File-To-Tape

[GianlucaCroci]

Good morning,

every day a server saves data on a SMB Share by creating a new folder.
In this SMB Share we've 3 or 4 folders, and the retention of these is managed by the server that saves the data.
With Veeam I do a "File-to-Backup" every day and I extend the Retention to two weeks.

On the first day of each month I've to put this data on a Tape, and I wouldn't want to take all 3 (or 4) folders. Because now they are small, but in the future we'll also reach 1 TB for each.

I therefore thought of using "Pre" and "Post" scripts the "File-to-Tape", where I look for the last folder created and rename it in a name (the same every month) which I'll then insert in the job.
By doing so I no longer have to do anything at the level of the "File-to-Tape" job, nor in the folders.

Finished the saving on tape, I've to rename the folder putting back the original name. This is because, as written above, retention is managed by the server, or rather by the script that generates these folders.


Something I found but it doesn't work.

PRE command to write the folder name to a file

$ latest = Get-ChildItem | sort CreationTime -desc | select -f 1 | ft name -hide | Out-File -FilePath "D: \ scripts \ latest.txt"

PRE command to rename the folder

$ latest = Get-ChildItem | sort CreationTime -desc | select -f 1 | ft name -hide | Rename-Item -NewName {$ _. BaseName -replace 'MONTHLY'}

POST commands to read the folder name from the file

$ latest = Get-Content -Raw "D: \ scripts \ latest.txt" | where {$ _ -ne ""}

POST command to rename the folder
similar to the PRE


Maybe there is no need to do all these movements because there is another system, but I've not found it.

Thank's in advance for the Help.
Kind regards

[Dima P.]

Hello Gianluca,

I've moved your post to the PowerShell sub forums. Possibly other folks can comment / advise on your idea with pre-post job scripts and provide feedback. Thank you!

[GianlucaCroci]

thank you.
I had put it here because maybe there was another method of doing this tape save.

[david.domask]

Hey Gianluca,

I think I get your idea; the thought is:

1. You have a folder list on some share like:

/backups/2022-01-28
/backups/2022-02-28
/backups/2022-03-28

2. You have a File to Tape (FTT/F2T) job and you added /backups/MONTHLY as the source item

3. You want pre/post job scripts that will:
a. Pre-job script finds the Newest folder and rename it to MONTHLY (e.g., from 1., /backups/2022-03-28 should be renamed to /backups/MONTHLY)
b. The FTT job runs
c. Post-Job script finds the folder /backups/MONTHLY and renames it to /backups/2022-03-28

Do I understand your goal right?

If so, can I ask, what does not work? There is an error? Something does or does not happen?

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,

I apologize for the late reply. I thought I already did, and instead I got lost.

yes, exactly what is written.

1. I've the share as you wrote
2. I've the File-To-Tape job where I'll save the MONTHLY folder
3. I run the File-To-Tape job
a. I run the PRE script which will have to identify the most recent folder and rename it as MONTHLY
b. I backup the MONTHLY's folder on Tape
c. I run the POST script which will rename the MONTHLY folder with the name it had before the PRE run

To do the POST operation, when I do the PRE I go to write the name in a file, which I'll then read in the POST.
The problem I've is writing in the file only the folder name without anything else.

Code: Select all

PS C:\Windows\system32> Set-Location -path "D:\Temp"
PS D:\Temp> $latest = Get-ChildItem  | sort CreationTime -desc | select -f 1 | ft name -hide
PS D:\Temp> write $latest

ORIGINAL


PS D:\Temp> $latest = Get-ChildItem  | sort CreationTime -desc | select -f 1 | ft name -hide | Out-File -FilePath "D:\scripts\latest.txt"
VIEW OF THE FILE "latest.txt"
-------------------------

ORIGINAL


-------------------------
PS D:\Temp> $latest = Get-ChildItem  | sort CreationTime -desc | select -f 1 | ft name -hide | Rename-Item -NewName {$_.BaseName -replace 'MONTHLY'}
Rename-Item : Cannot bind argument to parameter 'NewName' because it is an empty string.
At line:1 char:105
+ ... ft name -hide | Rename-Item -NewName {$_.BaseName -replace 'MONTHLY'}
+                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (Microsoft.Power...FormatStartData:PSObject) [Rename-Item], ParameterBindin
   gValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorEmptyStringNotAllowed,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Rena
   meItemCommand

Thank's in advance for the Help.
Kind regards

[david.domask]

Thanks for the update GianLuca,

I'd try it like this. Make a single script that has two switch parameters like:

Code: Select all

param(
     [switch]$pre,
     [switch]$post
)

you can have some simple code like this to avoid having to add multiple scripts.

Code: Select all

if($pre){
stuff
}

#.....


if($post){
stuff
}

Pre section should do something like:

Code: Select all

cd /path/to/your/working/directory
$latest = Get-Item | Sort-Object -Property CreationTime -Descending | Select -First 1
$latest.BaseName | Out-File temp-rename-file
Rename-Item -Path $latest.FullName -NewName "MONTHLY"

Post sections should do something like:

Code: Select all

cd /path/to/your/working/directory
$OGName = Get-Content temp-rename-file
Rename-Item -Path MONTHLY -NewName $OGName

When you add the script as a pre-post job in Veeam, small secret, you can add arguments for the script, so just do something like:

Pre-Job script: C:\Scripts\renamescript.ps1 -pre
Post-Job script: C:\Scripts\renamescript.ps1 -post

Give it a shot and see what you end up with.

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,

I just tested with PowerShell, without the Veeam job and pre / post.

I had to change the line by putting

Get-ChildItem | Sort-Object -Property LastWriteTime -Descending

because he always asked me for a path and above all he always took the oldest folder from me.

in the folder I also have a file that has the same date and time as the folder, because it's a LOG file, and I always got this file.
to the Get-ChildItem command I added "-Directory" and now it works.


I try the job with the File-to-Backup

thank's a lot for the moment

[david.domask]

Ah, thanks for corrections As you can see from timestamps, it was in the evening for me.

But yes, you get the idea. Try it and see if it works. Also for the params, you need to make it:

param(
[switch]$pre=$false,
[switch]$post=$false
)

That way by default it does nothing, and looks for the flag; the param will flip the bit to be active.

[GianlucaCroci]

the script work very well.

at the end of the POST, added the row that delete the temporary file

Remove-Item -Path temp-rename-file

Thank's a lot for the Help

[david.domask]

Really glad you got it solved and filled in the blanks! Happy to help

If you don't mind, share your script; it might help others Not a requirement, just would be nice.

[GianlucaCroci]

the script is

Code: Select all

param(
[switch]$pre=$false,
[switch]$post=$false
)

if($pre){

Set-Location -path "\\server\share\...\cluster_001"
$latest = Get-ChildItem -Directory | Sort-Object -Property LastWriteTime -Descending | Select -First 1
$latest.BaseName | Out-File -FilePath "D:\scripts\temp-rename-file.txt"
Rename-Item -Path $latest.FullName -NewName "MONTHLY"

}

#.....

if($post){

Set-Location -path "\\server\share\...\cluster_001"
$OGName = Get-Content "D:\scripts\temp1-rename-file.txt"
Rename-Item -Path MONTHLY -NewName $OGName

Remove-Item -Path "D:\scripts\temp-rename-file.txt"

}

On the "File-to-tape" job, "Options", "Advanced" button, "Advanced" form, "Job Scripts" part

Code: Select all

Powershell.exe -executionpolicy remotesigned -File D:\scripts\rename_filetotape.ps1 -PRE