backup into same slot everytime on Dell VS80 Robot

[572611781]

Hello,
we have a Dell PV-122T-DLT-VS80 robot. 8 slots.

We have 2 diff scheduled jobs that run each evening. It use to be that the first job will take the first available slot and the second job will take the next tape slot.

Now after we made some modifications to the job selections. Both jobs will backup to the same tape slot. Example Job 1 starts at 6pm and ends at 2am and backs up onto slot 1. Job 2 then starts at 3am and backs up (and overwrites) into slot 1 as well.

So basically we only end up with 1 valid backup job as we are only left with the last backup.


Both jobs are set to Overwrite media before this job begins.

any help would be appreciated
thanks

[Ken_Putnam]

first CHANGE THE OVERWRITE PROTECTION PERIOD FOR THAT MEDIA SET (Yes I'm shouting).

next, partition the library -
From the Devices Tab, right click the library\partition

Define them as you like, then point each job to the appropriate partition rather than the library as a whole.

[Ameet_Thakkar]

We would suggest you please refer to the following technote:-
Title:- Creating, configuring, and targeting a backup job to a Robotic Library partition in VERITAS Backup Exec (tm) 9.x for Windows Servers http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/262055.htm

As an additional reference, please refer to the following
Title:- How to partition a loader and still be able to target a specific drive to be used for a backup operation.
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/241773.htm

Also please read the following explanation, this would help you better understand the problem.

Backup Exec picks media from autoloader's slot according to Allocation date of media.


Following Example shows how media is picked in sequence:


Suppose Setup used is : 6 slots autoloader, one partition created using first 3 slots.




Steps are mentioned below:



1. Set the Media Overwrite Protection Level to "Full" or "Partial".



2."Overwrite scratch media before overwriting recyclable media contained in the targeted media set" is selected.


3. Erase all media in sequence i.e. Media from slot 1 should be erased first, then Media from slot 2 and then slot 3.




Erasing all the media in sequence changes Allocation date or time in sequence. Media from slot 1 has lower Allocation time than of media 2 and 3. Click on autoloader partition from the Devices tab and each media's Allocation time is displayed on the right pane.



How it works:



1.When an overwrite backup job runs with 'Append to media, Overwrite if no Appendable media found' selected, media from slot 1 is used for overwrite job.


2.After the first job (mentioned in step 1) finishes, if any append job runs with 'Append to media, Overwrite if no Appendable media found' selected, media 1 is used for append job. When the capacity of media 1 reaches it's limit then media from slot 2 (media 2 ) is used for overwrite operation.


Note: If the backup job after first job is run with 'Overwrite media' option then next available media from scratch media which has lower Allocation time i.e. media 2 is used.


Important:


1. Allocation date is changed by Overwrite or erase job on the media. Thus it is not always required to erase the media in sequence. In the above example all 3 media are overwritten in sequence and hence their Allocation date are in sequence.
When these media needs to be reuse, simply place them in sequence in the auto loader's slot i.e. media 1 which was in slot 1 earlier should be placed in slot 1 and move all the media to scratch.


2. When a media from a user defined media set is erased, media is moved to scratch automatically.


3.When a backup job runs with 'Append to media, Overwrite if no Appendable media found' option selected and the user media set contain a media then this media is used for backup (append) .
If an overwrite job is run then media from scratch is used as "Overwrite scratch media before overwriting recyclable media contained in the targeted media set" is selected.



4.If more than one user defined media sets are created and overwrite protection (OP) and append period (AP) are remaining on the media, then the media sequence depends on the OP and AP remaining:


Example,


a. If all the media in a media set have following OP and AP :

OP: 0 Hours AP: Infinite

An overwrite job uses a media in a sequence according to Allocation date, as mentioned above.

b. If three media sets are created and following OP and AP is remaining on each media:

Media 1 OP : Infinite AP: Infinite

Media 2 OP: 0 hrs AP: Infinite

Media 3 OP: Infinite AP: Infinite


A append backup job uses media according to media set selected in backup operation i.e. If media set 1 is selected then media from slot 1 (media 1) is used for append. If a overwrite job runs, media from slot 2 is used as it is the only media available for overwrite (if no media is available in Scratch).



Thus, Backup Exec picks media in sequence according to Allocation date, when one media set is used. When using multiple media sets, media sequence depends on Allocation date, overwrite and append protection period of the media.




We hope this helps. Should you have any further questions or queries, write us back and we would be glad to assist you.