Managing barcodes

[Nam_Sym]

Hi All,

I purchased barcodes for the new backup device. I have noticed that when i run Robot Inventory, i can see the barcodes but I can not see the barcodes from netbackup volume pools. How do i get netbackup to update volume pool information.

Thanks

[Marianne]

Inventory will put tapes into the pool that is defined as 'default' pool.

If this was not changed, then the default is NetBackup pool.

If you have a Scratch pool, you can create a Barcode Rule to add new tapes to the Scratch pool.

Barcode Tag:  <DEFAULT>
pool name    :  Scratch-pool-name

Add the barcode tag exactly as I have typed it above. 
This will ensure that all new media automatically goes to the scratch pool, regardless of barcode tag/media-id.

See this TN: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH69807 

To create Barcode Rule, click on 'Advanced Options' in the Inventory update screen.

Barcode Rules will be one of the tabs.

If you want tapes to go into specific pools, you will have to define ranges in Barcode Rules for each pool.
This is not best practise, as it may be difficult to calculate media requirements for each pool, running the risk of some pools not having enough media, resulting in failed backups (Status 96).

EDIT:

Barcode Rules are for new tapes. So, when you create Barcode Rules, first delete all tapes that went to NetBackup pool before doing another Inventory.

[Nam_Sym]

I have managed to configure a barcode rule. my observation is that the option to assign a volume pool is disabled.

The new tapes have been assigned to 'None' pool.

How do i assign the new tapes to a specific pool?

Thanks

[Marianne]

Have you created volume pools over and above the default pools? (None, NetBackup)

Please show us a screenshot of your barcode rule.
or output of:
vmrule -listall 

And also output of these commands:
vmcheckxxx -rt <robot_type> -rn <robot_number>
(e.g. vmcheckxxx -rt tld -rn 0)

and

vmpool -listall

(all commands are in /usr/openv/volmgr/bin on Linux/Unix and in ...\veritas\volmgr\bin on Windows)

Barcode Rule allows you to specify all of the following:

Bar code tag
Media type
Volume pool
Max mounts and cleanings
Description

[Nam_Sym]

Here is the output:

vmrule -listall

=========================================
rule number:  0
barcode tag:  <DEFAULT>
media type:   DTF_CLN
pool name:    None
cleanings:    25
description:  ---
=========================================

vmcheckxxx -rt <robot_type> -rn <robot_number>

Slot    Tape  Barcode           Media ID Barcode        Mismatch Detecte
====    ====  =============     ======== =============  ================
   1     Yes  -none-            A00000   -none-
   2     Yes  -none-            A00001   -none-
   3     Yes  -none-            A00048   -none-
   4     Yes  -none-            A00049   -none-
   5     Yes  -none-            A00004   -none-
   6     Yes  -none-            A00005   -none-
   7     Yes  -none-            A00006   -none-
   8     Yes  -none-            A00007   -none-
   9     Yes  -none-            A00008   -none-
  10     Yes  -none-            A00009   -none-
  11     Yes  -none-            A00010   -none-
  12     Yes  -none-            A00011   -none-
  13     Yes  000013L4          0013L4   000013L4
  14     Yes  000016L4          0016L4   000016L4
  15     Yes  000019L4          0019L4   000019L4
  16     Yes  000008L4          0008L4   000008L4
  17     Yes  000012L4          0012L4   000012L4
  18     Yes  000015L4          0015L4   000015L4
  19     Yes  000018L4          0018L4   000018L4
  20     Yes  000007L4          0007L4   000007L4
  21     Yes  000011L4          0011L4   000011L4
  22     Yes  000014L4          0014L4   000014L4
  23     Yes  000017L4          0017L4   000017L4
  24     Yes  000006L4          0006L4   000006L4
  25     Yes  -none-            A00050   -none-
  26     Yes  -none-            A00025   -none-
  27     Yes  -none-            A00026   -none-
  28     Yes  -none-            A00027   -none-
  29     Yes  -none-            A00028   -none-
  30     Yes  -none-            A00029   -none-
  31     Yes  -none-            A00051   -none-
  32     Yes  -none-            A00052   -none-
  33     Yes  -none-            A00053   -none-
  34     Yes  -none-            A00054   -none-
  35     Yes  -none-            A00055   -none-
  36     Yes  -none-            A00056   -none-
  37     Yes  -none-            A00057   -none-
  38     Yes  -none-            A00058   -none-
  39     Yes  -none-            A00059   -none-
  40     Yes  -none-            A00060   -none-
  41     Yes  -none-            A00061   -none-
  42     Yes  -none-            A00041   -none-
  43     Yes  -none-            A00042   -none-
  44     Yes  -none-            A00043   -none-
  45     Yes  -none-            A00044   -none-
  46     Yes  -none-            A00045   -none-
  47     Yes  -none-            A00046   -none-
  48     Yes  -none-            A00047   -none-

vmpool -listall

=======================================================
pool number:  0
pool name:    None
description:  the None pool
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

pool number:  1
pool name:    NetBackup
description:  the NetBackup pool
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

pool number:  2
pool name:    DataStore
description:  the DataStore pool
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

pool number:  3
pool name:    CatalogBackup
description:  NetBackup Catalog Backup pool
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

pool number:  4
pool name:    Test
description:  Test
max partially full:    1
=======================================================

pool number:  5
pool name:    ZESCODATA
description:  ZESCO DATA
max partially full:    2
=======================================================

pool number:  6
pool name:    Scratch
description:  Scratch Pool
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

pool number:  7
pool name:    E-cash_backups
description:  daily_backups
max partially full:    0
=======================================================

[Will_Restore]

try this command

  nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 0013L4  

is the Media Type: DTF_CLN  ?

