How does NetBackup sequence/prioritize scratch tape re-use

[Genericus]

Question about scratch tape re-use - Does anyone know what process NetBackup uses to determine scratch tape use? The sequence of prioritizing re-using tapes?

I had always assumed that scratch tapes were FIFO - as tapes expired and went into the scratch pool they would get re-used in some sort of order. I assumed it was first in, first out.

I am trying to grab and remove a specific barcode tape range, so as they expire and go into the scratch pool, I move them into another pool so they are not used.

For example, I have tapes with barcodes starting with 0 and tapes starting with 1. I have over 400 scratch tapes starting with 0, I got 30 back, 10 were ones I needed to move. When I came in this morning, one of these new scratch tapes was in use.

It does not have a low mount count, so that is not it.

Maybe based on last use time?

Thanks!

[quebek · Accepted solution]

Hi

Please take a look at below quotation:

"If more than one volume qualifies, NetBackup chooses the volume that was least recently used.
NetBackup then adds it to the media catalog and assigns it the specified retention level."

This was taken from NetBackup7.7_AdminGuideII_Server.pdf chapter How NetBackup selects media - you may want to review this documentation...