Searching tapes

[dmwynne]

I understand the Baxckup Enterprise Manager allows searching of backups and if the backup is not found on disk it will show search results from tapes that have been previous cataloged. Is there any way to trick Veeam into thinking the files are no longer available on disk? Perhaps by moving the disk files temporarily or the catalog? I have tried moving the disk backup files out of my repository but that did not work. I then tried moving index files from the VBRCatalog\index\machines\"machine name" and that did result in me not being able to find anything on disk but nothing returned from the tape backups either and I know the disk backups were sent to tape.

[Mike Resseler]

Hi,

I am not sure if I understand your question. Let me try. You are searching for a file that is on your backups to disk and should be on tape also. Is that correct?
In that case Enterprise Manager (I assume your are licensed enterprise or enterprise plus?) will only show the results on disk. If the file is not on disk anymore, then the results (if any) from tapes should be visible.

To be honest, I am not sure what you have tried to perform by moving backup files away etc. and I am a bit scared that you might have broken something

More importantly for me. If the file is still on disk, is there any specific reason why you want the results on tape in there at the same time? Your feedback would be appreciated

Thanks
Mike

[veremin]

You mean you want to make EM search backups directly on tape, bypassing local copy? Thanks.

[dmwynne]

v.Eremin -

You mean you want to make EM search backups directly on tape, bypassing local copy? Thanks.

Yes, this is correct

Mike Resseler -

To be honest, I am not sure what you have tried to perform by moving backup files away etc. and I am a bit scared that you might have broken something

No worries here, nothing is broken. I just moved the backup to disk files out of the backup folder and then ran a search using EM hoping that since the file were no longer on disk that the results would show me what was on tape.

More importantly for me. If the file is still on disk, is there any specific reason why you want the results on tape in there at the same time? Your feedback would be appreciated

This is a specific requirement from an auditor that I need to prove a certain file was backed up to tape.

[vhughes]

I am working with Dmwynne. The US CFR 21 regulation requires that you verify that the your backup media contains what you are backing up. We normally verify a sample of files each day to verify that they are on the tape. It seems the only way to do this in VEEAM is to restore the entire VM which seems like a huge waste of time to just verify a particular file is on a tape.

[Mike Resseler]

Vincent, Dmwynne.

Just to make sure we are all on the same page: Because of US CFR 21 regulation (and also because it is just convenient), Enterprise Manager should be able to:

* Search for files and show the versions on disk
* Have an option to include the versions of tape
* Have an option to show what is on tape X (or backup X)

Correct?

[veremin]

We are not aware of any ways to make EM forget local copy (in case it exists) and search for secondary one. It's been designed with different use case in mind - restore from local copy whenever it's possible to guarantee the fastest restore time you can. So, this might not necessarily answer your requirements. Thanks.

[vhughes]

Vincent, Dmwynne.

Just to make sure we are all on the same page: Because of US CFR 21 regulation (and also because it is just convenient), Enterprise Manager should be able to:

* Search for files and show the versions on disk
* Have an option to include the versions of tape
* Have an option to show what is on tape X (or backup X)

Correct?

Yes, this would be great.

[vhughes]

We are not aware of any ways to make EM forget local copy (in case it exists) and search for secondary one. It's been designed with different use case in mind - restore from local copy whenever it's possible to guarantee the fastest restore time you can. So, this might not necessarily answer your requirements. Thanks.

Thanks for the update on the potential workaround

The problem is that if a file is deleted or changed and the user/auditor needs it, you may need to go back beyond the restore points you keep on the disk vault to get the file (before it was deleted) or an older version of the file (before it was changed).

If you have not verified on the day that the file was written to tape, that it was written to tape, then the file you need may not be on the tape when you need it and you are in not going to be able to meet the user/auditor need.

So no, this does meet the regulatory requirement

-Vincent

[veremin]

Thanks for the update on the potential workaround

Sorry, I must have missed a word "not" in my original response, causing a slight misunderstanding. The point wasn't to provide a potential workaround, but rather to illustrate the use case around which this functionality has been built.

The problem is that if a file is deleted or changed and the user/auditor needs it, you may need to go back beyond the restore points you keep on the disk vault to get the file (before it was deleted) or an older version of the file (before it was changed).

Hmm, the old file version present on tapes should be definitely shown in EM UI. The only situation when a tape copy gets dismissed is when a restore point that has been copied to tape and that contain recent file state is still present on disk.

[vhughes]

Agreed about the old file version being on the EM UI after the Disk Vault copy is not longer available. My concern is by the time that it only shows the copy on tape, it is too late to find out that it is not on the tape.

-Vincent

[veremin]

Got it. Unfortunately, as I've stated above, the functionality has been built with a different use case in mind, so, hardly can it be of any help for you as of now.

However, do not you happen to Veeam ONE, along with others there is one report called Tape Backups that you may find useful.

Thanks.

[CBCut]

Hi managers/devs,

I have a requirement to be able to search tape backups for a guest file and determine which tape(s) the file resides on. I understand from the Veeam docs and a case raised with support (ID# 02094164) that this is not possible because if the file exists on disk backups then Veeam will only return search results found on disk and won't search on the tapes. I would like to raise this as an RFE and have been advised by support that this is the bet way to do so.

Note I am a reseller and this requirement has come from a customer. I also found a recent similar request from someone else (tape-f29/searching-tapes-t41396.html) so it looks like we're not the only ones that need this functionality.

Thanks,
Chris