Backup to Dell's PowerVault TL2000

[veremin]

Will veeam see that some active fulls are missing an re-write them.

Yep, this is the way product works. However, according to the plan, this implementation is going to be improved in the next release.

Thanks.

[paps40]

Dell TL2000 & Veeam Tape Job Compression Issues Update

I would like to post an update about my previous post on compression not working. Veeam level 2 support helped me with this issue. This issue has now been resolved. It turns out that compression was working all along. It's just that veeam was not reporting it correctly. When you view compression under Backups < Tape < R-Click on Job Name < Look at compression. These are the compression stats of the veeam backup job not the backup to tape stats as one would assume.

In order to verify compression I had to look at what was stored on the tape and cross reference that with the size of the backups in the repository. I was able to fit 3 active fulls totaling 6.18 TB on 1 tape. I hope the tape reporting gets better in the next release.

[veremin]

As Tom has pointed out, false compression report coming from Veeam side is something expected, since, in this case, it's tape drive/library that is doing compression.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback; much appreciated.

[dgapinski]

Hey Lewis, now that Veeam does support direct access to tape, I was wondering if you have it talking to your tape loader directly & working well. I am looking at this possible configuration myself.

[veremin]

Hi Dan,

I've merged your post to the different discussion regarding VB&R tape functionality and Dell TL2000 device.

In general, the said device should work fine in conjunction with VB&R, as long as, non-exclusive drivers are installed. For more detailed information, kindly, see answers provided above.

Thanks.

[dgapinski]

Thanks for that - looks like a very worthy project if you don't have the coin for a super-awesome new tape loader with iSCSI built in. I will post if I can verify that the config works.

[veremin]

Yes, the lack of ISCSI functionality can be currently bypassed by using certain tape redirecting utilities. As to the future, we're planning to support libraries and standalone drives connected to VB&R proxy servers in one of the next releases.

Thanks.

[ysrinath24]

The tape drive itself is installed and recognized by Veeam, but it is not showing anything in Media or Media Pools .i am using veeam backup version 8.0 trail .after i installed nonexclusive.exe also it is not showing anything what to do please help any one .i am using first time veeam backup
C:\Dell\Drivers\7NH5M\7NH5M\Windows2008x64_R2 (I had already obtained the driver that Dmitry references above)
ran install_nonexclusive.exe

[ysrinath24]

The tape drive itself is installed and recognized by Veeam, but it is not showing anything in Media or Media Pools - I can't even add a Media Pool.

now i am facing same problem how you overcome this problem .even though i installed nonexclusive.exe .i am not able to see media and media pools please help me ?

[Dima P.]

ysrinath24,

Can you see the library with the drives in the UI? Did you perform a library inventory?

[ysrinath24]

yes Dima P. i am seeing tape library with 1 drive in the ui and also i am able to inventory the library but while inventorying i am seeing messages like below in a small window.

1.processing started with date and time.
2.Drive1(drive id :Tape 0)locked successfully.
3.Drive1(drive id :Tape 0)is empty.
4.completed successfully with date and time.

i am able to inventory the library and i am able to add media pools but the problem is it's not showing anything ion media and media pool.i have images to send but how i want send here?

in tape infrastructure
+ Libraries IBMULT3580-TD4(tape 0)
+drives Drive1(Drive ID: Tape0) model:IBMUlT3580-TD4 state :Empty

when i click on drive1 properties the below properties are showing like this

Model :IBMULT3580-TD4
server :CEAD-DC(system name)

[Dima P.]

Libraries IBMULT3580-TD4(tape 0) Drive1(Drive ID: Tape0)model :IBMUlT3580-TD4

It seems that the changer driver was not properly installed. Go to Windows Device Manager > Medium Changer Driver and remove the default Unknown Medium Changer. Install the vendor driver instead (I bet the reference should be somewhere in this thread)

P.S. Unknown Medium Changer support (or failover to SCSI commands) will be available in the v9 version out of the box, meanwhile, please install the proper drivers.

[ysrinath24]

in my device manager it is just showing 1 tape driver alone (IBM ULTRIUM -TD4 sequencial device ) not showing any medium changer devices.to detetct medium changer driver what to do ? we are backing up data with fiber channel.

[Dima P.]

It should be as simple as:

1. Connect your Library to the server
2. Scan for hardware changes in the device manager
3. Install the proper drivers

If that does not work – check the library manual for detailed instructions.

[ysrinath24]

Thank you very much Dima P. its working now i changed sequence to random .

[ysrinath24]

i am using file to tape backup options .after backup the data (files)from different servers to tape slot , if i want erase or remove some particular data from tape slot means how i want do ? is there any option to do that are i want erase full tape to erase small data also

[Dima P.]

Hi ysrinath24,

if i want erase or remove some particular data from tape slot means how i want do ?

It’s impossible to remove the particular data – all tape media should be marked as free or erased instead.

[ysrinath24]

ok thank you

[redhorse]

Does anyone have experience with A13 driver for TL2000? There are two options for nonexlusive:

install_nonexclusive_dpf.exe
install_nonexclusive_no_dpf.exe

Both can't be installed so I will contact Dell Support, but perhaps someone uses the A13 driver with Veeam?

[Dima P.]

Are you sure, you need the Data Path Failover driver (_dpf on the end). Regular install_nonexclusive.exe file is a part of the 7NH5M_ZPE.exe driver file once you extract it

P.S. Is A13 a driver revision?

[redhorse]

Are you sure, you need the Data Path Failover driver (_dpf on the end). Regular install_nonexclusive.exe file is a part of the 7NH5M_ZPE.exe driver file once you extract it

P.S. Is A13 a driver revision?

I see that the 7NH5M_ZPE.exe driver seems to be the right one, so thanks a lot.
A13 (6GCC2) is a driver revision and I asked Dell support and got the information that I have to do a firmware update first before using this driver. Unfortunately the backup of our Veeam files with Backup Exec will start now so I will try it tomorrow once again. I just want to verify that my library is working with Veeam before I stop using Backup Exec (what I am really waiting for ).

[Dima P.]

Good! A couple of manual test backups and restores is always a must before leaving it in automated mode for any solution.

Funny thing: I do see the latest is A14 but I won’t ever use it if the support team has referred to the previous version

[redhorse]

I can verify that everything works fine with the 7NH5M-driver. I tested some backups and restore of VMs and files and it works. Just telling a software to backup something to tape and it does what you want is a strange feeling when you are customer of Backup Exec for many years.

[Dima P.]

Just telling a software to backup something to tape and it does what you want is a strange feeling when you are customer of Backup Exec for many years.

Music to my ears - thanks for the heads up