ssid are being recycled prematurely

[vtfglc]

Hello, here is my problem:
just after a full backup, all the SSID (of this backup) are set to recycle=> the volume containing the SSID's is set to recycle.

The browse and retention policies are set to 4 weeks for each clients in the group but it seems that NW doesn't care of that.

If I use the "mminfo -p" command, I have the correct dates.

date browse retent ssid
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 592150469
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 525041617
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 508264415

but in networker administrator, all these SSID have a status of recycle although we are 3/15/2004!
Thanks for your help

 

[605]

Could simply be a GUI problem. What does the command line say?

mminfo -q [your_query] -r "savetime,ssbrowse,ssretent,ssid"

 

[vtfglc]

the result is:
date browse retent ssid

3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 592150469
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 525041617
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 508264415

With the mminfo command I can have the status of the ssid and it is on "recycle". I don't think it's a GUI issue. Today, after an incremental backup, everything is ok. The problem is only at the end of the week, when we make a full backup.
We have juste migrated to NW 7.1.1 (W2K3 server) 2 weeks ago. Before the migration we did not have this issue. I don't understand...your help is more than welcomed...

 

[605]

Actually, i forgot to list the most important parameter in my command - it should read like this:

mminfo -q [your_query] -r "savetime,ssbrowse,ssretent,sumflags,ssid"

I prefer the command line, because the GUI does not show the same information.
For instance the info for the flags is not listed completely.

NW will always delete a whole backup cycle from the file index, this is why this
effect happens at the end of the next full, but i have no idea yet, why he would
do it before reaching the browse date.


The question is: Why should NW age the save set prematurely?
You may probably find more
informations in the daemon.log file.

 

[vtfglc]

I agree with you about GUI, but in this case i think the SSID are showed as recycle because it is their real status!
date browse retent fl ssid
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 cE 592150469
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 cE 525041617
3/7/2004 4/4/2004 4/4/2004 cE 508264415

nothing found in the deamon.log

I have opend a call to Legato support, we will see...

Thanks for your help

 

[Chapter11]

Is the group/backup that is generating the save sets succeeding? I've seen insta-recycle savesets show up after a group (or client) fails.

 

[vtfglc]

yes, the group is succeeding, no problem.
The solution from Legato: some tapes (not all) are too old (more than 2 years), change the tapes.

One of my suspect tape is less than 1 year, but all the save set on this tape are being recycled after the full backup!!!We will try to make a full backup on new tapes, but I don't think it will change anything.

 

[605]

Can you please explain Legato support's answer?
It is strange without any further explaination.

There is the expiration date after which NW should not use (recycle) media any longer.
However, this problem does not have anything to do with recycling tapes - to make
a tape become recyclable, the save sets must expire first and not the other way around.

 

[vtfglc]

message from Legato:
"Discovered that mminfo was reporting "first labeled" dates
of 2001 which could be the cause of the symptoms that are being seen. Results to be sent in for reference purposes

Recommendation at this point is to add new tapes into circulation and archive the old.

If new tapes are added and the problem still exists, futher troubleshooting will take place."

I can change the status of each SSID/volume manually,using the nsrmm command, but that's not a solution. it's NW' job, not mine!!

 

[vtfglc]

for your information:
we have found a strange behaviour with NW:

TEST1:

Full backup on 1 volume
Then clone of that volume
Clone volume set manually to recycle
=> Save set on original volume becomes to recycle!!!!!

TEST2:

Full backup on 1 volume
Then clone of that volume
Original volume set manually to recycle
=> Save set on clone volume becomes to recycle!!!!!

Legato is currently investigating on this problem.
Maybe it's a normal behaviour, but I don't think so...
any idea??

 

[605]

Can you please state the exact version of the NW server software? - Thank you.

 

[vtfglc]

NW 7.1.1 on Windows 2003 standard edition

 

[vtfglc]

FYI
Legato support:

"In all versions of NetWorker (including NetWorker 7.0) our media database design is "saveset" based. i.e the clone information is part of a saveset media database record, sharing the same browse and retention attributes.

LGTpa36474 (a Request For Enhancement, RFE) has been filed. To request this be changed in the future.

I have read the LGTpa and it seems there is a workaround, that being: "instead of recyclabling clone savesets, relabel them."

It means that if you set a clone to recycle, the original tape will be set to recycle too!!!