Tape consolidation/reclamation?

[DonZoomik]

We're planning to use Veeam tape functionality and I'd like to know if Veeam supports tape consolidation.

At my previous employer we used file-based IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (new Spectrum Protect) and it consolidated half-empty tapes to empty ones by using several tape drives in autoloader.
TSM was file-based so tapes becoming heavily fragmented was a real issue. I'm not sure if it is a problem at all with Veeam as it is mostly image based. It could be at one point if tapes contain may partial backups mixed with unused space that would cause extensive tape swapping in autoloader.

So does Veeam have anything similar (if it needs it at all)?

[Dima P.]

Hi DonZoomik,

We write files (or backups) to tape in one stream, so free space remains in the end of the tape. Backup job can either continue such tape or start a new tape media. Both options are handled in automated fashion (via Media Pool > Media set creation settings), so you are the one to decide which behavior works best.

[vmtech123]

Is there any update on this now that Veeam supports File to Tape?

If using NAS backup and keeping versions, there is going to be a large amount of fragmentation on tapes and wasted space.

[Dima P.]

Hello Scott,

Logic remains the same. For nas backup it's recommended to write data directly from the source (i.e. file to tape from the file share) instead of putting the resulting nas backup files to tape. Cheers!

[vmtech123]

Right, But lets say I keep 5 versions of every file for example on a 20TB server

Many inactive files will just sit on tape happy. The active files will write new data on new tapes, and the previous versions (6,7,8 etc) will "expire". Now, those files might be large, small, and all over the place on the tapes..

After a few years, or less, that is going to be a ton of wasted space. This is what I was asking about space reclamation. Does Veeam consolidate the data on to new tapes at some point freeing up wasted space?

[Dima P.]

Scott,

You can schedule periodic active full backups and start a new sequence of tape media to store the file share content. As for previously recorded media you can mark such tape as free or set the retention in tape's media pool to reuse it again. Cheers!