Veeam doesn't use existing media set

[futureweb]

Hi,

I have a media Set for Archiving, that has the setting:
Do not create, always continue using current media set

So far, I just inserted the last tape that had free space, and did a backup, which added files.

In this set, the last Media Set started 2 years back, and it insists in using a new tape.
Is there any way to tell Veeam, that I want to continue the old Media Set.

Basically it should do that anyway, as the setting sais, use current media set.
So I believe there might be a max age until it still forces it.

It should only create a new media set, if now tape is available (offline) from the last media set.

Thanks
Patrick

[Ioannis.T]

Hi futureweb,

Make sure the below are selected

1. Under "Tapes" : Add tapes from free media pool automatically when more tapes are required
-This will add your new tape on an existing media pool if needed

I think you already mentioned this one
2. Under "Media set" : Do not create, always continue using current media set
- This will use the same media set and will not create a new one

The above 2 options work fine with my jobs
I could not find an option for appending so I assume this is infinite?

To the Veeam team:
An append period as an option would be nice

[lyapkost]

Hi Patrick.

Is there any way to tell Veeam, that I want to continue the old Media Set.

If the old media set was closed (I assume so since it was started 2 years ago) one can not append new files/backups to its tapes.

[futureweb]

But when or why was it closed? So far I always could continue using the current one, for archiving purpose that never expire that's important, that tapes are not wasted.

The 2 Settings Ioannis mentioned are set. I don't want it ever to be closed in this case. The only reason it should be closed is, if the job runs with new tapes (and the last SET is not inserted).

So did I do something wrong, was the behaviour changed?

Thanks
Patrick

[futureweb]

Hi futureweb,

Make sure the below are selected

1. Under "Tapes" : Add tapes from free media pool automatically when more tapes are required
-This will add your new tape on an existing media pool if needed

I think you already mentioned this one
2. Under "Media set" : Do not create, always continue using current media set
- This will use the same media set and will not create a new one

The above 2 options work fine with my jobs
I could not find an option for appending so I assume this is infinite?

To the Veeam team:
An append period as an option would be nice

yes, I also thought it's infinite. So far I just inserted the last tape of the media set, that wasn't full, and it continued. I have 9.5 with Update 2 installed, no Update 3 yet.
The only thing I could say is, that the media set was created 2 years back in time. So not sure what caused it to close. When I take if off, it goes into a vault.

I could only check with another archive job I have, if the same thing happens here if it's confirmed, it should be infinite.

Thanks
Patrick

[veremin]

Quote from User Guide:

If the media pool is scheduled to export tapes. Exporting closes the current media set and starts a new one on the next job run.

[futureweb]

We didn't set the option to "export tapes". Thus it should not be closed.
The settings I mean is under the backup Job -> Options.

At Media Pool there we have the setting always continue, so it shouldn't close it either?
How do tell if it's closed or not?

So I could check my other archives.


Thanks
Patrick

[veremin]

We didn't set the option to "export tapes".

Even though you didn't select that option, you did export the tapes, unless I read this sentence wrong:

When I take if off, it goes into a vault.

[futureweb]

It is correct, if we take it out the library, as you do with archive tapes, we move it into a vault, so that we know, where the tape resides.
But I am pretty sure we have done it always this way and didn't have this issue.

So what is the correct way to use Veeam to archive Data from a directory, without wasting space, or can't it be used it this way at all?

What we do is:
We have like:
t:\folder_with_files\

There is the data that should be archived, we have a file to tape job, then it's deleted.
We add files, archive it again, and delete them. The Job will recognize, those are new files and will backup those.

We do it with 2 different Jobs, so we have 2 copies of it, which are all stored at different locations.

But all should go on the same tapeset, but of course, we will take out the tape from the library, if no archiving is done.
If it's closed, and just 200 GB are used, 1 TB are wasted.

The reason I am so sure is, that we have tested that years back, including taking out tapes, and found Veeam to be able to use it also for archiving to tape.

Thanks
Patrick

[lyapkost]

Patrick, you need to create two media pools, one file to tape job per media pool, and no other jobs pointed there. Do not enable export in jobs' settings and do not export tapes with 'export tape' command from Veeam B&R, remove tapes from library manually and do not delete offline tapes from catalog. Before starting the tape job again make sure the required tape you want to append files to is inserted into the library, unprotected and is shown online, otherwise a new media set will be started.

[futureweb]

can I place it into a vault?
What happens if I "protect" it, but unprotect once inserting it again?

As we did the other things this way, I believe, either the vault or the protect was the reason it closed it.

[lyapkost]

If the vault is specified in media pool's settings, offline non-empty tapes are placed there automatically. Correct, you may protect the tape and unprotect it before starting a tape job. In short, the last tape from the opened media set should be accessible for writing when the job starts otherwise a new media set will be opened.

[futureweb]

Hi,
I do understand, I am just trying to figure out, what I have done wrong, that it's not using the old tape anymore to avoid it in future.
As all mentioned here was done.

If a vault is specified, is this the reason it closed it?

Thanks
Patrick