Need 2 catalog backup copies

[danpritts]

I have a similar requirement as this one: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/need-set-catalog-backup-write-two-sets-tapes

I've got a smaller installation - single site, single tape jukebox, one server for master and media. running 7.5.0.(6?) on RHEL.

I told the catalog backup policy to make two copies, thinking it would use two tapes.  Nope, it just made two copies on the same tape.  Doh.

I guess I could script up a duplication to another tape, or set up a second catalog backup policy with another volume pool.  Both seem awfully kludgy.  

Funny thing is I recall that at my last job, the netbackup catalog backup wizard automatically set things up to work this way, or to alternate tapes, or something.  Definitely had two separate, actively used catalog tapes, and it screamed if it only had one.  

Any other suggestions?  Anything I'm missing?

[Marianne]

Does single tape jukebox mean one tape drive?

Have you configured multiple copies in the policy schedule?

Multiple copies in the schedule actually needs 2 tape drives in order to write 2 backups simultaneously on 2 tape drives to 2 different tapes.

If my understanding is incorrect, please show us your catalog policy config:

bppllist <policy-name> -U

[Will_Restore]

Been a while, seem to recall the old Cold Catalog Backup had you specify two tapes.  That function is replaced by Hot Catalog Backup which pulls from Volume Pool.  And the default action is single catalog backup tape being written even if multiple tapes are available in the pool.

[sdo]

How many tape drives in the single jukebox (tape library?) ? If two or more tape drives, then how about 'Inline' writing, to two different 'catalog backup' volume pools? I.e. Multiple copies in the schedule, to the same storage unit, but different volume pools (but both volume pools must be of 'catalog' type).

[danpritts]

My jukebox has 4 tape drives.

Will - I think you are right.  I remember telling it which two tapes to use.  

Anyway, I went to look back through the logs.  I misinterpreted them - multiple full images were definitely created, but I had the scheduling whacked which caused multiple fulls to be run.   For some reason, my DR report says I need both Full images, but whatever.

But I remember setting it to make two copies....  

So, I went back and checked the policy - and the multiple tape option isn't there.  And when I try to configure it, I get this error message from the GUI.  I can't swear it didn't occur the first time I tried.  I've tried it several times now and gotten the same message.  Everything else continues to work on the GUI.  GUI is running on the server itself, X11 display to my mac.  

Intermittent connectivity lost with the server.  Please verity services or daemons are up and re-try the last operation.  Null References.

I was able to suss out how to do it from the command line, though.  Had to create a server group that held my one server before i was able to do it though.   Even after making the server group the gui still fails on this operation.

# bpplschedrep CatalogBackup2 Full-EveryMonday -number_copies 2 -pool CatalogBackup,CatalogBackup -rl 10,10  -sg ICPSR,ICPSR

I just skimmed through the 7.5.0.7 release notes and didn't see anything that looked relevant to the GUI bug.  

Meanwhile - Yesterday I removed the previously active Catalog tape to send offsite.  I've got two "Active" catalog pool tapes in the jukebox.  One of them was the primary copy up until two weeks ago.  but now (last night, before I made the changes above) my catalog backup is failing with 

1: (96) unable to allocate new media for backup, storage unit has none available 

(there is no new media, but there are the two active CatalogBackup pool tapes).

aargh

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

Are there any backups already written to these tapes?
If so, with what retention?

IT seems you have configured both copies of the catalog policy schedule as level 10.

NBU does not mix retention levels. It can be changed but is NOT recommended.

Please post output for one of these tapes:

nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid <media-id>

[danpritts]

I'll have to check, but the retention level is probably the problem, thanks Marianne.