Backup to tape strategy: Help me

[nickl99]

We have a 2 site structure with disk repos at both sites. I want to get this right, using the least amount of jobs that are linked for copy jobs and end in weekly tape jobs, and monthly jobs. The weekly jobs have a 6 week retention, but the monthly never expire.

The problem i am getting is how to do the weekly tape job, and monthly tape job linked to the one original backup job, but only inlcluding the last synth full (.vbk) in its job. Can i do this?

Per backup job (ie. Exchange, File, SQL)
- 3-2-1 rule applies
- 2RPO Snapshotted incrementals
-Weekly synthetic fulls, daily incrementals at primary site
-Daily increments, monthly fulls at 2nd site (backup copy)
-Weekly fulls to tape, 4 week retention
- Monthly fulls to tape, no expiry. Held offsite indefintely

Does the above strategy seem to make sense\efficient? Is it aligned with best practices?

I inherited this system and for some reason there were no monthly tape jobs. Just weekly. Each of these weeklies target a seperate media set. ie. Exchange job targets Exchange tape set. Considering we are using LT06 and could fit nearly all our jobs on one tape, id like to change the tape sets to just 'weekly tape' for all these jobs, and possibly use 1/4 the amount of tapes. Is this something that can be done? Will the monthly tape jobs just be a mirror of the weekly, but targeting different media set, with different retention?

Thanks in advance.

[veremin]

Does the above strategy seem to make sense\efficient? Is it aligned with best practices?

The strategy looks valid and seems to be inline with the general recommendations.

I inherited this system and for some reason there were no monthly tape jobs. Just weekly. Each of these weeklies target a seperate media set. ie. Exchange job targets Exchange tape set. Considering we are using LT06 and could fit nearly all our jobs on one tape, id like to change the tape sets to just 'weekly tape' for all these jobs, and possibly use 1/4 the amount of tapes. Is this something that can be done? Will the monthly tape jobs just be a mirror of the weekly, but targeting different media set, with different retention?

You can achieve your goal, using only one GFS job. Take a look at this section and see whether it's something you're after.

Thanks.

[nickl99]

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking of keeping my media sets down and GFS is not quite what i had in mind. We arent going to bother with yearly archives, just monthly.

With respect to my other follow up: Is it acceptable to target all jobs to write to the same media set? Right now we have 4+ jobs and 4+ media sets, which means minimum 4 tapes each week. We could easily fit all those jobs onto one tape, so is there anything stopping us?

[veremin]

Is it acceptable to target all jobs to write to the same media set?

Sure, create one backup to tape job and select all backup jobs as its source.

We could easily fit all those jobs onto one tape, so is there anything stopping us?

Nope.

I was thinking of keeping my media sets down and GFS is not quite what i had in mind. We arent going to bother with yearly archives, just monthly.

I still believe that GFS might be a better choice due to ease of orchestration. One job pointed to one media pool sounds more convenient than two jobs pointed to two media pools. And if you don't want to bother with yearly or quarterly points, simply disable them by setting zero value.

Anyway, it's up to you to chose whatever strategy you want to.

Thanks.

[nickl99]

Thanks again.

Seems like my understanding of the GFS model is amiss. Can you explain to me how it handles monthly\yearly whilst having the one media set?

I read the links available, which only explains the basic principles of grandfather-father-son model, but not quite sure how Veeam applies this and how its set up correctly in veeam. Thanks

[nickl99]

OK, i have read up further on GFS, and willing to move all my jobs over to it. So does this mean one media set for all? One tape job for all backup source jobs? Will this produce twice as many tapes every month as a weekly?

thanks

[veremin]

So does this mean one media set for all?

Actually, it does not. Instead, it leverages four pre-defined mediasets (one per GFS point type).

One tape job for all backup source jobs?

Correct.

Will this produce twice as many tapes every month as a weekly?

Not sure whether I totally got that. If it happens that on the same day both weekly and monthly restore points should be created, the preference would be given to monthly one.

Thanks.

[nickl99]

Actually, it does not. Instead, it leverages four pre-defined mediasets (one per GFS point type)

I want to get away from having media sets being returned (expired) and entering back into rotation, but not being available to job thats arent specifically set up to write to that media set. Will using GFS get me out of this? eg. Right now i have 5 sql tapes that are expired, but i have run out of exchange tapes after that job ran over, so I am left with the Exchange tape job saying "Waiting for tape".

It seems like having one tape pool "GFS" will fix the above situation. All the returned tapes belong to the same media pool (but possibly different media dated sets?).

