Advice on Max. # of sets per Backup-to-disk files???

[Ito2233]

For backup-to-disk folders, you can select both the size of the backup-to-disk files, and the number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file.
Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on what I should choose for these settings. Full weekly backups here are running at around 220 Gigs. So I'm guessing the max size of the backup-to-disk file would have to be at or around this figure. As far as the number of backup sets per file is concerned, I have no idea what to choose, since I don't know the advantages/disadvantages of having more than one set per backup-to-disk file.
Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gabrielp]

I suppose you duplicate your backup-to-disk jobs to tape(s):

"Maximum size for backup-to-disk files" is equivalent to the tape size (total capacity), so a 100 GB value means a .bkf file of maximum 100 GB.
Inside the .bkf file you can have as many jobs (sets) as stated by the "Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file".

I recommend to choose as "maximum size" the size of your tape (native capacity). The "maximum number" should be bigger then the number of your backup to disk jobs.

I actually use a 100GB size (as my LTO1 native capacity).

 

[Ito2233]

So if you have five 40 gigabyte (native capacity) tapes and your job is one big 110 gigabyte file, the tape drive won't span tapes for you? Ie, it can't continue writing data to another tape?
Thanks!!

 

[gabrielp]

I suppose it should work, especially if you have a library. In this case is better to write simultaneously to all your tape drives so you get better performance.

I have a library with 4 drives, a lot of backup jobs directly to tapes and some other backup-to-disk (b2d) jobs for the "slow" servers. I put all b2d data in one folder and, when a drive becames available, the duplicate jobs starts writing to tape. If, during duplicate jobs, no drive became available then all b2d data fits into one tape.