backup problems; sometimes works, sometimes doesn't 1

[clamourer]

A brief description of the problem:

One drive in a Dell Poweredge 4300; the tapes, when inserted, sometimes eject. It sometimes takes 3 to 4 attempts for the tapes to stay inside.

When the sheduled backup starts to run at 8 PM EST, the tape ejects.

Then I get the screen "Please Insert Overwritable Media into the Drive"

I try to run the job next morning when I arrive by just pushing the tape back in, which works sometimes, and other times says "Unrecognized Media." Once I get the unrecognized media, I either abort, or keep it going, and the job status remains "loading media" until I abort.

Last night I got a CRC error.

Some nights the tape doesn't eject, and the backup works fine.

I hope someone can shed some light on this, and solve this cryptic problem. It seems like the backups are operating on their own agenda.

Thanks
Dexter Fabi

 

[SQLBill]

First off, your backup job is filling up the tape. This means one of two things is happening:
1. your backup job is set to append
2. the amount of data you are backing up is more than the size of the tape.

Backup jobs can not 'wrap' from the end of a tape to the beginning. When the tape reaches the end, either the job must be done or a new tape is required.

You need to determine which of the above issues is causing you to need a second tape.

Next...if you put a tape in and it says "unrecognizable media", you probably put the tape in wrong.

You SHOULD put the tape in, right click on the slot and select INVENTORY. Then it will recognize the tape.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[clamourer]

SQLBill, thanks for replying.

We have always used one DDS3 tape with a capacity of 12/24 GBs (compressed, uncompressed data). Our Monday through Thursday backups are writing an average of 5.3 GBs a night. For this server in New Jersey, it's always required one tape. Our server here in Chicago requires two, so I have inserted two tapes for the same backup job before. The NJ server only requires one tape.

For New Jersey, sometimes they go through, sometimes they don't at the schedule daily time.

I would say the problem is mainly ejection. I just called, and they say the tape takes 3 or 4 attempts to stay in.

I do inventory jobs on the drive often, then run the backup. This usually works. But I would like the scheduled backups to run as smoothly.

-Dexter Fabi

 

[SQLBill]

When was the last time the drive was cleaned?

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[clamourer]

The drive is cleaned frequently.

Friday's Full Backup did not go through. It just sits on Loading Media status (throughout the whole weekend).

This morning, I had to abort it since it was just on Loading Media status and just hanging there. I had someone re-insert the DDS tape, then ran an inventory, then ran the Full Backup job. It is working.

I think the core of the issue lies with the tapes being ejected prematurely. Whenever they try to insert a tape, it sometimes immediately ejects. Maybe I should replace the drive?

Thanks for the help!

-Dexter

 

[SQLBill]

Since nothing else seems to be causing this and since it works after reinserting the tape a few times; I think now's the time to check with the vendor. How old is the drive? Have you checked their site for updated drivers/firmware?

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[clamourer]

The drive may be 4 yrs. old. The last time it was replaced was about 4 yrs. ago. Do you recommend just replacing the whole drive? Or is the problem still correctable without replacing it?

-Dexter

 

[SQLBill]

I'm not expert enough to say the drive needs replaced. I would suggest checking with the vendor and seeing what they say.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[clamourer]

There is no longer any customer support/care with Veritas Version 8.5. I will, however, still check with the vendor.

-Dexter