Backup Exec media usage - new tape rather than appending

[OSSMAPhil]

Hi,

why does backup exec use a new tape from library rather than append to a previously used tape?

We have different backups for each server. There are 4 drives in the library.

Backups use to use 4 tapes and each new backup started/appended to a previously used tape, however each backup seems to be starting a new tape. I have checked the tapes and they are not full so there is space to append. Last month was 9 tapes!

[_techie_]

I have just changed jobs and have inherited BE2012 with an 8 slot auto loader (LTO5). I have one large media set with 25 tapes. I seem to be having similar issues to yourself. I have been told that you really need to have a specific tape rotation setup, with one set of tapes for full backup over the weekend, that gets done every weekend with a new set. You can then do incrementals to disk in the week if needs must, or have incrementals to a single tape every day if it will fit :-)

 

I have had the awful free VMware VDR to get rid of, a really hateful piece of software. If your virtualised, get VEEAM, backup to disc. VEEAM v7 also supports tape which is something I am looking at implementing once a week with a forward incremental back with synthetic full on a Saturday which then goes to tape and off site on a Monday morning. (I think I migrate use our prep school building which is standalone yet still onsite an away from the two server rooms).

 

It's not just you though, it's probably something to do with your media set, the overwrite protection and write method (append/overwrite).

 

Hope this helps,

Mark

 

Hi,

why does backup exec use a new tape from library rather than append to a previously used tape?

We have different backups for each server. There are 4 drives in the library.

Backups use to use 4 tapes and each new backup started/appended to a previously used tape, however each backup seems to be starting a new tape. I have checked the tapes and they are not full so there is space to append. Last month was 9 tapes!