flat file tape backup

[richardw]

Hi there,

I am looking to run disk backups to tape, all I want to do is run a flat file backup to tape, just take these files and put them on tape. I have tried running various tape backups from within Veeam but on some backup jobs, when restoring the files it prompts for tapes codes which were not part of the backup, very confusing and frustrating and I am not sure what's going on. We used to run disk to tape using Arcserve which worked as it just takes the file and puts it to tape with out interrogating the Veeam database, this type of backup needs to be included to the Veeam console as a first point of call. As we are no longer using Arcserve we are having to use Veeam to complete this process so I need to this to work as a simple process.

Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

[foggy]

Richard, just to clarify, you're writing files to tape, not VM backups, using the File to Tape job, right? What are the job settings?

[richardw]

Hi there,

Thanks for your response, yes I have tried files to tape, it completes the job which is fine but when making the restore it then prompts for multiple tapes which were not part of the backup.

I have picked the default options when running through the backup wizard.

Richard.

[richardw]

Hi,

I ran through the restore wizard today to re-test all is OK again as disk backups have completed since the last disk to tape job run, when the full backups were pushed to tape there were some older tapes which went unused in the library at the time of the full backups. When I run through the restore wizard it prompts me for the two tapes plus some of the tapes which went unused from a previous backup which was taken a few months ago, I can't understand why it's prompting me for tapes which were never used as part of this full backup.

Any ideas?

[Dima P.]

Hello Richard,

When I run through the restore wizard it prompts me for the two tapes plus some of the tapes which went unused from a previous backup which was taken a few months ago, I can't understand why it's prompting me for tapes which were never used as part of this full backup.

Backup files might be located on different media (i.e. backup can be split across two or more tapes). Additionally, if you are restoring an incremental backup you need to restore all the backup chain in advance.

[richardw]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post, all I would be looking to do is restore a complete set of files from that point in time so I want to be using those two tapes only, same thing has happened over the weekend, I have run another full backup and it's now asking for tapes I used previously, surely a full backup is a full backup, why is it asking for tapes I used last week!

Is there anyway we can take a full backup which includes the incremental files and not require any further tapes apart from the tape we have used to do the backup?

Richard

[Dima P.]

Hey Richard,

Can you check what was the media set creation option set on the target media pool? (I assume it’s always continue current media set) Thanks.

[richardw]

Hi there,

It set to 'daily at this time on these days'.

So should I be using the 'create new media session every backup'?

[veremin]

It set to 'daily at this time on these days'.

This means that in order to restore the data from a particular mediaset you'll need to insert all mediums it consists of. Thus, the described behaviour. Thanks.

[richardw]

Thanks for your post.

How does 'daily at this time on these days' become described behaviour? It's not very clear or obvious as to how 'daily at this time on these days' will behave.

I will use new media in every backup from now on as it seems to give the results we are looking for.

Thanks.

[veremin]

How does 'daily at this time on these days' become described behaviour? It's not very clear or obvious as to how 'daily at this time on these days' will behave.

Based on the specified settings you media set is created once a week (Am I right in assuming that there is just one day specified under "on these days"?). If you tape job runs more frequently, say, on daily basis, and each cycle occupies one or more mediums, your weekly mediaset will consist of several tapes. When restoration time comes, you'll be asked to inject tapes mediaset consists of.

I will use new media in every backup from now on as it seems to give the results we are looking for.

Yep, it should give you what you're after.

Thanks.

[richardw]

Hi there,

I have given it a try but I am still experiencing the same symptoms, really frustrating!

So I have created a new media pool with 'create new media set every backup session' and associated it to the 'NEW' 'files to tape' backup job, run an active full backup on the required folders, when running through the restore wizard it then prompts me for tapes which are not even in the library or part of the backup, no tapes have been removed/added - can you advise?

[richardw]

Hi there,

Looks like it could do with the files on disk, I thought this was the case before sorting out the media pool option but as I am still experiencing the same issue then perhaps it's not the media pool option after all.

It would appear that the disk backup which don't prompt for past tapes are jobs which have been cloned and re-run plus old jobs left over from being cloned, all the jobs which have been untouched all require further tapes from past backups even though we are running a new media pool, new files to tape job plus an active full backup.

I suspect I will have to re-clone all the other jobs before this will work.

[Dima P.]

Hello Richard,
I am sorry to hear that. Let’s check you existing configuration first, just to be on the same page.

You are using file tape backup job with some folders are selected as a source, right? You’ve configured a brand new media pool, manually added some free (or marked as free) tapes and set media set to be created per backup session, correct? How many file to tape jobs you have pointed to this new media pool?

when running through the restore wizard it then prompts me for tapes which are not even in the library or part of the backup, no tapes have been removed/added - can you advise?

Are you using only full backup or incremental backup is enabled in file to tape job properties as well?

[richardw]

Hi there,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

You replied

'You are using file tape backup job with some folders are selected as a source, right? You’ve configured a brand new media pool, manually added some free (or marked as free) tapes and set media set to be created per backup session, correct? How many file to tape jobs you have pointed to this new media pool?'

The above is correct, full backup box ticked only, full backup to run over the weekend.

The amount of folders varies so it can be only one or several folders at a time. The scheduled weekend job has all backup repositories folders included.

[richardw]

As there hasn't been any response from anyone recently, should I be now raising a case via Veeam support?

[Dima P.]

Sorry for delay in response. Yes, kindly, open a support case and let support team check the exising configuration and the application logs. Don’t forget to post the case ID to this thread. Thanks!

[richardw]

no, problems, here's the case number Case # 01077854.