backups only take scratch media for second tape problem

[kyle_krenz]

I'm having a problem where my backups take a free virtual tape from our virtual tape library and once that virtual tape is used up, when it goes to grab another tape it just keeps asking for overwriteable media when there are like 2 or 3 virtual tapes on the library that have enough space on them but the backup wont take them. The only way to get the backup to take media is i have to erase a virtual tape to scratch media and then it picks it up and finishes the backup.

So to quickly sum it up, backup wont take a second tape unless its scratch and wont use any other appendable media. This is a time consuming problem and need a quick resolution if possible. Thanks

[Ken_Putnam]

BackupExec has always (at least since v6.11) required scratch or overwriteable media for the 2nd, 3rd, etc volumes in a backup set.

You need to change the OPP (Overwrite Protection Period) of the one or more media sets, so that those other virual tapes are past the protection period, and available for overwrite.

[kyle_krenz]

Well the media set that is having the problem the overwrite protection period is set to Infinate - dont allow overwrite and append period is infinate - allow append.

I i havent tried changing the overwrite part since i though the append - infinate was what you needed to do and was scared to change the overwrite period thinking that it would overwrite data and not sure the leftover space.

[Ken_Putnam]

You are correct, changing the OPP will allow the tape to be overwritten, losing any data that is on the Tape., but it's the only way to write more than one tape's worth of data in a job, unless you continually buy new tapes that is :)