Tape Scanning

[Bkp2020]

I need a Best way to Scan the Tapes and Avoid Duplicate Scanning of same Tape. The Tape is Tera Data VeriTape.

[Anonymous]

Are you wanting to Import some tapes, therefore have the tape loaded and contents read and index stored in the NetBackup catalogue?. Ideally the tapes would be uniquely barcoded also.

Is this what you mean with Scan the Tapes?

[Bkp2020]

We are not adding new tapes, We are Scanning Tapes by Ejecting them out one by one to check Tapes are not defective. And need to follow a process to avoid Scanning same Tape Twice.

[Marianne]

We are not sure what you mean by 'scanning'.

I have no experience with Tera Data VeriTape. 
Please tell us more?
Does it function as a TLD robot in NBU with or without barcoded media?

Are you referring to the way that NBU adds media when Inventory is performed?
As long as media is barcoded, Inventory will simply update media location, not add it again.
If no barcoded media, normal NBU Inventory should only be used to add new media.
When non-barcoded media is returned to the robot, vmphinv should be used to perform 'physical inventory'.

[jim_dalton · Accepted solution]

I suspect the requirement is to examine the media in terms of surface analysis, once per media , no more no less.

Such a process isnt really part of netbackups remit.

I would question the thinking behind doing  this: what is the driver?

Also not familair with the specified device.

There are other approaches: if its driven by management personally I go for the "the data are read after write so any issues are raised at that point" assuming you have read ater write devices.

On the other hand, if this is some kind of once a year media check you'd need to write a script to gather the input media then go through, but despite looking trivial could turn out to be complex...error handling, how to verify (a read ?), overall architecture, reporting,...

This in itself may be insufficient eg just because you can read a tape doesnt mean you can recover data from.

Jim

[Bkp2020]

We had Started the process of Validating Tapes Score if its good tape or bad tape. We are ejecting 25 to 50 tapes at a time from library and keeping the inventory with the score. We are removing tapes from library if the score is below 75. Following tapes barcode to keep track of the process.

[Marianne]

Have a look at Jim's post above.

This is not a requirement from NBU and does not really proof that data on tape is good and can be restored from. So, from NBU point of view, there is nothing we can suggest as 'best way'.

Regular restore tests will be a better test.