Media Pool handling in Veeam v8.0.0.817 ...

[Didi7]

I would like to use different media pools for my 'files to tape' jobs ...

(the 'Free' media pool is automatically created by Veeam B&R)

TEST_DI (daily incrementals)
TEST_TW (tape weekly)
TEST_WF (weekly fulls)

My intention was to have 2 files to tape jobs, one job picks the full data from my selection, the other job picks the changed data (incremental) from my selection. The job for full data runs on Friday evening, the job for incremental data runs daily from Monday to Thursday in the evening.

One can pick a media pool (TEST_WF) for full backups in one job and the other media pool (TEST_DI) for incremental backups. The media pools are set to not create and always continue to use current media set.

Starting the full files to tape job picks a tape media from the Free media pool and saves the full content on it. The media pool (TEST_WF) for weekly fulls has a data retention policy to not overwrite data. So far, so good.

If I don't choose the media pool (TEST_DI) for full backups in my incremental files to tape job, the former media from the full job, which was placed in the media pool (TEST_WF) gets another tape session appended with the incremental data. Very bad.

If I choose the media pool (TEST_DI) for full backups and the same media pool for incremental backups in my files to tape incremental job, a full backup is written to a new tape, which is then placed in the media pool TEST_DI. Very bad as well.

My original intention was to place full written data from a selected directory on a tape media, which is placed in the weekly full media pool TEST_WF and the incremental written data from the same selected directory on a seperate tape media, which can be placed in the daily incremental media pool TEST_DI. Obviously that doesn't work, which is kind of irritating, specially if you are used to traditional backup software, like Symantec Backup Exec, where this is possible, though they use media sets, instead of media pools primarily.

To copy the technique from Symantec Backup Exec, I believe, I am forced to use only one media pool, in which tape media from my weekly full and daily incremental is placed. Is it right, that Veeam B&R checks, if a full backup job is already available in the media pool and only if this tape media is protected, a new media is picked from the Free media pool and the incremental data is writen on it? Very complicated, as one has to check on which media the full backup is written, to move it to another media pool, like TEST_TW, to save and seperate it from other media visibly.

Can I save 4 sessions of incremental data (Monday to Thursday) to one tape media and how can I restore files from a special day or do i need 4 tape media for 4 different days?

Regards,
Didi7

[veremin]

If you want to have different files to tape jobs to copy your full and incremental data, wouldn't it be better to specify file masks, so that, the incremental job will copy only .vib files, meanwhile, the full job only .vbk ones? Thanks.

[Didi7]

If you want to have different files to tape jobs to copy your full and incremental data, wouldn't it be better to specify file masks, so that, the incremental job will copy only .vib files, meanwhile, the full job only .vbk ones? Thanks.

That would be one option, yes! In the meantime, I managed to understand how full and incremental backups to tape work now with Veeam B&R. It's a little bit confusing, if one is used to other techniques, like in Symantec Backup Exec.

My full backups now go to the right media pool 'TEST_WF' and the incremental backups go to the right media pool 'TEST_DI'. If I move the tapes from 'TEST_WF' to another media pool 'TEST_TW' to safe them seperately, the catalog is deleted, why?

I would like to move my full backup tape media to whatever pool I like without having the catalog deleted. Is that common behavior in Veeam B&R?

Wouldn't it make more sense, that if I click the properties of a tape media, that I can see, what files have been written in what tape session and that I can see possible same files under different section, seperated by time and date?

It would make life much more easier, if the catalog of moved tapes (from one to another media pool) is not deleted.

Thanks.

[veremin]

Is that common behavior in Veeam B&R?

Yes, currently it's by design. However, once a tape is moved, you can inventory it and its' content should be populated.

Wouldn't it make more sense, that if I click the properties of a tape media, that I can see, what files have been written in what tape session and that I can see possible same files under different section, seperated by time and date?

We were thinking that file tree similar to the Windows Explorer one might be more convenient and common.

Thanks.

[Didi7]

Wouldn't it make more sense, that if I click the properties of a tape media, that I can see, what files have been written in what tape session and that I can see possible same files under different section, seperated by time and date?

We were thinking that file tree similar to the Windows Explorer one might be more convenient and common.

As long as there is only one session on tape (which is the case with full backup tapes), it's sufficient, but if one also uses incremental tapes, there should be more than one session on this kind of tape media. Now what happens, if you use 'Files to tape'-jobs and you also backup files, which don't change their file name, but have different content from day-by-day, e.g. a txt-file, which informs about the tape media, that has been used during several weeks. And if you would change the contents daily, you would always see only one version of the file, though I read about the possibility to browse to different versions of the file in different backup sets using the File area in Veeam B&R. If one uses 4 incremental 'File to tape'-jobs during the week, then there should be 4 different sessions on the this particular tape and the file should be available in 4 different versions as well, if it's changed daily, right?

Due to this reason, it might be useful to have the file structure (using properties on a tape media) seperated by sessions, date, time and maybe file size. Don't you agree?

Regards,
Didi7

[Dima P.]

