TimSharpe02118
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Understanding Backup Exec 12 Overwrite Protection
I have just setup Symantec Backup Exec 12 Rev 1364 on a Windows 2003 server (HP Proliant DL380 G5) and we are using an HP Storeageworks 1/8 G2 Autoloader. We are using Ultrium LTO4 tapes.
We run backups Monday Friday. M-F the tapes get rotated every 2 weeks. The Friday tapes get rotated every 4 weeks and the end of moth tapes get rotated one a year. Tapes are changed daily. M-T there are two tapes in each set and the Friday and end of month sets have 4 tapes. This capacity is fine for now; we are using roughly 60 % of capacity on most jobs.
My problem is that I do not fully understand the overwrite protection rules. I want to avoid having to respond OK, or setting up an automatic response for that. I seem to have accomplished that but now I am worried that as the data grows the jobs may go back and being overwriting the first tape in the set. Im thinking that if I set the overwrite protection to 24 hours that should do the trick. Problem is that there seems to be three areas where the overwrite protection can be set and I cant figure out which takes precedent and how they work together.
Given my tape rotation and the time it takes for the jobs to finish I set the overwrite protection on the media set that I created to 24 hours.
In Tools | Options | Job Defaults I set the Media Management, Media overwrite protection level to None.
One the job itself set to overwrite media.
Can someone explain this to me, with these settings am I in jeopardy of having the job go back to the first tape in the set and begin overwriting?
We run backups Monday Friday. M-F the tapes get rotated every 2 weeks. The Friday tapes get rotated every 4 weeks and the end of moth tapes get rotated one a year. Tapes are changed daily. M-T there are two tapes in each set and the Friday and end of month sets have 4 tapes. This capacity is fine for now; we are using roughly 60 % of capacity on most jobs.
My problem is that I do not fully understand the overwrite protection rules. I want to avoid having to respond OK, or setting up an automatic response for that. I seem to have accomplished that but now I am worried that as the data grows the jobs may go back and being overwriting the first tape in the set. Im thinking that if I set the overwrite protection to 24 hours that should do the trick. Problem is that there seems to be three areas where the overwrite protection can be set and I cant figure out which takes precedent and how they work together.
Given my tape rotation and the time it takes for the jobs to finish I set the overwrite protection on the media set that I created to 24 hours.
In Tools | Options | Job Defaults I set the Media Management, Media overwrite protection level to None.
One the job itself set to overwrite media.
Can someone explain this to me, with these settings am I in jeopardy of having the job go back to the first tape in the set and begin overwriting?
Rodney Barnhardt
From what you have said, I think you want to set the overwrite protection for the length of time you are holding the tapes. For example, if you create a media set for M-F, and want to keep those tapes for 2 weeks, you would set the overwrite protection for two weeks and set the job to use that media set. The problem with only setting it for 24 hours, is the system will possible use tapes that have been written on earlier in the week. This can cause restore problems. So, in my opinion, you need to create 3 media sets for each policy, and configure the jobs to used those media sets.
ASKER
rbarnhardt,
Thanks for responding. After each backup we remove the tapes and send them off site for archiving so there is no possibility of them being overwritten and no job takes longer than 12 hours so I am pretty comfortable with the 24 overwrite protection.
The Symantec link was very good but I still have some confusion. On my media set EEC1, I have overwrite and append set to 24 hours (figure 1 in the link). I also have changed the media management (under tools, options) to partial and I unchecked the prompt radio button as shown in figure 2.
In figure 3 the reference is for BE 9x, 10x, 11x. I have version 12. I see a similar option on the job itself (see attached bmp image) but I don't have the option of setting partial in the job itself, the choices I have are:
1) Overwrite Media
2) Append to media: overwrite if no appendable media available
3) Append to media: terminate job if no appendable media is available.
I dont want option 2 or 3 and if I choose option 1 would my 24 hour overwrite and append protection from the media set still be in effect. Once again I am concerned that at some future sate the data may grow and that a job may get to the end of the tape set and begin overwriting tape 1.
1.bmp
Thanks for responding. After each backup we remove the tapes and send them off site for archiving so there is no possibility of them being overwritten and no job takes longer than 12 hours so I am pretty comfortable with the 24 overwrite protection.
The Symantec link was very good but I still have some confusion. On my media set EEC1, I have overwrite and append set to 24 hours (figure 1 in the link). I also have changed the media management (under tools, options) to partial and I unchecked the prompt radio button as shown in figure 2.
In figure 3 the reference is for BE 9x, 10x, 11x. I have version 12. I see a similar option on the job itself (see attached bmp image) but I don't have the option of setting partial in the job itself, the choices I have are:
1) Overwrite Media
2) Append to media: overwrite if no appendable media available
3) Append to media: terminate job if no appendable media is available.
I dont want option 2 or 3 and if I choose option 1 would my 24 hour overwrite and append protection from the media set still be in effect. Once again I am concerned that at some future sate the data may grow and that a job may get to the end of the tape set and begin overwriting tape 1.
1.bmp
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ASKER
Thank you