[Nam_Sym]

The tapes i have are LT0 6 tapes. The media type was set to DTF_CLN on Barcode rules window.

NBEMMCMD, Version: 7.5
====================================================================
Media GUID:                     e8c191c0-4d9e-4dbe-bb55-7481b1b04065
Media ID:                       0013L4
Partner:                        -
Media Type:                     DTF_CLN
Volume Group:                   001_00000_TLD
Application:                    Netbackup
Media Flags:                    1
Description:                    ---
Barcode:                        000013L4
Partner Barcode:                --------
Last Write Host:                NONE
Created:                        09/22/2014 11:26
Time Assigned:                  -
First Mount:                    -
Last Mount:                     -
Volume Expiration:              -
Data Expiration:                -
Last Written:                   -
Last Read:                      -
Robot Type:                     TLD
Robot Control Host:             backup-svr-pr
Robot Number:                   0
Slot:                           13
Side/Face:                      -
Cleanings Remaining:            25
Number of Mounts:               -1
Maximum Mounts Allowed:         -1
Media Status:                   ACTIVE
Kilobytes:                      0
Images:                         0
Valid Images:                   0
Retention Period:               -
Number of Restores:             0
Optical Header Size Bytes:      0
Optical Sector Size Bytes:      0
Optical Partition Size Bytes:   0
Last Header Offset:             0
Adamm Guid:                     00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Rsm Guid:                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Origin Host:                    NONE
Master Host:                    -
Server Group:                   -
Upgrade Conflicts Flag:
Pool Number:                    0
Volume Pool:                    None
Previous Pool Name:             -
Vault Flags:                    -
Vault Container:                -
Vault Name:                     -
Vault Slot:                     -
Session ID:                     -
Date Vaulted:                   -
Return Date:                    -
Media on Hold:                  0
====================================================================

[Will_Restore]

First, update your barcode rule to only set specific tapes to DTF_CLN.  Maybe those tapes start with 'CLN'.

Second, delete the new tapes and reinventory the libary to set the new media to the default media type.

[mph999]

I'm confused, what are all the media start Axxx - well I know what they are, they are media given the default media id when no barcode can be read. I'll presume that these are the media that you cannot see the media for ? If so, the issue is that the robot is not reading the barcodes, someimes new labels are not readable - if which case you need to replace them or try a different brand. NBU does not read barcodes, the robot does and tells NBU what the barcode is. If you run robtest, and the s s command you will see several slots contan a media but display no barcode. Nothing can be done in NBU aboot this, you have to fix the physical problem as described above. Once fixed, delete the tapes startiing A - and reinventory. It's only 'fixed' when all the barcodes are visible iin robtest. (FYI, robtest is what the library sees, nothing to do with NetBackup).

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

Did you create this barcode rule?

Please change it as per my post above so that the default will be Scratch and Media Type the same as the tape drives.
So, if your tape drives are LTO4 and the density is hcart2, the media type must be the same.

barcode tag:  <DEFAULT>
media type:   hcart2
pool name:    Scratch
Max mounts:    0 (no maximum)
description:  ---

Now - let us look at the vmcheckxxx output.

It shows 48 tapes in the robot - 12 tapes with barcodes and the rest with no barcodes.

Is this correct? Did you only stick barcodes on 12 tapes and the rest have no barcodes?

You should NOT be using barcoded and non-barcoded media in the same robot. 
Each time you run an Inventory, NBU will assume all non-barcoded media are new and add new A00 numbers.

Have you been using these non-barcoded tapes for backups up to now or are these tapes all new?
If tapes have been used before for backups, you need to tell us.
Adding barcodes to tapes with backups on them is going to create all sorts of issues (Frozen media) unless you 'marry' the previously used A000 media-id with the new 000... label. 
We will help you if this is the case.

One more thing - 
You can see in vmcheckxxx output that NBU uses the last 6 characters as media-id, meaning that it sees the L4 suffix as part of media id.
This is not ideal - best to use the 1st 6 characters as media id.
So, 000013L4 should be  Media Id 000013, not 0013L4.

To fix this, use the Media ID Generation tab to tell NBU to use the 1st 6 characters:
Robot number: 0
Barcode length: 8
Media ID generation rule: 1:2:3:4:5:6

So, in summary:

Run Media List Report (bpmedialist) to see which tapes contain backups.
Remove all non-barcoded media from the robot (if these tapes contain backups, you need to make a note of each tape's A000 number)
Delete existing tapes that were added as DTF_CLN media type.
Change Barcode Rule as per my suggestion above.
Add Media ID generation rule
Run Inventory.
 

[Nam_Sym]

Hi Marianne,

I deleted the barcode rule.. recreated it and i am able to see the barcode from the volume pools.

Thanks