Arcserve 2000 - Database problems - Need to merge tapes everytime

[wysiwyg65]

I get many restore requests a week.
After a lot of hardware and Arcserve software issues, finally the backups are fairly consistant and reliable.

However, the database functionality has gone out the window since it will not show me the backup data in order to determine for me to load the correct media for a restore. Thus, many a time, doing merges only to find out that it is not the correct tape(s).

I have pruning set to 30 days and the database has been rebuilt but I it still will not retain the tape information for more then 1 day at best.

Who would know how to get the Arcserve database working like it used to?

Thanks
Mike.

 

[davidmichel]

Well if you are using the VLDB mohamdr would say convert over to SQL. That is fine if you are already running SQL but not so good if you have to go out a purchase a copy and now learn SQL just to use your backup program.

A lot depends on how fast your database grows. Once the VLDB gets over 5gb it does not seem to handle it very well.

For now initilize the databases and then run the utilities at least once a week. There is a doc in the ARCserve home directory on them as well as some faqs in this form that will help.

If you want to keep the database at a smaller size then considering either reducing the number of days data is preserved, or modifying the jobs to record session and job information only instead of all the details.

 

[wysiwyg65]

We are using VLDB and it never gets bigger then 500kb.

The database has been rebuilt already just recently and right off the start it was not working.

It was working correctly at one time.
Since then, replaced tape drives in Tape Library, updated firmware and patches.

Currently set to 30 days, I could reduce this number.

By modifying the jobs to record only the session and job information, will I be able to see the files and folders of that backup? If so, where do I go to make this modification?

Thanks.
Mike.

 

[davidmichel]

Replace the Database.

Install ARCserve to another system, any windows system a tape drive is not needed.
Go back to the system with the live version of ARCserve.
From Services stop all the ARCserve services.
Close the Manager.
Copy the whole database directory from the install on the other system over the one being used by the live copy of ARCserve.

 

[DebiJo]

Modify a job, go to the options tab, then go to the operation tab. You'll see the database options at the bottom of the screen. Record detail information is the only option that will show your backups down to the file name level. So, make sure your job is set this way. Also, you might make sure that the database was updated for the jobs. You said you did some restores. Did you ever stop a backup job before it was complete? If so, it might not have cataloged the tape at all. So, let you backup job run and fully complete. Then check that tape in a "restore by session" screen and see if you see all the files.

Debi

 

[wysiwyg65]

Debi,
I checked the setting and it is set to detail information.

I have been monitoring the database the last week to see if I can understand what is happening.

Here are the results:
Once a backup is done, the database is updated and I can see exactly what is on that tape.
As soon as the tape is unloaded and stored, the database seems to purge the information. When I load the tape for a restore, I am force to do a merge to see what information is on the tape.

There must be a setting set to purge the database once the tape is either unloaded or reloaded into my tape library.

Where is this setting?