Further question before I go ahead and move all our tapes to the "GFS Tape Pool". Is there any risk moving existing tapes that are returned from their cataloged media set, into the new pool? I cant think of any risk, if they are marked as expired, then they are free and available?

One last question, which has made me think is now possible if we choose to the new GFS model: Our tape pick up company offers a direct pick up service as long as you email them weekly (or monthly if we prefer to do that) the tapes used, barcodes, retention etc. What is the best way to do this in a customised fashion in Veeam? Rather than the usual multi email notifications that fill up my alerts inbox? Is there a Veeam ONE report that i could schedule? Or is there best practice I should follow?

Thanks!

[veremin]

I want to get away from having media sets being returned (expired) and entering back into rotation, but not being available to job thats arent specifically set up to write to that media set. Will using GFS get me out of this?

Yep, it should, as in case of GFS all tapes will belong to the same media pool and be written by the same job.

It seems like having one tape pool "GFS" will fix the above situation. All the returned tapes belong to the same media pool (but possibly different media dated sets?).

Correct.

Is there any risk moving existing tapes that are returned from their cataloged media set, into the new pool? I cant think of any risk, if they are marked as expired, then they are free and available?

Cannot think of any risk either.

One last question, which has made me think is now possible if we choose to the new GFS model: Our tape pick up company offers a direct pick up service as long as you email them weekly (or monthly if we prefer to do that) the tapes used, barcodes, retention etc. What is the best way to do this in a customised fashion in Veeam? Rather than the usual multi email notifications that fill up my alerts inbox? Is there a Veeam ONE report that i could schedule? Or is there best practice I should follow?

Not sure whether I totally got the request. You want to email to certain address the information regarding GFS tape job session, such as, type, tapes used, etc.?

Thanks.

[nickl99]

Not sure whether I totally got the request. You want to email to certain address the information regarding GFS tape job session, such as, type, tapes used, etc.?

All good looks like ive figured the last part out.

So I have created a ONE new tape job and selected all the local copy jobs to target the GFS media pool. Now there are 2 'File to Tape' jobs left over that are still pointing at seperate media pools. How come I cant also target the GFS Media Pool for these tape jobs? (The GFS media pool does not appear in the drop down as a target for these jobs).

[veremin]

How come I cant also target the GFS Media Pool for these tape jobs?

That's by design. Tape GFS feature is built on top of virtual full backup technology that works only backup to tape jobs. Thanks.

[nickl99]

So I have had my first full backup of all VM snaps to GFS Media.

Why has the first tape in the media sets been marked to "Never Expire"?

[veremin]

What media set and retention settings are specified for media pool that has been used by a tape job? Thanks.

[nickl99]

The retention is set up when you create a GFS media set, correct? And in this case I set 4 weekly, 12 months, and 5 years.

1. The first run seems to have created weeklies only, so they should only have a 4 week retention. However one of the tapes has expiry "Never". What else can affect the retention?

Question. ON the Tape job, what is the 'export' feature all about? The job ran successfully, but failed to export tape "cannot detect I/E ports'? Should i just turn export feature off?

Last question: I have 3 tape jobs now, but i want ONE report summarising the tapes used and their retention date, so that I can email our Tape recall company who we are planning to pick up our tapes right form the tape console. Right now I have just alerts from each job, which only list tapes used with a whole bunch of stuff they shouldnt know. please advise the best way to do this following our last tape job.

[veremin]

1. The first run seems to have created weeklies only, so they should only have a 4 week retention. However one of the tapes has expiry "Never". What else can affect the retention?

There are several factors. Someone might have manually protected the said tape (right-click -> protect). Tapes might have been exported to a vault either manually or automatically and vault has a protection option enabled.

Question. ON the Tape job, what is the 'export' feature all about? The job ran successfully, but failed to export tape "cannot detect I/E ports'? Should i just turn export feature off?

It allows you to place written tape to I/E slot. Are you positive your device supports that and has the corresponding port?

Last question: I have 3 tape jobs now, but i want ONE report summarising the tapes used and their retention date, so that I can email our Tape recall company who we are planning to pick up our tapes right form the tape console.

Chances are, one of the predefined reports that Veeam ONE has should meet your expectations. I'd start with this one.

Thanks.

[nickl99]

Thanks for your replies. you are very helpful.

[veremin]

You're welcome. So, what about your issues with export and expiration period being set to "Never"? Did my answers help you to resolve them? Thanks.