Didi7,

Can I save 4 sessions of incremental data (Monday to Thursday) to one tape media and how can I restore files from a special day or do i need 4 tape media for 4 different days?

You can if it fits one tape. In order to restore a data from an incremental job run you need to load the previously used tapes in the media set sequence.
Your media set option was set to always continue to use current media set. So all your existing tape media creates a sequence like this:
#1 Tape 1 full
#2 Tape 2 increments
#3 Tape 3 increments
#4 Tape 4 full
#5 Tape 5 increments
In order to restore from an increment on tape 3 you would need to load tapes 1-2-3, however to restore from an increment on tape 5 you would need to load 4 and 5 tapes.
So if you spread fulls and increments to separate media pools you would need to load at least to tapes to run a restore job.

If I move the tapes from 'TEST_WF' to another media pool 'TEST_TW' to safe them seperately, the catalog is deleted, why? … Is that common behavior in Veeam B&R?

Yes that is by design for the current version. The current logic is following: Media Pool is an customizable aggregation of tape media with specific retention > Media Pool creates and keeps media sets under the certain circumstances. Once the tape is written it should be kept inside the parent media pool in order to verify the media set creation integrity.
If you want to export/protect or change retention it is possible via Vaulting / customizing the existing media pool retention or software protecting tape media.

Wouldn't it make more sense, that if I click the properties of a tape media, that I can see, what files have been written in what tape session and that I can see possible same files under different section, seperated by time and date?

We have such request in the list. Thank you for pushing it!

If one uses 4 incremental 'File to tape'-jobs during the week, then there should be 4 different sessions on the this particular tape and the file should be available in 4 different versions as well, if it's changed daily, right?

You will see 4 different restore points of the file, and can specify the exact restore point you need according to the modification date.

[Didi7]

In the meantime I managed to use my media pools, as desired but there is one thing, that really bugs me ...

I use the following media pools for ...

TEST_WF (Weekly fulls, runs on friday)
TEST_DI (Daily incrementals runs on monday, tuesday, wednesday and thursday)

and I have one job called TEST_WF-DI, in which the TEST_WF media pool is used for weekly fulls and the TEST_DI media pool is used for daily incrementals.

So far, so good. Now, after the first weekly full, which is on tape media belonging to TEST_WF media pool and the 4 daily incrementals, which is written to tape media belonging to TEST_DI, the next weekly full is running and the contents is written to the same tape media in TEST_WF media pool, as long as there is still free space, because the data retention policy for this media pool is set to 'never overwrite data'.

This is really annoying for the weekly full tape media, as I am forced to move tape media from the TEST_WF media pool to another media pool every friday, to prevent further weekly full tape sessions be written to the same tape media, which should only contain one weekly full tape session. If I don't move the tape media to another pool, another weekly full tape session is appended. For the daily incremental tape media, this is common behavior.

Could you please tell me, how I can prevent further weekly full tape session to the same media or could you please add an option, that automatically protects the weekly full tape media from adding any additional weekly full tape session the following week and instead of this picks a fresh tape media from the Free media pool?

Thanks

[Dima P.]

Could you please tell me, how I can prevent further weekly full tape session to the same media or could you please add an option, that automatically protects the weekly full tape media from adding any additional weekly full tape session the following week and instead of this picks a fresh tape media from the Free media pool?

Have you considered using the Export current media set once the job finishes option for the case you described? You can manage your weekly backups by specifying the creation of the new media set at the end of the week, and then use an export option of the backup to tape job.

[Didi7]

Have you considered using the Export current media set once the job finishes option for the case you described? You can manage your weekly backups by specifying the creation of the new media set at the end of the week, and then use an export option of the backup to tape job.

Not really, as I don't want to export the media to a mail slot. It should stay in the tape library for possible later restores or until it's time to fill the tape library with new free media.

You really should consider an option to protect the weekly full media from further overwrites, otherwise tape handling always needs user intervention at the end of a week.

Thanks
Didi7

[Dima P.]

Sorry, I did not realize you want to keep you media in the library.

How about just setting the media set creation in the Media Pool to Daily at? Once the new media set is created the old one with included media is no longer appendable.

[Didi7]

Hello again,

found some time to think about your last proposal. Could you please be a little bit more specific?

Thanks

[veremin]

What Dmitry meant was to set daily as media set creation option. With those settings, media set will be created once a day. Once it's closed, medium will be no longer appendable, even though it will still be present in library. Isn't that what you're after? Thanks.

[Didi7]

Would 'Create a new media set for every backup session' do the same?

I am testing above for the upcoming weeks!

Regards,
Didi7

[Dima P.]

Hello,
'Create a new media set for every backup session' means new media set will be created (and closed) for every backup to tape job run. Once finished used tapes are no longer appendable.

[Didi7]

Confirmed!

As already assumed, the setting 'Create new media set for every backup session' will do the same trick. Weekly Full backup media is no longer used the following week, instead a new tape media is picked from the 'Free' media pool.

Regards,
Didi7

[Dima P.]

Didi7,
Awesome! Please let us know if you have any further questions or any improvement suggestions. Thank you.