Mutiple source tapes and single destination tape

[polani]

Hi All

I am currently taking backups from a single backup host onto a VTL ( which has large number of virtual tape drives ).
Now in order to reduce backup window for this server, i want to utilize all virtual tape drives at same time. As i am also doing currently manual CA tape copy command operation to make copy of virtual cartridges onto physical cartridges ( for offsite storage) , i am facing issue here.

Is there any flag with CA tapecopy command ( or any other way in CA arc serv 11.5 ) which can allow me to copy group of source virtual cartridges onto a single destination physical cartridge ( or two/three maximum, depending upon size of backup data )..i dont want to end up with 8 physical cartridges for 8 virtual cartridges ? Please advice!!!

Here comes polani Once again!!!

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[davidmichel]

Just because you add more data streams at the same time does not mean the total throughput will be greater, as some point there will be bus saturation.

tapecopy.exe can do this.

 

[polani]

Hi

Thanks for reply...

I understand that there might be some performance issues.

But question is that whether tapecopy can read from multiple source tapes ( belonging to same job on same day ) and put all data in few destination tapes ?

For example , let say i do have logical drives on my server ( D: E: F: G: H. I start parallel backups of all these drives simultaneously on virtual tape drives. Now i will end up with let say 5 virtual tape cartridges for date 23 July 2010.

Now can i copy all these source cartridges to let say two physical tape cartridges ( if data size allows it)?

I beleive that some script should be written to identify same day cartridges .. Any ideas how to write such a script?

I am a newbie with CA so any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks


Here comes polani Once again!!!

See my personal blogs at

http://reliablesolutions.blogspot.com

for unique solutions and tips on AIX, Linux,Storage and TSM.

 

[davidmichel]

perhaps a query option will do it.

Ck out Job Scheduler Wizard, select tapecopy, click help.

 

[Cyklops]

using the tapecopy command line utility with the query (-q) options should be the way to consolidate data across tapes. The best way for you to find out whether it will suit your need is to check the whole syntax with the tapecopy /? command or the Appendix B (or is it C ?) in the CA ARCServe administrator guide.

FYI the latest ARCServe release (15.0) is capable of using VTL's in the staging phase and the copy to physical tapes in the migration phase and have the process more automated.

regards