can't backup up dir. that should fit on DDS4 tape

[webfeat]

I'm running Server version 5.15 on a W2K Pro SP3. Backup directory is on a file storage server consisting majority of images. Total backup directory is 33GB's and it is unable to fit on to one DDS4 tape which should handle 40GB(compressed). Currently I have it expanding onto 2 DDS4 tapes. Script is running on "recycle backup" so it should have been able to fit.

 

 

 

Please help on what steps i should be looking for to rectify the problem. We are using the HP SureStore DAT 40x6

 

 

 

Thanks.

[AmyJ]

Please see the following link for detailed articles on capacity and compression:

 

 

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=common_questions_detail&ACTION=COMMON_QUESTIONS_DETAIL&id=49

 

 

 

You will find many articles that will help explain/troubleshoot the issues you are experiencing.

[webfeat]

Thank you Amy for your help, but I have been to this link and read the following FAQ's on this issue before. Although there is some articles that were useful it wasn't enough to help me troubleshoot the issues i'm experiencing.

 

 

 

My apologies for not saying this before but the reason why I'm confused and frustrated is because the same directory that I'm trying to back up was previously able to fit onto one DAT DDS4 tape, even when it had less data in the directory. So considering that it has increased in size it is still under the capacity of my DDS4 tape. On the first article of that link you sent me had a statement that said:

 

 

 

"you will tend to get lower capacity on tapes used for network backups than for tapes used for backups of local fast hard disks. This lower capacity does not indicate a problem - it is simply how these tape drives work. "

 

 

 

I understand completely on network backups having some downsides but I'm confused as to how the backup was successful before but unsuccessful now.

 

 

 

Thanks for your help

 

 

[AmyJ]

Try a new tape - as tapes get older, you may see a decrease in capacity. Check your cables, termination, SCSI card drivers. Any on of these variables, if starting to fail, could be causing the data to stream more slowly, which would ultimately decrease tape capacity.