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How to use old catalog tapes for regular data backup

Babul
Level 3

Hi Friends.

I have old catalogs tapes which we are not using, can we use the  same tapes for regular data under scratch Pool .

What I did was.

1. The catalog tape moved  to scratch pool from netbackup console  by using change menu ( GUI - New Pool )

2.  deleted the same tapes and re ran the inventory .then it shows under  scratch pool

Now those tapes shows under new catalog volume pool  and   frozen.

Please can any one help on my request, How to make use of  old catalog tapes under regular data tapes  under scratch pool.

Thanks in Advance,

Babul

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

If in doubt do the following (and if they have been frozen they almost certainly are old catalog tapes)

Make sure they are still in the CatalogBackup

Label them from the command line:

bplabel -m ABC123 -d hcart -p CatalogBackup -host <mediaservername>

Obviously the hcart needs to match what ever density they are in your environment and the ABC123 is the Media ID.

This will prompt you to show you what is on the tape and asking if it is OK to overwrite it.

Say "Y"

Unfreeze the tape and you should be good to go!

Hope this helps

View solution in original post

7 REPLIES 7

J_H_Is_gone
Level 6

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH35506&actp=search&viewlocale=en_U...

this is a doc with instructions on how to reuse a catalog tape as a normal backup tape

mph999
Level 6
Employee Accredited

I think the issue with reusing catalog tapes is only true if the tapes are used for a cold catalog backup.

If the tapes are used for a hot catalog backup, they will behave as normal tapes with 1 exception, they will not automatically return to scratch when they expire, or are expired manually.

So, we need to know if these tapes were used for a cold catalog backup ?  If they were, the technote provided by JH should work.

If not, then if the tapes are unfozen, you should be able to then move them back to scratch.  They should then behave as normal.

However, there is a catch :

Unless you know why a tape is frozen, you should not unfreeze it.  If the tape is damaged, reusing it can damage the drives, which in turn can damage other media (perhaps with important data on).  This happens, I have seen it mutiple times.

Hmm, just reread the post, looks like they did go back to scratch.  From the description givn, it seems they were picked for use for the catalog backup, but were frozen for some reason, so, my post still applies.

See the bptm log to see why they were frozen ...  For example, are they compatable with the drives (eg LTO1 will not work in LTO5 drive), are they write protected ?

Martin

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

If in doubt do the following (and if they have been frozen they almost certainly are old catalog tapes)

Make sure they are still in the CatalogBackup

Label them from the command line:

bplabel -m ABC123 -d hcart -p CatalogBackup -host <mediaservername>

Obviously the hcart needs to match what ever density they are in your environment and the ABC123 is the Media ID.

This will prompt you to show you what is on the tape and asking if it is OK to overwrite it.

Say "Y"

Unfreeze the tape and you should be good to go!

Hope this helps

Babul
Level 3

Martin / Mark,

 

I will apply  your suggestions. will let you know the soon.

Babul

Babul
Level 3

Thanks for all your suggestions, some of  the tapes working after deassign and relabel . 

Regards

Babul

Marianne
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Please select the post that helped you most and Mark as Solution.

Babul
Level 3

it works with the given link.

 

Thx

Babul