Tape Auto-Loader Question

[niallrbroome]

Moning all,

I am getting more confused each time I have to review tapes for a customer using an HP Auto-loader.

Hardware:
HP 1x8 G2 AUTOLDR 4.50

Media Pool Settings:
GFS Media Pool
Add Tapes from free media pool automatically when more tapes are required (this box is ticked)
Weekly media overwrite protection period = 8 weeks
Monthly media set overwrite protection period = 12 months

Scenario:
We have a tape job which is set to run once a week on a Sunday night. We have an 8-week tape cycle and a 12-month tape cycle. I manage the tapes and make sure that tapes which are to 'expire' that week are in the drive so that they are used in that weeks backup. Here is where I am getting confused.

Last night my tape job should have used CSU06L6 as it was set to expire on yesterday's date. Last week I made sure that said tape was added to the tape drive ready for use. When I came in this morning I have found that the job used a completely different tape to that which was set to expire. This has meant that CSU06L6 is now marked as 'Expired' and unless i move it to the 'Free' media pool it will not get used again.

I may be completely wrong on how this system is supposed to work, but i had assumed that when a tape was about to 'Expire' it meant that the tape was needed in the drive for that expire date so that it can then be used again. Or does this 'Expires in' date simply mean that the tape cannot be re-written to in that 8 week period, after which the tape switched to 'Expired' so that it can then be used again?

I need to get a grip on how this system is working

any help / clarification would be much appreciated

Thanks

[lyapkost]

Hi, Niall

this 'Expires in' date simply mean that the tape cannot be re-written to in that 8 week period, after which the tape switched to 'Expired' so that it can then be used again?

That is correct. 'Expired' here means that data located on the tape is not needed after the specified date and can be overwritten. There's no need to place expired tapes to the 'Free' mediapool unless you want to allow them to be taken to another mediapool by another tape job.