media sets - overwrite protection

[Mat_Ashmore]

Hi,

Just a quick question out of curiosity.  Running BE 2010 with a Dell ML tape library.  If I have a media set where the overwrite protection period is set to none.  When a backup runs will it automatically select a tape with the oldest modified date or does it just grab any tape it likes to stick in the drive?

Many thanks in advance.

[Ken_Putnam]

When a backup runs will it automatically select a tape with the oldest modified date or does it just grab any tape it likes to stick in the drive?

Theoretically, it should grab the tape volume that has been in scratch status longest

if you want to guarantee that a job uses a specific tape, you need to partition the library, and point your job(s) to the appropriate partition

[pkh]

It depends on what Media Overwrite Options (Go to Tools ---> Options ---> Media Management) that you choose.  If you choose

- Overwrite scratch media before overwriting recycleable media contained in the targeted media set

BE will use scatch media, then the NEWEST recycleable media in the media set.

- Overwrite recycleable media contained in the targeted media set before overwriting scratch media

Be will use the OLDEST recycleable media in the media set, then scatch media

[Mat_Ashmore]

humm - just got hold of the 2010 admin guide  & it says ;

In a device pool, Backup Exec selects the oldest recyclable media in all of the devices in the device pool to use first.

In a robotic library, Backup Exec selects the oldest recyclable media in the library to use first. If the robotic library is partitioned, Backup Exec searches for the oldest recyclable media in the targeted partition only.

So the manual suggest that the oldest recyclable media is always used...  not doubting what you said pkh but not sure how it compares to the Symantec guide.

Many thanks for the posts though.

[Ken_Putnam]

So the manual suggest that the oldest recyclable media is always used...  not doubting what you said pkh but not sure how it compares to the Symantec guide.

By default, this is the behavior.  You can force Backup Exec to use the oldest media in the target media set from  Tools\Options\Media Management

[pkh]

That is what I thought too when I first started using a tape library with BE 12.5.  The newest recycleable tape in my media sets got used first.  Tech Support told me to change to Overwrite recycleable media contained in the targeted media set before overwriting scratch media and BE starts to use the oldest recycleable tape.

Give it a try and let me know whether BE 2010 behaves differently.