Disk backup and tape overlap.

[Burgess]

Hi all,

As I understand it when doing a virtual full tape backup if a forever incremental backup runs it will cause the virtual full tape backup to error and stop running.

Would this be the same for an active full backup that I am then writing to tape?

For instance, I run the active full, it creates a vbk file. This then kicks off a tape backup that starts writing the vbk to tape. Whilst this is happening an incremental disk backup happens and creates a vib based on the vbk. Will this affect the tape job that is running? I can't find any evidence to suggest that it would interfere but I thought I’d ask the question.

Cheers,

Steve.

[PTide]

Hi,

A primary backup job priority is always higher than backup to tape job priority thus causing the former to interrupt the latter.

For instance, I run the active full, it creates a vbk file. This then kicks off a tape backup that starts writing the vbk to tape. Whilst this is happening an incremental disk backup happens and creates a vib based on the vbk. Will this affect the tape job that is running? I can't find any evidence to suggest that it would interfere but I thought I’d ask the question.

It won't interfere if the primary backup job is not doing any transform operations (i.e. merge). Otherwise the backup to tape job will be interrupted.

Thank you

[Burgess]

Brilliant, thanks for the reply!

Cheers,

Steve.

[lyapkost]

Hi Steve.

if a forever incremental backup runs it will cause the virtual full tape backup to error and stop running

Only when old full backup is merged with the following increment at the end of source job.

In general, tape job won't be stopped unless source job modifies (transform, deleting according retention policy etc) backup files which are currently written or planned to be written to tape by already started tape job. Even in this case if 'Prevent this job from being interrupted...' checkbox is checked the tape job won't be stopped, source transform operations will wait.

So in your case incremental disk backup doesn't affect tape job at all because it doesn't modify the pre-created active full backup.

[Burgess]

Hi Lyapkost,

Ahh, OK. I'd read this page about virtual full backups (https://bp.veeam.expert/resource_planni ... rt-VF.html) that seems to specify at the bottom that once the primary job starts it will stop the tape job. It sounds like this is only the case when an increment is merged, however.

Another quick question then. If I have a virtual full backup running but want to run another forever incremental, can I increase the retention points for the forever incremental so that it does not merge anything back into the full backup and therefore doesn't stop the job from running?

Cheers,

Steve.

[lyapkost]

can I increase the retention points for the forever incremental so that it does not merge anything back into the full backup and therefore doesn't stop the job from running?

Yes, that will work but you cannot increase it infinitely though. Some customers used in the tape job a pre-job script which increased retention and a post-job script which decreased retention back to achieve this. But since 'Prevent from being interrupted...' checkbox is available it's recommended to use it instead of such tricks.

[Burgess]

OK, fantastic, thanks for all the help!

Cheers,

Steve.

[rogsti]

After an active full backup job there is not enough time for backup tape job to finish. Is it possible to pause the backup tape job and start it after the backup job is finished?

[PTide]

Hi,

Could you elaborate on this one please?

<...>there is not enough time for backup tape job to finish.

Do you mean that your Backup to Tape job takes so long to finish after Active Full that it gets interrupted by the source Backup job? If so, then please describe your source backup job settings. Normally, if the primary backup job is not doing any transform operations (i.e. merge) it won't interrupt dependent Backup to Tape job.

Thanks

[rogsti]

When the backup job start, the backup tape job get the status pending. Even when the backup job is finished, the status for the backup tape job is still pending.

[PTide]

That should not happen since your source backup job is not supposed to do transform operations because it has Active Full. What are you Tape and Backup jobs settings? Do you have "Prevent this job from being interrupted..." checkbox selected?

Thanks

[rogsti]

Hi.

No I have not selected the checkbox "Prevent this job from being interrupted". Is it not possible to write the vbk file to tape in a backup tape job,when an incremental backup is working ?

[PTide]

It is possible to write vbk to tape and perform incremental backup simultaneosly only if there is no transform operation in progress. Could you describe the backup job settings please?

Thank you