Expired media vs. tape rotation

[Thernlund]

I'd like to know how Veeam treats expired tape data? Does it...

a) Begin overwriting expired tape media the moment the data on it expires?
b) Use Free media until it's gone, then overwrite the oldest expired data?

I want to protect tape data for a certain time, but I also would like it to live as long as possible even though it's expired. That is to say, I'd like free media used before overwriting expired media.

I'd also like to avoid a situation where the first few tapes in the library are continuously used and the rest are never touched. That is to say, I want to use *all* the tapes in a circular fashion regardless of whether some are expired or not.

So I'm wondering how the logistics of media expiration and tape rotation works exactly.

Thanks!


-T.

[veremin]

Expired tapes are given priority, so, they will be overwritten first.

I think you'll need to increase overwrite protection period to achieve your goal. This way, all tapes will be used and when time comes will be overwritten starting from the oldest expired one.

Thanks.

[Thernlund]

Hmm... that'd be a hard target to hit. It's difficult to know exactly how long it'll take to get to the final tape.

Maybe not a problem though, let me ask this... if I move all the empty tapes out of the Free pool and add them to the currently in-use media pool, how is that handled? Are empty tapes overwritten before expired tapes? If so, that would accomplish my goal I think (using all the tapes).

Making some assumptions based on your comment, I'm getting that expired tapes are overwritten from the very oldest, *not* the most recently expired, yes? As such, when all my tapes finally have data on them, they will *all* be used in a circular fashion. Ipso facto, my data will live beyond the expiration up to the point another tape is needed. Do I understand that correctly?

Thanks.


-T.

[veremin]

if I move all the empty tapes out of the Free pool and add them to the currently in-use media pool, how is that handled?

That won't change anything, because as long as the corresponding option in the settings Media Pool is checked, a Media Pool will take new tapes from Free pool automatically.

Are empty tapes overwritten before expired tapes?

Nope, as I've said, it's the opposite. Expired mediums get overwritten first, if there are none expired cassettes available in the pool, an empty one will be taken from a free pool

Making some assumptions based on your comment, I'm getting that expired tapes are overwritten from the very oldest, *not* the most recently expired, yes?

Yep, the oldest expired tape will be overwritten first.

Thanks.

[Thernlund]

Mm... Alright.

I've moved all the media from the Free pool to Media Pool 1, so there are no tapes in the Free pool to take. Media Pool 1 (the only pool) has them all. The first two in the sequence have data, the rest are blank.

I guess I'll muck with the protection date until they all have data on them, then set the protection how I want it.

Thanks.

[veremin]

Kindly, let us know whether you'll be able to achieve your goal. Thanks.