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Tape Members Forgotton - Thread2


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This is a new thread to better clarify my problem.

 

I have a problem where tape members are forgotten from the backup set.

 

I have four backup sets, each set with one tape member.

 

SetName <> Tape Member Names

Set1 <> 1-Set1

Set2 <> 1-Set2

Set3 <> 1-Set3

Set4 <> 1-Set4

 

All backup operations are run under the domain admin account.

 

We rotate one set per week. For example, set1 runs, then set2, then set3, then set4. Next set1 rotates back in, then set2,set3,set4, set1, set2, etc.

 

When the old set rotates back in, the first script recycles, and the next scripts are all normal scripts.

 

This works correctly when the right tape set member is in the drive. However, if we forget to put the next tape in the drive, the new set's tape member is forgotten.

 

For example, Set 2 successfully finishes, and Set3 rotates in, but the set2 tape is still in the drive. The Set3 Recycle is scheduled and launches. Several days pass but Set3 never finishes because Set2 tape is still in the drive. I need to stop the Set 3 execution. At this point, 1-Set3 tape member is forgotten from Set3.

 

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update

 

The only things in the logs are like this ...

 

8/9/2009 2:00:25 AM Recycle backup: The backup was reset

 

8/9/2009 2:00:25 AM Copying Local Disk (C:)

8/12/2009 1:30 PM Execution Stopped by Operator

Remaining: xyz files xy GB

Completed: 0 files zero KB

Performance: 0.0 MB/minute

Duration 3 xyz (xyz idle/loading/preparing)

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This is a new thread to better clarify my problem.

 

I have a problem where tape members are forgotten from the backup set.

And for those of us whose powers of telepathy have faded with old age, could you enlighten us as to your hardware specifics, OS specifics, version of Retrospect (x.x.x), etc.?

 

Thanks,

 

Russ

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Here are some specs on my setup.

 

Retrospect SBS Standard v. 7.6.123

Retrospect Driver Update & Hotfix v. 7.6.101

 

Windows 2003 SBS Server Standard SP2

 

Adaptec AHA-2940 pci SCSI controller

DAT DDS3 Tape Drive

 

Processor - P4 2.66 Ghz

RAM - 2 GB

 

OS Partition C:\ - 9 GB Free

Data Partition D:\ - 22 GB Free

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Thanks for your reply. Here are those preferences ...

 

Erasure

Automatically reuse renamed media = Yes Check

Minimal erase confirmation =Not Checked

 

Handling

Retension Tapes = Not Checked

Don't eject remable disks = not Checked

Eject tapes and disks when exiting = not checked

Stop Removable Storage Manager = Yes Checked

Use new media automatically after write failure = not checked

Use aspi to communication with device = not checked

 

Request

Media request timeout = not checked

Automatically skip to blank media = not checked

 

Verification

Generate MD5 digests during backup operation = not checked

 

Thanks for any assistance.

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Those look okay. (OT, you could try to generate MD5 digests and use media verification - could be a little faster and is also very reliable).

 

Okay, maybe this is the problem: "The Set3 Recycle is scheduled and launches". If I remember correctly a tape Backup Set has a separate catalog on the system's hard disk. So when you recycle it, it probably clears that catalog and there after it can't find the tape because you left the wrong one in the drive. Because now there is a mismatch between the on disk catalog and the actual tape Retrospect probably forgets it.

 

Probably along that line...

 

Maybe one of the more experienced tape users can shine a light on this, as I'm more experienced with online backup (backups to hard disk arrays and iSCSI units - I used tape a lot in the past though, but it's been a while).

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