Sherry,

When we set things up we had a similar requirement, to be able to easily
identify DBB tapes - as well as PRIMARY data tapes and COPYPOOL tapes.

To implement that we introduced separate naming conventions for each.
But, there is a price to pay.  To make it work, the DBB pool has to be
the SCRATCH pool if you are to use triggered database backups (which we
do).  This implies that the other pool(s) must use non-scratch tapes - a
not insignificant overhead in ensuring the supplies are available.

We (and others) submitted a requirement for multiple scratch tapes a
long time ago, but I don't know if the feature will ever be available.

More than two years down the line we have no regrets; the pool of 150
3590 tapes for DBB has been adequate for our needs - FULL DB backups at
weekends and incrementals during the week.  We allow DBB tapes a life of
28-days (the same life as we allow a tape to remain pending, following
reclamation etc).

We use DRM to manage the tapes being ejected from the robot and tracking
them to/from on-site/off-site locations.  We save the DRM plans to
various places including taking one off-site on diskette with the DBB
and COPYPOOL tapes.  The plans identify the tapes needed - regardless of
the tape naming convention.

Hope this helps.  Regards, Sheelagh
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheelagh Treweek                         Email: sheelagh.treweek AT oucs.ox.ac 
DOT uk
Sheelagh Treweek                         Email: sheelagh.treweek AT oucs.ox.ac 
DOT uk
Oxford University Computing Services     Tel:   +44 (0)1865 273205
13 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN, UK     Fax:   +44 (0)1865 273275
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From owner-adsm-l AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU  Thu Feb 26 16:01:33 1998
> From owner-adsm-l AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU  Thu Feb 26 16:01:33 1998
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Disposition: inline
> Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 09:44:49 -0600
> From: Sherry Jackson <Sherry.Jackson AT TORO DOT COM>
> Subject: DBB Tapes for Offsite
> To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
>
> I'm looking for ideas/procedures on identifying dbb tapes that are offsite.
>
> We've thought about having the backup dbb use a certain range of tapes
> only.  That way backups are easily identified without having a print out
> of what the dbb tapes are.
>
> What are some of the procedures being used out there?
>
> Sherry Jackson
> The Toro Company
> Bloomington, MN
>