Tape name and Media variables

[B.F.]

Been getting my feet wet with tape file backup on Veeam before we migrate off of BE.

Q1
Is there a list somewhere that shows all the available variables that can be used in the Media Set Name?

Q2
When one goes through the restore wizard by choosing the object(s) to restore, a pop up with the tapes needed for the restore comes up. Is there a way to have it include the tape name as well? "Tape with sequence number 1 from Media Set blah blah..." requires another step by having to go into the the media set and figure out what tape(s) they are referring to. If the name is included in the list, I can quickly grab that tape out of the vault and a way we go.

Thanks

[veremin]

Is there a list somewhere that shows all the available variables that can be used in the Media Set Name?

Check this list.

When one goes through the restore wizard by choosing the object(s) to restore, a pop up with the tapes needed for the restore comes up. Is there a way to have it include the tape name as well? "Tape with sequence number 1 from Media Set blah blah..." requires another step by having to go into the the media set and figure out what tape(s) they are referring to. If the name is included in the list, I can quickly grab that tape out of the vault and a way we go.

I haven't done tape restore in a while, but have a pretty strong impression that backup console is asking for a particular tape instead of giving obscure directions. Can you provide us with the screenshots of the exact step you're talking about?

Thanks.

[Dima P.]

B.F.,

To clarify, are you using tape device with barcode reader being enabled?

[B.F.]

I don't see how to embed a screen shot graphic without pointing the "Img" tag to url. I can just supply the text the window has.

After I select the data I would want to recover, then select the Backup Set (which version of the data), this is the type of info I get as to what tape to get.

"The following tapes will be needed in the restore process
Tape with sequence number 1 from Media set Media set # 3 9/9/2016 12:01 PM"

The tapes are all labeled by the Day of the week and a number. (ie, Monday 1, Tuesday 1, etc). Info above isn't all that helpful until I have to close this window and look through the Media Pool to match up the actual tape name with the sequence number and media set name.

The labels are not bar coded. However, when we do a cut over to our tape library (just using a single drive for my testing), it will have bar codes matching up with the tape name.

Looking over the variable list, not seeing a %TapeName% type of variable.

Thanks!

[veremin]

So, am I right in saying that neither tapes have barcodes assigned to them, nor does drive have a barcode reader? If so, the behaviour is expected, without barcodes there is no tape unique identifier our software can rely on. Thanks.

[B.F.]

In this test scenario yes, no barcodes.

If that's the case, why can't it tie the media set and sequence number together to the tape label in pop up window? That's what the operator would need to do in order to figure out which tape to grab.

Unless I'm doing this incorrectly, here are the steps I need to take for Veeam File Restore sans barcode:
1. Select Restore, Tape, Restore Files
2. Click "Add" to choose which server and files to restore from
3. Click "Next" to be presented with text on which tape that is needed (No tape name).
4. Make note of the text, and close the restore wizard since the operator is not able to go into anything else while in this state.
5. Go into Tape Infrastructure, Media Pools, Select the correct media pool (which isn't mentioned in the pop up window above so if there are several you have to click around), match up the Media Set and Sequence Number info to the Tape Name in the list.
6. Goto 1 knowing which tape it needs and finish the process.

Backup Exec file restore from Tape process sans barcode:
1. Select File, New, Restore Job
2. All in one window, select the date range, drill down through the server and file to restore.
3. Select the item(s) to restore.
4. After selection, the bottom section of the window populates and tells me which tape it will need.
5. Insert tape and then click "Run Now"

[Dima P.]

If that's the case, why can't it tie the media set and sequence number together to the tape label in pop up window? That's what the operator would need to do in order to figure out which tape to grab.

Make total sense to me, thanks! Will let tape team know that we need to display the given name if no barcodes.

[B.F.]

Thanks Dima!