In VERITAS NetBackup Server tape reports are showing some wrong information.

[Sooraj_N]

The problem is, For example : If there is 4 tapes in the library and in the tape reports showing more than that, means 6 tapes are showing as active.

NetBackup version : 6.5.6

Thanks, / Sooraj

[Marianne]

We need examples, please...

Tape List report will report on all Assigned tapes, regardless of location (in or out of library). It will not report on Unassigned tapes (no valid backups) - in or outside library.

[J_H_Is_gone]

A tape report does not report just about tapes that are in the library - but reports about all of your tapes - most people want to know about all the tapes.

you could run some commands at cli and only list tapes that are IN the library - but that would require some scripting to only find tapes that do not have a - in the Robot Number or Robot Control column.

[Sooraj_N]

Dears,

For eg : I have only 4 tapes in tape drive and these 4 tapes are assigned for some backups. In media inventory also its showing only 4 tapes. But in tape reports its showing 6 tapes are active. 2 tapes are showing extra, the thing is these 2 tapes was there in tape drive but cutumer took theese tapes out, but now also its showing in tape reports as a active tapes.

Thanks, / Sooraj

[Anonymous]

From Mariannes advice the Tape List shows information about tape media that has only been allocated for backups.

Don't get confused then in the NetBackup GUI Media view where tapes that are unallocated can show a Media Status as Active. 

If you need the 2 tapes got speak with cutumer.

[Marianne]

NBU 'knows' about all tapes that have ever been used in this environment - in or out of the robot.

Tape list report will show all tapes that contain valid backups with info about the number of images on each tape, date first used, data expiration date, etc.

NBU does not delete tape info when the tapes are taken out of the robot. If restores are needed from any of the tapes that were taken out of the robot, they will have to put it back in the robot for the restore.

Does the robot have a barcode reader? If not, your customer will need to be told about the special considerations when using non-barcoded media. Info in NBU Admin Guide 1.

[Sooraj_N]

Yes, the robot have barcode reader.

And i am accepting your points,

Tape list report will show all tapes that contain valid backups with info about the number of images on each tape, date first used, data expiration date, etc.

NBU does not delete tape info when the tapes are taken out of the robot. If restores are needed from any of the tapes that were taken out of the robot, they will have to put it back in the robot for the restore.

But i have some doubts, in tape repotrs 2 tapes are showing 'active' eg: DT0031 and DT0032, but these 2 tapes are not there in tape drive. if valid backup is there then it vill show 'active' or what.?

Thanks, / Sooraj

[mph999]

Run the bpmedialist command on the two tapes like this :

root@womble  $ bpmedialist -m R0TP00

Server Host = womble

 id     rl  images   allocated        last updated      density  kbytes restores

           vimages   expiration       last read         <------- STATUS ------->

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

R0TP00  10      3   12/29/2011 07:44  12/29/2011 07:44     4mm          64     0

                       2   12/30/2011 07:44        N/A

Here we see the '3' and the '2' - this means there are total of 3 images on the tape, but only 2 are valid, so one must have expired.  On tape media, although NBU deletes/ exires images from the database, the images are only 'removed' from the tape when :

1. All the images on the tape expire

2.  The tape is reused.

This is normal and ALL backup software works this way.

If the tape you containd no valid images, you will see output like this :

root@womble testdata $ bpmedialist -m R0TP01

requested media id is not assigned to this host in the EMM database

When there are no images on the imedia (or they have all expired) the tape is remove from the media database, hence the message above.  This is normal.

The tape will still be in the volume database, it is only removed from the volume database if you 'delete' the tape from NetBackup.

The rules go like this, this is a bit simplified, but is close enough without confusing you.

Once a tape has been put in a robot and an inventory run, the tape is in the volume database.  It stays there for ever, unless deleted.

When a tape contains images it is in the media database, when all the images expire, it is removed from the media database.

I do not know which report you ran, but looking on my system, a tape containing images is shown as Active.

Martin

[J_H_Is_gone]

If you put a tape in the library - NB is told about it - and NB has a long memory and will always know about this tape.  Even if you remove the tape from the Lib without ever backing up to it - NB will still know about the tape - the only way NB will ever forget about the tape is if you Delete it from NB.

Now if you backup to the tape and the tape is not FULL - meaning it did not write all the way down to the End of Tape Marker - then NB will consider it ACTIVE -

They only way it will not be considered active

Frozen

Suspended

Full

-

even a tape that has no valid images left on it (meaning all images have expired and the tape is considered a scratch tape (no matter what pool it is in) ) it will be listed as ACTIVE - even if you remove it from the library  it will be listed as ACTIVE - meaning it is a tape you can use to put backup data on.

The only way to not report the tape is if you Delete it from Netbackup. (which can only be done when all images on the tape have been expired).

[Sooraj_N]

Below are the 'bpmedialist' command output,

Server Host = sa-vr

 id     rl  images   allocated        last updated      density  kbytes restores
           vimages   expiration       last read         <------- STATUS ------->
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DT0032   9      1   12/05/2010 10:54  12/05/2010 10:54   hcart   669479198     2
                1   INFINITY        12/06/2010 15:19

Server Host = sa-vrts01

 id     rl  images   allocated        last updated      density  kbytes restores
           vimages   expiration       last read         <------- STATUS ------->
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DT0033   9      3   12/07/2010 15:54  12/07/2010 15:55   hcart     1601975     0
                3   INFINITY              N/A 

And Below is the report screen print and in red colour its marked the tapes which is not there in tape drive.      

[Marianne]

Please save screendumps and attach them as files using the 'File Attachments' link at the bottom of the screen. Pictures cannot be copied and pasted into the body of the post.

As you can see from bpmedialist output, these 2 tapes contain backups with retention of INFINITY. This means that they must be kept indefinately for possible restores. NetBackup KEEPS this information in its database no matter the LOCATION of the tapes - in or out of the robot (NOT 'tape drive').

Please understand that this situation is perfectly normal. There is no problem whatsoever. This is what all of us have been trying to explain for more than a week now....

If you run 'nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid <media-id>' you will get more info, such as Media Manager info as well.

[mph999]

Ahh, Marianne has beaten me again ....

[mph999]

There is no issue here ...

Media DT0032 contains 1 image, and has retention of infinity

Media DT0033 contains x3 images, and has retentionn of infinity.

The media will be Active, as it is not frozen/ suspended or full.

It does not matter where the media is, if it is in the library, or if it has been removed from the library, it will show as active.

There is no issue here .

Martin (Senior UK Symantec NetBackup Engineer )

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

Another attempt to try and explain what J. Hinchcliffe explained on 30 December:

ACTIVE does not mean that the tapes are in the tape drive(s) and being written to. (NOT related to ACTIVE that you see in Device Monitor).

It simply means the tape is not FULL, FROZEN, SUSPENDED, IMPORTED (these are considered as non-active).

ACTIVE means that there is still space left on the tapes and more data can be added to them. If you do not want to add more data to these tapes, you can suspend them. This wil change the status from ACTIVE to SUSPENDED.

These different media states are described in Admin Guide I.

[Sooraj_N]

Thanks to all...

Now i am clear.

[Marianne]

Glad to know that we have managed to assist.

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