Bacula version: (26 July 2008) x86_64-pc-linux-gnu debian 4.0
backup unit/changer: HP storageworks MSL2024 LTO3

Hello,

We have a real weird problem. Tapes are not fully written. But this is not in 
all cases. The problem seems to concentrate around our monthly backups.
When the tapes are labelled (by barcode) and being put in the "monthly" pool 
and written to, the tapes  are only filled up for not even 300 GB sometimes.
Sometimes not even more then slightly over 200GB and the next tape is loaded. A 
too less amount anyway. While running backups of the same files (both
full backups) (only in this case the weekly backup) the tapes are filled up 
easily for like 500 GB, sometimes even more then 600.

What is tried until now:

- labelling the tapes and putting them in the weekly pool first.
  later changing them over to the monthly pool and setting the
  retention period to that of a month again. -> No help...

- labelling the tapes and putting them in the weekly pool first.
  later changing them over to the monthly pool but leaving the
  retention period of the tapes alone until the backup finished.
  -> No help...

- Changing weekly tapes that was written to in normal amounts
  earlier during the weekly backup with tapes that have only
  ever been used for the weekly backup -> that helped...

So we can deduct that the problem does not lie in the retention period. The 
problem does not have to do with (not on it's own) in which pool the tapes are
placed directly after labelling. However, if the tapes written to from the 
weekly full backup jobs are later used for the monthly jobs then it works fine.

We backup multiple servers to one big set of tapes + a mysql dump of the bacula 
catalog db and mark the last used tape: used.
The configuration is done per server (in separate files) where a: backup job is 
mentioned, a restore job is mentioned, the fileset
is mentioned and a mention of the schedule directive which looks in another 
file. In this other file is determined: to which pool
should written, if a full or incremental job should be written and at which 
moment jobs start.

The baculadir.conf file points to the server specific files. Also to files 
holding the pool definitions.

If there is any part of the configuration that is interesting, let me know and 
i will send it.


I hope someone has an idea what could be causing this problem.


With kind regards,

Tony Nederpel.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day 
trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on 
what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with 
Crystal Reports now.  http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july
_______________________________________________
Bacula-users mailing list
Bacula-users AT lists.sourceforge DOT net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-users