Briggo
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DPM 2007 Tape erase
Hi,
I'm having some issues with DPM 2007 SP1 and my tape cycle. How can I tell DPM to erase the tape before it starts its backup?
Currently I have 4 LTO3 "daily" tapes(Mon-Thurs) that I recycle each week. DPM seems to only add the backup data to the tape. I want it to erase the tape each day and only add the new data.
Does anyone have any ideas?
I'm having some issues with DPM 2007 SP1 and my tape cycle. How can I tell DPM to erase the tape before it starts its backup?
Currently I have 4 LTO3 "daily" tapes(Mon-Thurs) that I recycle each week. DPM seems to only add the backup data to the tape. I want it to erase the tape each day and only add the new data.
Does anyone have any ideas?
As soon as the data on the tapes is expired, you can (manually?) mark the tapes as free.
The tape-expiration is based on the recovery goals you defined in the Protection Group settings. Based on the information in your question, I would set the retention range to 1 up to 6 days. That way the data on tape will be expired by the time you put the tape back in the tapedrive.
To mark the tapes as free, go to the Libraries-tab of the Management-part of the DPM console. After putting the tape in the drive, you might have to do a Fast Inventory. The tape will be displayed as expired, and with a rigght-clock, or through the right pane you can "Mark tape as free". This will not erase or format the tape entirely (which could take a long time, like a full format), but indicates the tape can be used to write data on it. While writing the tape, the tape will be overwritten.
The tape-expiration is based on the recovery goals you defined in the Protection Group settings. Based on the information in your question, I would set the retention range to 1 up to 6 days. That way the data on tape will be expired by the time you put the tape back in the tapedrive.
To mark the tapes as free, go to the Libraries-tab of the Management-part of the DPM console. After putting the tape in the drive, you might have to do a Fast Inventory. The tape will be displayed as expired, and with a rigght-clock, or through the right pane you can "Mark tape as free". This will not erase or format the tape entirely (which could take a long time, like a full format), but indicates the tape can be used to write data on it. While writing the tape, the tape will be overwritten.
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Look for an option in the backup job for "overwrite" or "append". If set to "append", it probably will always prefer to leave current data on the tape. If set to "overwrite", it should wipe out what's already there.
Also, check to see if you can set the data retention (or perhaps called "protection") for these jobs. If you're always overwriting last week's tape, then set the retention for no more than six days (or maybe five, depending on how it counts!). Likewise, if you are overwriting a tape from a month ago, set retention for three weeks, or 25 days.