Using Tapes

[Nickowiz]

Hello everyone.
I have recently replaced CA ARCServe with Veeam as my backup architecture, having just upgraded Veeam to v7 R2
I have an HP Storageworks SDLT600 tape drive connected by SCSI to my physical dc / backup server hosting Veeam. The server is an HP Proliant running 2008R2
Veeam has identified the device and a remaining original media pool and also allows me to create media pools but cannot see any of the tapes I place in the drive.

I have looked through many KB's and searched for help but cannot find any documentation on how to erase or format or even on how Veeam recognize tapes in the drive.
The initial advice given by Veeam support was to check that the drivers are present and that the device can be seen in the device manager, which it can. (Case 00482113)

Has anyone else had this trouble when changing over to Veeam? Can anyone assist me please?

Many thanks, KR, Nick

[Dima P.]

Hello Nick,

The advice to check drivers installed on your server was correct. Please check, if is there a possibility that you drivers bunlde has nonexclusive drivers in it and install them instead. Take a look at this post for the details Thank you.

[veremin]

Additionally, are there any ARCServer remnants that might prevent VB&R from using corresponding library correctly? Thanks.

[Nickowiz]

Hello Nick,

The advice to check drivers installed on your server was correct. Please check, if is there a possibility that you drivers bunlde has nonexclusive drivers in it and install them instead. Take a look at this post for the details Thank you.

Thanks Dmitri, I'll check these over shortly

[Nickowiz]

Additionally, are there any ARCServer remnants that might prevent VB&R from using corresponding library correctly? Thanks.

I stopped all the ARCServe services and uninstalled the software followed by a reboot. I didn't carry out a complete registry clean however, but could do this later.

Thanks Vladimir

[Nickowiz]

Support Case 00482113

Hi guys
I have been unable to identify any nonexclusive drivers within the latest driver installation for the tape drive, Veeam has identified the tape in the drive now so I am able to attempt to inventorize the tape library. This however fails with the following messages:
"Processing started at 02 December 2013 09:14:02"
"Drive 1 (Tape0) locked successfully"
"Failed to inventorize tape in Drive 1(Tape0) Error: Client error: Invalid MTF media"
"Completed with errors at........................
How do I get passed this?

[Dima P.]

Nick,

"Invalid MTF media" error shows that tape media was recorded by other backup software and we can’t use it as the format of the tape media is different, if you want to use such media with Veeam B&R you should erase it first.

[Nickowiz]

Hi Dmitry
So are you saying that Veeam will not see any of the 100 odd tapes that I have at all, because they all have either backup data on them from ARCServe or that they have been erased ready by ARCServe?
Given that I have uninstalled ARCServe and that the licence has now expired, how do I proceed?
Many thanks

[Dima P.]

Nick,
Veeam B&R should recognize the tape inside the library and could erase it. The error/warning should notify you that the data from this tape could not be restored.

[Nickowiz]

Re Case # 00482113
Hi Dmitry
This is my problem Its not. There appears to be no way to identify tapes in the drive to erase them, I cannot see them to add them to any of the media pools and there doesn't appear to be a command or icon to add a tape library or add tapes to the tape library.
When I highlight the drive under the tape device, within the backup infrastructure the right hand pane declares the drive empty.
When I run the inventorize drive command from the icon it sees the drive and declares the tape 0 locked successfully but cannot complete it with the error as before - Invalid MTF media.
I am going around in circles here

[Dima P.]

Nick,
Thank you for the detailed explanation! I already asked our QA to take a look at your case - so stay tuned.

[Nickowiz]

Re Case # 00482113
Hi Dmitry
Many thanks, I have received a response from Gleb, we are at last going to have a webex session tomorrow to resolve this.
I'll let you know how it goes
KR, Nick

[Nickowiz]

Hi Guys
Well it turns out that I cannot use my supply of HP SDLT II tapes because Veeam does not support them! I have to replace all of them with something like Ultrium LTO tapes, and also replace my tape drive. I am not at all happy and my FD is going to by delirious!
I wish I had know about this before I opted to move to Veeam!
disappointed - Nick

[Dima P.]

Nick,

It is true; Only LTO tapes are supported, I am really sorry for any inconvenience caused.

[Nickowiz]

Its also a shame my initial post, which included the reference to my current tape drive - HP Storageworks SDLT600 tape drive - wasn't picked up, it would have saved needless time on this post and a 90 minute support call to discover the HP SDLT II 600 is not supported by Veeam
KR Nick