Tape backups not using entire tape

[redpants]

We've got several tape backup jobs running to backup our Veeam backups that reside in our backup repository. The jobs appear to be functioning correctly, but I would like the jobs to fill up a tape before moving on to another tape.

For example, right this is how our weekly backups are working:

All tapes are in the same Weekly Pool.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 1 takes up tape 1,2, and part of 3 leaving free space on tape 3.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 2 starts up and skips the free space on tape 3 and and instead is put on tapes 4, 5, and 6, leaving free space on tapes 3 and 6.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 3 starts up and skips the free space on tapes 3 and 6 and is put on tapes 7, 8, etc. etc.

Note that these are three different tape backup jobs and all three of these jobs are backing up different Veeam jobs, when I say Job 1, 2, and 3 I'm not talking about the same job running repeating one week after another.

What I would like to happen is:

All tapes are in the same Weekly Pool.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 1 takes up tape 1,2, and part of 3 leaving free space on tape 3.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 2 starts up and starts with the free space on tape 3 and finishes up on tapes 4 and 5 and possibly 6.
Veeam Weekly Backup Job 3 starts up with the free space on tape 5 or 6, etc etc.



Is this possible with different jobs dumping to the same tapes? If not, is this possible with the same job? I.e, Job 1 runs one week, then a week later when it repeats it starts on the tape where it left off?

Is there an option to erase the tapes and start over after a certain number of weeks?


Thanks for all your help!

[Shestakov]

Hello and welcome to the community.

Please check what media set creation option is chosen in the Media pool settings. Looks like you need to switch to the first one.

You can also set a protection period(retention) on tapes if you don`t want them to be rewritten. Otherwise, they will be used for new backups by turns.
By the way, do you use simple or GFS media pools?
Thanks!

[redpants]

Wonderful, that's exactly what I needed. I remember setting that but was thinking it was under the jobs, not the media pools.

Honestly I'm not sure if I'm using simple or GFS. How do I check?

[Shestakov]

They have different icons + GFS always consists of 4 media sets calle weekly/monthly/etc. If you are not sure, it`s probably a simple media pool, not GFS.

[redpants]

Then yes, looks like a simple media pool.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Shestakov]

You are welcome.
Once you have a question, don`t hesitate asking!