How to use Backup-to-Disk folders correctly 4

[Neily]

Hi,

I've been struggling with this for some time now.

Originally I had several B2D folders which overwrote the media contained within and then was backed up to tape.

I have changed this slightly as each B2D folder contained a different element of the domain (i.e. email, file dc etc.).

I now backup the entire domain in one go to a B2D and then duplicate this to tape, using a policy.

Using my previous method, I wanted to restore a database but had to firstly restore the B2D files to disk then look at these to retore the data I actually wanted.

The problem I had was that the files I needed to restore were being used by the previous nights backup to disk (as they were overwritten) and then being backed up to tape.

I changed this so that now B2D folder files don't get overwritten, but I find that after a couple of days the disk is full and I have to manually go in and delete the old files for the job to continue.

Is it indeed possible to overwrite B2D media as I was and then have BE use the old version to restore the data?

Can someone please give me some idea of how to do this?!

THANKS

 

[JJDiver]

Hello,

You might try running an inventory and catalog on the tape, then running a restore. This would run the restore from tape, but I think it would work. I am not sure if you were trying to avoid running the restore from tape or not.

I don't enjoy managing B2D(2T) either. I had the B2D working, then saw I had insufficent space for a proper defrag, so I limited the B2D folders (V9.1-right click on devices, properties, advanced) size. However, it's now telling me end of tape, when it's not a tape and I have set the job to overwrite.

Wish someone would chime in on this with more knowledge.

Jeff

Test anything mentioned in a non-production enviorment, backup critical data before using in production.

 

[Neily]

I restored the files from tape I just can't get them working! Invetory works, catalog fails!

 

[nifterz]

i have exacly the same problem. I copy my backups to a disk and that is taken of site. i had to restore a file for someone that was on one of those disks but like with you i was overwriting the data. the catalog fails saying i have to run a inventory then resubmit the catalog?? i have done this and just going around in circles

 

[steveot]

Nifterz/Niely The method you guys are handling the copy of the B2d file you will never be able to catalog or possibley restore the data. You should NEVER be backing up the BKF file directly to tape or copying to another location. You should be running duplicate jobs that duplicate the data after the backup to disk job complete..not a duplicate job to duplicate the .bfk file directly from disk. Here is what happens and I will try to do my best explaining this.


Let say you run a backup of a server (set) and it writes to 3 bkf files. Let say we backup C: drive and its 3 gigs and Back it up on a Monday

B2D000001 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 23 Monday) Media 1
B3D000003 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 23 Monday) Media 2
B2D000004 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 23 Monday) Media 3

Now you run a job to backup the bkf file directly from disk to tape or even a copy to another location. Example you create a duplicate job or backup job to backup E:\b2dfiles\b2d00001..5, etc.

There are two conditions that prevent the catalog operation and the failure you are seeing.

1)Three days later the overwrite protect period has expired for the above media. Another job comes along and overwrites B2D00003. When you try to catalog this media Media Sequence 2 is missing and thus the catalog fails. Since the above example I used depending on what version of Backup Exec you are using you can do a long catalog and get 2 gigs of data to restore from. If the set above contained and agent backup (sql, exchange, etc) the data would be non recoverable.

2) This is the main reason why you cant catalogs. Using my media above let say all three bkf file get re-used or overwritten 3 days later. Thursday the media got overwritten.

So now the media looks as follows

B2D000001 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 26 Monday) Media 1
B2D000003 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 26 Monday) Media 2
B2D000004 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 26 Monday) Media 3


You get to work on Friday and somebody need something from the Monday backup. You restore the bkf file from tape and place them back to the orginal backup to disk folder or a temp backup to disk folder. Doesnt really matter.

Now you try to catalog these and backup exec read into the header of the file and the media guid is different that what it expects. Its now confused..do these peices of media contain Monday or Thursday backup set since they are the same media labels..
Also another common problem is let say I run that restore from tape to restore bkf files and I have the following:

B2D000001 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 26 Monday) Media 1
B2D000003 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 23 Monday) Media 2
B2D000004 <- 1gb Servera C: drive (April 26 Monday) Media 3

Notice above the date on B2D00003. You would never see this visible in the GUI but if I were to try to catalog this It would fail with media sequence error or that error that not all the media has been inventory. This is because the media sequence is missing. Its looking for the correct Thrusday media to catalog.


So in short never..never make copies of the Bkf file and then move them back in for restores or duplicate the bkf file directory from disk to tape. You need to be running duplicate jobs using the correct method. You need to be duplicating backup sets following a job.

How to duplicate backup sets in Backup Exec 9.x and 10.x for Windows Servers

http://support.veritas.com/docs/255866

When you pick this method backup exec then keeps track of the sequences and when you look at you restore selection you will see the b2d files used and the tape will show the selection as if you were directly backing up to tape.
When you run the duplicate job in technote 255866 Keep in mind its a duplicate job not a copy of the bkf files. This is the way your supposed to do it.

Here is the main technote that explains the conditions when you dont duplicate the correct way and I suspect this is what you were seeing in the catalog operations

http://support.veritas.com/docs/283356

http://support.veritas.com/docs/288080

Neily: Depending on what version of Backup Exec you have I would be able to answer you question about why you disk is getting full

Also if you going in and deleting the bkf files from disk and not moving the media to recycled media and deleting them in backup exec you get into the conditions above and more of a mess.

 

[Neily]

STEVEOT,

Fantastic response!

Just what I was thinking happened when I tried to restore recently.

I have since my initial post changed to use duplicate jobs.

One question: I can still overwrite the B2D files nightly using the correct duplicate job method? I haven't been, but from your explaination, it sounds like I can.

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[steveot]

Yes you can. In my example above and assuming your overwriting the media every night you would see two restore selections (dates). One would be the tape media and other would be last nights b2d media. So if you overwriting every night you should see lots of tape entries in restore selections..depending on your tape rotations and then only 1 days worth on disk.

I usually setup all my B2D job to do overwrite only and control the retension on disk by media set. If the job is set to append/overwrite then Backup Exec will keep creating media until the disk is full.

If you running 11d then there some other thinks that will cause the disk to get full

 

[nifterz]

nice one thanks steveot very good reply and explains it very well