W3828, Arcserve wants to have second tape ?

[medmed]

Hi All,

- Win2000 server environment
- Arcserve 9.0 (Build 2010)
- SLDT1-320 Tape

my problem is, that arcserve from time to time (to every day) stops backup and asks for a new blank tap as follow:
"Unable to find this media or a blank media. MEDIA=F-LUE-THU-07.04.05, SEQ=2"

If the backup job finishes well, we backup about 230 GB. Also the size may change a bit, there are still another 90GB available so i don't understand this problem. I neighter know what is meant by SEQ=2.
I have read that mayby the tape compression does not work properly, but how can i find out if that is a fact? actually i have no idea why arcserve comes up with this sometimes.

has anybody a clue or an idea.
I would very appreciate!

thanks
dani

 

[vschumpy]

*sigh* no there isn't 90Gb free.

An SDLT 320 tape stores 160Gb Native and 320GB compressed if you're getting over 160Gb compression is working - manufacturer figures are based on 2:1 compression which may or may not be achieveable dependant on your environment ... there is no way to tune configure this - check recent posts in this forum - I answered this same sort of question about half a dozen times in the last couple of weeks.

 

[Xbach]

Try to list sessions in Media with ca_restore -listsessions, it's show you the session information saved on database.

Normaly this problem ocours with database problems.

Finaly try with ca_scan.

 

[jaydee77]

Is your media name same as what it ask for :
F-LUE-THU-07.04.05

or is it a blank tape ?

if not format tape and give it the F-LUE-THU-07.04.05 as name

Or you can choose option to take any media in backup job options

 

[medmed]

Hi,

thanks for answering. I've had a look at those things an this came out:

1. I've changed the backup job and reduced amount of data by aprox. 9GB. Next day it asked for a blank tape just at the same position.

2. I've looked at the list-sessions, the last job with status "Failed" is always the same (dbaxchg2), it's within backup of individual mailboxes our ms-exchange server.

3. I've set a tape-engine message log, at the time where writing stopped it looks as follow:
[4076] 04/14 05:30:35 ABSL:2060 [WRITE ] 0a 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
[4076] 04/14 05:30:48 ABSL:2060 [WRITE ] 0a 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
[4076] 04/14 05:30:48 ABSL:2060 [WRITE ] 0a 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
[4076] ABSL:2060 CMD:a Returning status[2]
[4076] 04/14 05:30:50 ABSL:2060 [REQUEST SENSE ] 03 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00
[4076] <WRITE >, Sense Data as Follows:
[4076] SENSE ABSL:2060 f0 00 40 00 00 00 00 16 00 33 d9 cb 00
[4076] EX SENSE ABSL:2060 02 00 00 00 00 d0 08 3c 00 00 4b 96 00 00 00 00
[4076] SENSE ABSL:2060 End Of Media Detected [40]
[4076] EX SENSE ABSL:2060 End-Of-Partition/Medium Detected [00, 02]
[1424] 04/14 05:31:03 ABSL:2060 [WRITE FILE MARK ] 10 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
[1424] ABSL:2060 CMD:10 Returning status[2]

--> it seams like the tape is full but this is not corresponding to point 1.

4. I've now change the machine backup order just to see if it's really a space problem or if it's again stops within the mailbox backup.

if anyone has another clue i'd be gratefull
thanks
dani

 

[jaydee77]

R u using incremental backups ? or just format tape first and then overite all existing data ?

 

[medmed]

once upon a time the job was setup with the "Scheme Name" <5-day weekly incremental backup, full backup on Friday> but the option "Backup Method" is set to Full and as i know it does a full backup each day with previous formating.

 

[medmed]

Hi guys,

yesterday i've changed the machin order (the mail-server where it stops always), to see what's happend. Today the same thing came up and he asks for a blank media, it stopped again within backing up individual exchange mailboxes but stopps not always on the same mailbox.

this is another indicator for me that it is no space problem on the tape, otherwise it would have stopped not on the "same" position.

may it be a try worth to remove and add this machine again? or do you have other suggestions?

thanks
dani

 

[medmed]

now i've just done a scan job on that tape and at the end after Ses# 24 it asks for the same tape sequence #2, this is where it wanted to backup before and did not find it.

so i don't understand what's about this seq#2...

 

[davidmichel]

From the above it seems to me it is just a simple case of the tape filling up.

Why not just have a 2nd tape erased and ready to load?
The job can be setup so that it will not time out and then when you come in just swap the tape and see if the job continues.

If thats all it is then tell the guy to keep his 20gb of pics at home and not at work. I say that in jest but I've come across it several times in the past.

 

[jaydee77]

Make sure you got a blank formatted tape and test then. Calculate the size of your backup and compare it to the size your tape can handle uncompressed !!!

If your data is under your tape limit it should not ask for second tape if the tape is formatted (bye the way wich tapes you use and whats their size uncompressed)

 

[medmed]

Hi all,

i almost don't belive it but as it seams the problme might be that the tape reached his capacity -> is full! As i already told did i remove 9GB and the problem still exist, then i thought it could be a problem with the "brik level" update from the ms-exchange idividual mail folders. Then we removed another 60GB from the job and it runs throungh now every day. To me a bit confusing but a fact.

now i have to care about how to solve this problem, add a second tap, second tape engine, ....

thanks for all the hints,
dani

 

[jaydee77]

Maybe an autoloader is sum for your organisation