How To: Format a Tape with the proper Date 1

[redlikeme]

I run a full nightly backup 5 days a week (Mon-Fri). I have 3 weeks worth of tapes, but don't use a rotation scheme.

My Question: The backup job is set up to "Overwrite Same Media Name, or Blank Media First, then Any Media". It formats the tape, but does not label the tape with the current date.

Solutions: Do I run a pre-job that formats the tape with the tapetest utility? Or do I set up a media pool? I'm against the media pool idea because if someone inserts the wrong tape, then it wont use it (because it won't match the label) and the backup won't run that night.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[davidmichel]

You almost got it, instead of format just have it do an erase prior to the job. When the tape name is * and the tape is blank the backup with format the tape with the time and date and the tape name.

 

[redlikeme]

Thanks for the reply davidmichel.

So now I'm assuming I run a pre-job of ca_devmgr -erase <adapter id> <scsi id> q to erase the tape before the backup starts.

Sound right?

Thanks.

 

[davidmichel]

I don't remember the exact syntax but yes that sounds right and yes with the later versions you need to use ca_devmgr.

 

[redlikeme]

Worked like a charm.

Many thanks davidmichel!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[redlikeme]

Following up on my own post....

Adding the job to the pre job section did not work, ends up giving you an error #224.

Reading elsewhere, people seem to add the job with the Job Wizard. Adding it minutes before my full nightly backup properly erases the tape, and the format then labels the tape with the proper date.

Whew, what an ugly workaround.