Start high priority backup job in front of other queued jobs

[jpriddy]

Netbackup 7.0 for Windows

I have several backup policies, each with dozens of clients.  I encounted an issue where I needed to execute an Exchange server backup immediately, so I started a manual backup from my Exchange backup policy in the NBU admin console.  This policy is already set to have a higher priority than my other policies, so I thought that, when the next backup device was freed up, that the exchange job would take precedence over the other jobs in the queue.  However, the other queued jobs from my other policies started instead. 

Is there a way to force a manual job in front of other jobs that are already queued, other than canceling all the other jobs first?

[Stumpr2]

How NetBackup determines the worklist is covered in the NetBackup Admin Guide II.

NetBackup tries to limit the number of times a tape needs to be mounted so it is possible for job of lesser priority to become active. But you already know that, so how can I help you?

I sometimes suspend jobs to free up a tape drive resource. After the higher priority job starts I then unsuspend the previous jobs. This can get pretty tricky in a shared drive environment because you need to get the correct drive free. 

[Andy_Welburn · Accepted solution]

if the resources are already in use and available for lower priority jobs, then those lower priority jobs will start in preference to your high priority jobs if resources are not available for the latter (the main resource here would tend to be tape drive(s)).

Again, to concur with Bob, the only was around this would be to suspend those lower priority jobs that are taking up the resource(s) that are required for your high priority job. This should also include any queued jobs that are liable to utilise those same resources - if you suspend only the active jobs then, as the media is still loaded, the queued jobs will then become active.

[RamNagalla]

From NBU 6.5.6 we have a option to increase the  priority  of the queued jobs from the Activity Moniter..

if you are using the NBU java console.. the console also should be in 6.5.6 version

just right click on the Queued job.. we can find the option "chage job priority" ... where we can increase or decrease the prority.. Max prority is 99999.

[Andy_Welburn]

Increasing the priority of a Q'd job will only mean that that job will start preferencially when resources become available it will not cause the other jobs to "suspend" to allow that one to start.

The only time I've found a prioritised job to "jump in" is when a current set of backups requests change of tape - at this juncture I have seen a restore job (priority 90000) take control of a tape drive.