Staging to disk then tapecopy

[hemps37]

r11.5 SP2 (Build 4232)
We run our tapes on a 4 week schedule. IE exchange_users-mon-set1 exchange_users_tue-set1..exchange_users-mon-set2 etc etc. changing the tape manually each day and sending them offsite until needed.

We run 4 daily jobs from scripts as follows
start time job explenation
5:00pm daily servers 5 servers straight to tape
5:00pm Mailboxes brick level MB's staging then to tape
5:00pm endusers enduser backups staging then to tape
2:30am exchange exchange server staging then to tape

Daily servers completes around 2-2:30am thus freeing up the tape drive to copy the mailboxes and endusers over while exchange is staging. then exchange copies to tape when finished All in all 4 jobs complete by 6am (which is needed)
all 3 stage jobs copy to the same tape.

Now to my problem.
The daily servers job (straight to tape) is Cataloging fine into the database and I'm able to do restores without a problem as soon as the job finishes it catalogs it
[CAT ] DAILY_SERVERS-WED-SET3 [ID:9F3E,SESSION:1] is merged.

But the only time time I get the cataloging occuring with the staged jobs is when the staging is complete ie
[CAT ] EXCHANGE-STAGE-DISC [ID:BDD8,SESSION:1] is merged.
But this never occurs when all jobs have copied to tape. Since cataloging the stage disk is no use to me as I purge that data right after the tape copy I want the TAPE AS A WHOLE with all three jobs (exchange mailboxes and endusers) to be cataloged. How do I go about getting this done?

Right now when I go to restore by session its showing old Data and not the newiest. I have to delete old records then merge the tape in for me to see the most current.

Sorry for this being so long I wanted to give as much data as possible. and thanks in advance for the help.

Mike H

p.s. I got crowned the "backup guy" when I took this job even tho I've never once had to do this, and it seems no one in this place has any clue on how to help me!!!

 

[davidmichel]

TapeCopy Destination option

-g (Turn on Detail Merge)
Turn on merge details option. The default for a query copy is to merge the session headers to the database. This will merge the session details.

 

[Cyklops]

cataloging takes place after the backup is done. there is no need to catalog the same information again when the migration to tape is finished so this merge does not run. normally when the staging session is purged you should be able to browse restores from the tape media.

regards

 

[hemps37]

SHOULD being the key word Cyklops. I got on the phone with CA support and they told me to add a registry key into the tasks\merge section. i believe it was called "DonotUseCatalogMerge". Well after all the fun talking to them and going around in one big circle nothing helped. Actually now my tape engine is crashing where it never did before. I guess its back on the phone for another adventure. IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME...PLEASE DO!

 

[Cyklops]

The DonotUseCatalogMerge registry key does not have anything to do with the way ARCserve handles cataloging during backup jobs, it is just a way to merge data into the database without using the catalog files.
When you mention your tapeengine is also crashing you seem to have serious problems with your configuration. Any database related errors in the logs, what database do you use, the embedded VLDB or MSSQL server ?

regards

 

[hemps37]

The tape engine did not crash until I installed patch QO84983 which CA told me to install, up until then I was only patched to SP2. I'm using a VLDB, which is pruned everyday with holding the last 21 days. I've done DB checks and everything is fine, no errors come up. The tape engine is now crashing even when I do a preflight check on a job. It completes the check passing everything then the tape engine stops. No errors in Arcserve logs and on the system logs it only says Arcserve engine stopped without reason.

 

[hemps37]

My tape engine issue has now been resolved with another patch (Is this a M$ program? you need a patch for a patch) But now i'm back to square one on the restore/records issue that I started with?

 

[hemps37]

I"m still having issues with this. It is only carrying over 3 or so sessions into the database under the tape name. Ie

2 endusers and then brick level mailboxes. This should actually have approx 20 end users, mailboxes and a exchange backup. I can scan the tape and see everything its just not carrying over all the info for an easy restore. HELP!