Ejecting full tapes & checking in empty tapes -- first time questions

[Lylex]

I'm sorry to ask such a basic question, but I haven't found where in the DocSet this is covered.  Any pointer to the right manual & section is appreciated.

NetBackup 7.0 is running on Solaris 10 with a StorageTek library.

I was told by the departing SysAdmin, that when tapes in the library were full, I select the tapes, then use Actions -> EjectVolumesFromRobot.  But he said to be careful to wait until you subsequently emptied the CAP before clicking OK on the popup window.  I haven't run this yet, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.  If the CAP is empty to begin with, and you select a number of full tapes that will fit, I'd think you can just eject them.  I see mention in HOWTO32778 of "Before performing inject or eject commands, ensure that the media access port is empty. Although NetBackup can handle a port that is not empty, some libraries can have problems."  Is this what he was referring to?

Then I fill the CAP with empty tapes and inventory the library.  But to check them in to the Scratch pool, he said to use UpdateVolumeConfig -> AdvancedOptions -> volumepool=Scratch.  I can't find the darn UpdateVolumeConfig command in the BAR gui.

And again, where in the DocSet should I look for basic operations like these?

Thanks to all....Lyle

[Anonymous]

Suggest you review Section 3 of Volume 1 : Configuring Storage. Has chapters on inventorying robots, and much more. And shows you where the Advanced Options button is in the Inventory Robot dialog.

Volume 2 contains section on Media and Device Best Practices.

<extract>

To show the media in a robot
1 In the NetBackupAdministration Console, in the left pane, expand Media and Device Management >Media > Robots.
2 Select the robot you want to inventory.
3 On the Actions menu, select Inventory Robot.
4. Select Update volume configuration. Thereafter Advanced Options becomes available.

</extract>
 

NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for UNIX and Linux, Volume I
NetBackup Administrator’s Guide for UNIX and Linux, Volume II
NetBackup Administrator’s Guide forWindows, Volume I
NetBackup Administrator’s Guide forWindows, Volume II

Documentation section here

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=landing&key=15143

[Dipendra_Singh]

The pop-up asks you to remove the media so that robot can again scan to verify that the medias are no longer in the CAP and can eject more medias and put it in the CAP.

Once you give OK it tries to empty the CAP and if you haven;t ejected the tapes and then it will be placed back in to the respectve slots.

and as Stuart mentioned the documents will give you a clear idea as what does inventory option do and how to update the DB.

[J_H_Is_gone · Accepted solution]

I know you already picked the solution but want to give you a little more info.

When you do the eject

it moves the tapes to the MAP

then it asks that question - because it MIGHT have more tapes to eject then you have MAP's (media access ports)

So say you have 12 MAP's and you eject 14 tapes - it would put 12 in the MAP - ask you that question - which is prompting you to go removed the tapes from them MAP then say yes - it then scans the MAPs to make sure they are empty and then puts 2 more tapes in the MAP which you take the out - say yes - and it scans the MAP again.

If at any point you do not remove the tapes from the MAP - AND you say yes - when it scans the MAP and sees the tapes are still in the MAP it moves them back into slots and it does not report them as having been removed.

------

However

Say you have 12 MAP's and you are ejecting 12 or fewer tapes - it comes up and asks the question - if you do NOT want to go an remove the tapes then say yes

you can

Say NO.  It will leave the tapes in the MAP and still update the database as the tapes have been moved out of the robot and to standalone status.  Then you can at any time go into the computer room and remove the tapes from the MAP.

The NO will only be helpful if you eject the same or fewer tapes than you have MAP's.

This is helpful if you eject tapes but someone else removes them.  or if the computer room is far from you desk and you want to eject them from your desk rather then log into a console in the computer room.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the presentation of this dialog and its prompts can be confusing and unclear even to describe to operations staff.!

@J.Hinchcliffe Thanks for the clear description.

I think the delay period is 30 minutes wait on this dialog, after that the tapes get injected back into the library. It used to be 10 mins I think.! NBU5 days.

Here is that dialog.>>> Not exactly intuitive. Particularly when the default focus is on the YES.

[Andy_Welburn]

- I wasn't even aware of this until a couple of days ago. Nice to have it confirmed as I told one of our oppo's that he was imagining things!!