Specifiy which tape to use first

[788702948]

Hello

I am using Backup Exec with a 12 slot library and 2 drives.

The slots are configured to be in different partitions.

When the first job configured to use a specific partition starts, it does not take the tape in the fist slot of the partition. It goes at random.

For example in the 3rd partition I have
slot 5 Tape A
slot 6 Tape B
slot 7 Tape C
slot 8 Tape D

I want to the job to take Tape A first followed by B C and D when the tape is full

But instead, any tape is taken randomly.

Is there a way to specify which tape to use first

Thank you

[Amruta_Bhide]

Hello,

- Apart from being in the same Partition, are these Media in the same Media Set?
- Could you let us know what your Media Set Properties are?
- Are these tapes required for one single Backup Job?

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Thanks.

[Ken_Putnam]

When backupExec looks at the tapes in the partition, of the job is Append, it will verify that the tapes belong to the prpoper media set

If the job is Overwrite, BackupExec will grab the "oldesttape that it can see (that is, the one that has been in Overwritable status longest), taking into account the Global Option to use Overwriteable tapes in the media set first, or Scratch tapes first

When you load the tapes into the partition, you can re-lable then starting with slot 5, then 6 etc. This will gurantee that slot 5 is the oldest tape, and the rest should be used in slot order

[Russ_Perry]

Backup Exec will use tapes based on media settings and media allocation. In Tools | Options | Media Management, there is a selection for use scratch media or recyclable media first. That is the first decision maker along with how long ago the recyclable media was allocated... BE will use the oldest first...

The whole point of using a tape library is to allow BE to keep track of where your data is. If you have a 5 tape partition and you run backups to that partition. If/when it comes time for a restore, you simply put those 5 tapes back in the partition in any order, inventory and restore. BE doesn't care what slot each tape is in. If you want to designate exactly what tape(s) your job goes to, create smaller partitions to target.

Russ