Permanent Tape Names

[paulvb]

Is it possible to put names (labels) on tapes that Retrospect will continue to use without changing them?

 

It appears that Retrospect always makes up new tape label names based on the backup set name. This means that every time I do I backup, I may need to change a label - requiring me to scribble out the one I wrote on the sticker on the tape and try to squeeze in the new label. In a couple months with Retrospect I've changed strategies a couple times with backing up my home network. I've used up the 2 little lables that came my DDS tapes; I now need to start some artistic work cutting out replacements from floppy labels that will fit over the existing stickers and not cause problems with the drive door. There has to be an easier solution.

 

I've used backup programs in the past where I would run a label program and put on an electronic label that would not change during backups. I'd like to be able to take 10 tapes, label then "001" to "010" and have retospect just use these labels forever. Any options in Retrospect to do that? How do other folks deal with this?

 

thanks, Paul

[AmyJ]

Retrospect will always name backup media based on the name of the set in use. For example, if the backup set is called Backup Set A, then any tapes used in this backup set will be called: 1-Backup Set A, 2-Backup Set A, and so on for each tape (member).

 

As you can imagine, naming tapes different then the name of the set they belong to can become confusing to any but the most organized of users.

 

Since you are reusing the tapes, it sounds like you are doing Recycle backups? If so Retrospect will reuse the existing media before going to blank media - keeping the original name. Let me clarify:

 

You're using Backup Set A, which has 2 members (1-Backup Set A and 2-Backup Set A)

You use a recycle backup in your script - which resets the entire contents of the backup set.

Retrospect will first look for the 1-Backup Set A tape before using a blank tape - and will erase/use that tape.

 

However, if you are consistently changing the names of your backup sets - the names of the tapes will change along with the names of the sets.

 

Your best bet is to use Recycle backups when reusing old media so that the tape names stay the same. You can find more information on Recycle backups in your User's Guide and in the Knowledgebase