[Manual] Storage - Single Tapes

NovaBACKUP DataCenter

Media Management - Storage Management

Single Tape Pools

Contents:

Single Tape Drive

Backup Procedure with individual tapes, in a Single Tape Pool

Creating single tape pool

Checking tape in tape drive

Performing single tape backup

Changing sequence of tapes

Overwriting tapes 

Note: Cloning will always overwrite a Single Tape.

Single Tape Drive

In a "Single Tape Drive" backup configuration data will be appended to the tape unless the "Overwrite Media" option is enabled in the backup job:

"Overwrite": This option is only available if the media pool is a "Single Tape Drive".

        Selected: Tape is overwritten each time the job runs.

        Deselected: The backup is added at the end of the existing tape recording (data is appended).

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Backup procedure with individual tapes, in a Single Tape Pool

The Single Tape Pool option allows you to setup up customized backup procedures with tapes.

We suggest that you label your tapes and enter the relevant names in the single tape pool in the Tape label field.

During the first backup procedure, each tape is assigned this tape label code. When a tape is inserted, it is checked to make sure that it is the right one for the backup.

The backup procedure is performed in the specified sequence and according to the specified schedule. At the end of the cycle (e.g. 2 weeks), the backup procedure restarts, which means that the previously used backup tapes are overwritten.

Based on the entered criteria, the system checks whether:

• the tape is to be overwritten

• the backup is to be appended

• no backup is made

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Creating single tape pool

Objective

The Single Tape Pool function enables you to enter the tape labels, to define the sequence of the tape backup and to select a schedule for the cleanup operations.

Note: If you only add one tape to the pool, the tape will be overwritten each time it is utilized.

Example: You wish to back up the data of 5 days per week over a two-week period to 10 tapes.

Proceed as follows:

1. Label the 10 tapes.

Example: Mon1, Tue1, Wed1, Thu1, Fri1 and Mon2, Tue2, Wed2, Thu2, Fri2

2. Go to Media Management > Storage Management.

⇨ The Storage Management window is opened.

3. Under Backup Servers, select the backup server.

4. In the shortcut menu, click Create single tape pool….

⇨ The Single Tape Pool dialog is opened.

5. Under Pool name, enter a name for the pool.

6. Under Tape drive, select the tape drive on which the backups are to be produced.

7. Using +, enter the names of the tapes (tape labels) one after the other (Mon1, Tue1, Wed1, Thu1, Fri1 and Mon2, Tue2, Wed2, Thu2, Fri2).

Recommendation: The names of the tapes in the system should correspond to those written onto the physical tapes.

Note: If you only add one tape to the pool, the tape will be overwritten each time it is utilized.

8. Under Schedule, select the schedule for the cleanup operations. Alternatively, set up a new schedule under Automation > Scheduling.

9. Confirm the settings by clicking [OK].

Result

The new single tape pool is created.

The first listed tape (✓) is the one used for the next backup.

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Checking tape in tape drive

Objective

You wish to check which tape is currently in the tape drive.

Requirements

A tape must be inserted in the tape drive.

Proceed as follows:

1. Go to Media Management > Storage Management.

⇨ The Storage Management window is opened.

2. Under Backup Servers, select the backup server.

3. Under Single Tape Pools, select the relevant pool e.g. Pool1.

4. In the shortcut menu, click Scan tape drive.

Result

The Scan tape drive window is displayed, providing information regarding the currently inserted tape.

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Performing backup

Proceed as follows:

1. Place the first tape (Mon1) in the tape drive.

2. Start the backup procedure.

During the first backup procedure, each tape is assigned the defined tape label code. This ensures that the tape can be checked when inserted again, to make sure that it is the correct tape for the planned backup.

The backup procedure is performed in the specified sequence and according to the specified schedule. At the end of the cycle (e.g. 2 weeks), the backup procedure restarts, which means that the previously used backup tapes are overwritten.

If a schedule has been defined, the backup is performed at the specified time.

1. After the backup is completed, remove the tape and insert the next one (e.g. Tue1).

The next day, the backup procedure can thus start automatically according to the defined schedule. In the process the tape is checked, and if it is the correct one, its content is overwritten. If the system detects that the wrong tape has been inserted, it is not overwritten. Instead, the system attempts to append the backup to the existing data on the inserted tape.

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Changing sequence of tapes

Objective

For your next backup, you wish to use a different tape than that defined in the Single Tape Pool.

Proceed as follows:

1. Go to Media Management > Storage Management.

⇨ The Storage Management window is opened.

2. Double-click Pool1.

⇨ The Edit single tape pool dialog is opened.

3. Double-click the next backup tape, e.g. Thu1.

4. In the Edit label dialog, click Next tape to write.

5. Confirm by clicking [OK].

Result

For the next backup, the system expects tape Thu1.

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Overwriting tapes

Single Tape Pool Behavior:

At the end of the cycle (e.g. after 2 weeks), the next backup cycle starts again with the first tape. This means that the previously used tapes would be overwritten.

Based on the entered criteria, the system checks whether:

• the tape is to be overwritten
• the backup is to be appended
• no backup is made

The next step thus depends on the tape that has been inserted.

There are 3 versions of tapes:

Note: Cloning will always overwrite a Single Tape.

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Attachments

• _Manual__DC_Media_Management_-_Storage_Management_-_Single_Tapes.pdf