as this tape, then it cannot overwrite or append to this tape.  It will need another tape, regardless of whether this tape is full or not.

[RicoLui]

only have a single tape drive with one media inside.

[RicoLui]

If I want fully utilize a tape media until it is full, I should set the append period to "Infinite - Allow Append"

Am I right?

The default setting for user created media set seems changed with BE2012

[RicoLui]

I have two different

One backup job keep data for 8 weeks

One backup job keep data for 26 weeks

But the Media Set for the tape is Keep for 4 weeks (default settings?)

[pkh]

Yes, but setting an infinite append period has its drawback.  If your tapes are only partially filled, then the next append job will take the oldest tape and append to that.  This may not be desirable.  Normally, you will set the AP in such a way that it accomplish an objective.  For example, if you are doing a weekly full and daily incrementals, and you want all the backups to end up on one tape, you would set the AP to 6 days.  This is so that the next week's backup will end up on another tape regardless of whether this tape is full or not.

[RicoLui]

How should I set the Append Period for monthly backup job & half year backup job?

some month has 30 days, some month has 31 days?

For Half year job, We will run at the second last Sunday of Jun / Dec

How should I set the append period for this half year job?

Thanks!

[pkh]

For your monthly job, it depends on how many backups you want on the tape.  For example, you want all the monthly backups for the year on one tape, then you set the AP to 1 year.

Likewise, for your half-yearly jobs, if you want 3 years worth of backup on one tape, then set the AP to 3 years.

[RicoLui]

Hi pkh

For the monthly job example:

AP start from Jan 2012 - Dec 2012

After 1 year When I want to run backup job for Jan 2013, How should I set the OPP?

Set 3 weeks for OPP???

Really thanks for your kindly help!

[pkh]

When you set the OPP to 3 weeks, this means that the tape would protected for only 3 weeks after it is last written.  Is this what you want?  If not, then you have to have a longer OPP.

[RicoLui]

It seems better to use another new tape for 2013 monthly backup

AP: 1 years

set OPP:0.5 year <--- 2012 monthly backup tape from Jul 2013 can be re-use

or

set OPP:1 year <--- 2012 monthly backup tape from Jan 2014 can be re-use

Is this config better?

I also want to verify the below tape operation

1. insert a new tape to the tape drive

2. label the tape

3. associate the tape with media set

Monthly Backup Job Tape to Monthly Backup Job media Set

AP: 1 year

OPP: 0.5 year

Repeat Step 1-3 for Half Year Backup Job

Half Year Backup Job Tape to Half Year Backup Job media Set)

AP: 3 years

OPP: 3 years

Thanks much for your help!!!

[RicoLui]

How about set OPP to 1 year & use a new tape media for new year 2013 monthly backup job?

Is it a better pratices? Thanks!

[Ken_Putnam]

3. associate the tape with media set

Don't do this.  when yo do, that tape volume takes on all properties of that media set, including OPP and APP.  that is if you have a 6 day OPP, you will not be able to overwrite this tape for six more days

Just leave the tape in the scratch media set and let BackupExec move it when the tape volume is opened

[RicoLui]

Hi Ken

Does it mean that the new tape will associate to media set automatically according to the backup job setting

For example:

Running monthly backup job, will associate to monthly backup job

Running half year backup job, will associate to half year backup job

Am I right?

Thanks!

[pkh]

Yes.