non appendable

Simon_Koza · ‎06-03-2005

My Media set is to infinite allow append, but alot of tapes are showing as non appendable. Can someone tell me why?

Thanks Simon

Ken_Putnam · ‎06-03-2005

Version and Build of BackupExec, any patches/ServicePacks installed?

Also, if the tape has been filled up, BackupExec will mark it as non-appendable since there is no room to write any more data on the volume.

Amruta_Purandar · ‎06-06-2005

Hello,

In additional to the previous solution please refer the following technotes.

Title:
An explanation of the "Overwrite Protection Period" and the "Append Period"
http://support.veritas.com/docs/237374

Title:
The basics of Advanced Device and Media Management for VERITAS Backup Exec (tm) for Windows Servers
http://support.veritas.com/docs/192265

If the problem persists do revert.

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Simon_Koza · ‎06-06-2005

Hello KEn,

We have backup exec 9.1 rev 4691. service pack 1. The append part makes sense, but the overwrite after an hour to a non appendable tape does not work. We have it set to 1 hr overwrite and allow infinte append. Shouldn't the tape be overwritten since the overwrite time is only 1hr?

Thanks Simon

Simon_Koza · ‎06-07-2005

I do have those documents and they really don't answer my question. Lets assume there are 2 tapes that are non appendable. The media set's overwrite time is set to 1hr, with infinit allow append. Shouldn't Backup exec overwrite the non appendable tape after 1hr? And how does backup exec determine which tape to choose?

Thanks Simon

Ken_Putnam · ‎06-07-2005

When an overwrite job starts, it looks for the "Oldest" overwritable tape that it can find - the one that has been in scratch status longest.

if the OPP of the tape is 1 hour, and the last data written to the tape was more than an hour ago, then yes, BackupExec should write to that tape.

Deepali_Badave · ‎06-08-2005

Hello,

If you want to overwrite to that media then you can try putting that media into the scratch media set.

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Simon_Koza · ‎06-08-2005

Hello Ken,

I agree, but Bexec is not doing that. I have the option to check for recyclable media to be overwritten before scratch media to make sure it checks my media set first. I do that because I am trying to minimize the amount of tapes to use. But its not doing what it is suppose to do, and that is to grap the next tape in my media set to overwrite. Veritas standard answer is upgrade, and doing other options that are quick fixes and not long term fixes.

Thanks SimonMessage was edited by:
Simon Koza

Simon_Koza · ‎06-08-2005

This is a quick fix answer. Not the answer to my original question. bexec created the option to choose recyclabel media before scratch media. I have this setting set to check for recyclable media.

The question is, with the proper settings..which I have. Why won't bexec take from the media set which is set to overwrite after 1hr. If the tape is non-appendable and my overwrite time is set to 1hr why won't bexec take from my media set? Why do I have to move tapes into scratch media?

Thanks Simon

Deepali_Badave · ‎06-10-2005

Hello,

Are you using robotic library?

If so then run the report for robotic library inventory for media.

-- Verify the pdf doc if it shows number 3 under full for that particular media.
That means,
3 = Special State - Backup Exec has forced the media to be read with end of media marks on both sides. The media may not be appended to on either side because:
i. The media is Imported Media
ii. A prior write error to the media - Write errors can include, but are not limited to, bad media, SCSI bus resets, an unexpected end of backup that was caused by a power outage, Dr. Watson or possibly bad hardware.

If this is the case then move the media to scratch media or run an erase operation.

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Simon_Koza · ‎06-10-2005

I ran the report on the three tapes that I am going to use to run our weekend backups. One tape came up as 3 the others as 0 and 1. The overwrite protected unitl is set to overwrite.

What do you mean "Imorted Media"? I have one Media set and they all show as the correct one, if they are not part of the media set, I move them to the proper media set.

If the tapes were bad, bexec would have told me, correct? I had already dealt with that situation before, so its not bad media in this case.

We had already replaced our drive once, so the new drive is only a couple of months old.

Thanks SimonMessage was edited by:
Simon Koza

Renuka_- · ‎07-07-2005

Hello,

If you have selected fo r the recyclable media to be picked up before the scratch media, backup exec will search for the recyclable media first in the targetted media set, if it is not found there it will look for the 'oldest' recyclable media in the other media sets.

You need to observe your media sets to check which tape is the oldest recyclable and which one is actually picked up by backup exec.

To isolate the issue you may configure partitions in the library. In case of partitions backup exec treats each one of these as if it were an idividual drive. SO you may target the job to the partition in which this tape resides. Backup exec will not in this case touch the other tapes belonging to other partitions.

http://support.veritas.com/docs/206843

Additional Information :
For information on the recent VERITAS Backup Exec security vulnerabilities, including links to the downloads for the necessary hotfixes, please refer to the following document:
Patch summary for Security Advisories VX05-001, VX05-002, VX05-003, VX05-005, VX05-006, VX05-007

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/277429.htm

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Denise_Toth · ‎07-19-2005

Simon we are having the same problem at many of our sites. you are not alone. from what I have been reading Veritas doesn't want to recoognize it as a problem with there product. we have wasted many tapes

Simon_Koza · ‎07-19-2005

My supervisor and I are at our wits end about this. I just listen and read the very practiced reply's by the veritas support group here. They throw a bunch of documents that don't help and they come up with the strangest troubleshooting methods known.

It simply does not do what it is suppose to do and that is to use the media and media set that I want, very simple. Did you read the last response from the tech? WHAT IN THE WORLD! Anways, we are locked in and are about to upgrade to 10.0. Not sure if that will fix the problem, but we have no choice.

Thanks Simon

Amruta_Purandar · ‎08-26-2005

Hello,

We apologize for the delay in our response. Please update us on the status of this issue.

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Steve_Pipe · ‎01-25-2006

Hi,

Im a relative newie with BackupExec & backups in general so am trying to work this out. I seem to be having the same problem and have read all the relevant documents.

I have noticed out of the several tapes that are used, the overwrittable, non appendable tapes are ignored so basically its pointless me putting the tapes in.

We have a 4wk cycle. The tape needs to be appended each day for that week until 4wks later when the tape will be used again and can be used from the beginning.

Any ideas?

VOX

non appendable