Don't collocate the copy storage pool.  Obviously, each day at least one
tape will go out that is not full.  No avoiding that.  However, if you
agressively reclaim the copy storage pool the number of tapes in that pool
will be minimized.

For instance, let's say you send a 10% full tape out on Monday morning.
Then on Tuesday morning you do another backup stg thus creating another 10%
full tape.  Then reclamation  runs.  Monday's data is appended to the
Tuesday tape and the Monday tape is marked empty (or vaultretrieve if DRM is
in use).  Now Tuesday's tape is 20% full.  Proceeding on through the week
reclamation takes longer and longer, but each tape goes out fuller and
fuller.

Typically, copy pool reclamation is done weekly so you get seven mostly
empty tapes per week but then get a mostly full one after reclamation and
bring the seven home.

My experience has shown that with reasonable copy pool reclamation you can
keep the number of tapes in the copy pool to 1.2 to 1.5 times the number in
the primary pool.  That assumes you bring them back occassionally as well.

Kelly J. Lipp
Storage Solutions Specialists, Inc.
PO Box 51313
Colorado Springs, CO 80949
lipp AT storsol DOT com or kelly.lipp AT storserver DOT com
www.storsol.com or www.storserver.com
(719)531-5926
Fax: (240)539-7175