SDX-560v will not fill up the entire tape with data and requests to use 2 tapes for 71gig

[JPBFish]

OS: Windows Server 2003 R2
Backup Exec 11d Rev. 7170 (most recent updates installed)
Drive: Sony SDX-560V
Tape: TIAT1-40C, AIT-1 Turbo, 40 gb native/ 104gb compressed
Firmware: 0100 (Sony, I can't find a symantec version for it)
Connection: USB
Agents being used: SQL, Exchange

My nightly jobs have been running fine at 61gb, I selected a few more directories and bumped my nightly up to 71gb and now it is requiring 2 tapes. The tapes hold 104gb compressed so fitting 71gb should not be an issue. I have checked the drive and compression is enables with all default settings.  I tried changing my compression type between Software and Hardware and neither is making a difference.
So the questions:
1) could this be a firmware issue?  if so does anyone know of Symantec version for the USB connection that is out there?
2) If it is not firmware, what else could it be?
3) one possible solution is to up my tape size but then I need to spend some $ on an entirely new tape rotation so I'm trying to avoid that if possible.

any aditional thought and ideas are greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Jeff

[img-symc]

 I would assume that since software compression and hardware compression didn't yield any different results, that the issue is most likely NOT a firmware issue.
Make sure you are not trying to use both Software and Hardware compression at the same time as that could actually increase the size in the end.
The amount of compression you are getting is actually quite normal. It all depends on what types of files you are backing up. A text file will compress a lot more than a wav file for example. 
Compression ratios are variable, so your tape states 104 GB capacity, but that really means in an optimal world that you can fit 104 GB of data on it. But realistically if you had a 50% compression rate - then you would be able to store about 52GB on that tape (uncompressed data).
It sounds like you might be getting a bit more than that rate, which is actually good. 
In short - it sounds like it might be time to get more tapes - or you could call Support to see if they have any further recommendations. They can confirm whether or not compression is working as it should - and they can review your backup rotation and determine if you are optimizing what you have.

[Ken_Putnam]

40 gb native/ 104gb compressed


Most manufactures quote 2:1 compression (ie 40/80 GB per volume.  Even that is more marketing hype than engineering promise.  You will normally see compression in the neighborhood of 1.2:1 or 13:1. so getting 61 GB on a 40 GB tape is quite good

See

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/199542.htm
http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/285756.htm