Jonathan,

That is quite remarkable and impressive!

What type of tape media?

How do you store the tapes?

What type of environmental conditions?

Had they not been used since 2001?/

Justin.

On Mon, 17 Dec 2007, Martin, Jonathan wrote:

> I recently imported some 26,000 images from media going back to 7/2001.
> I only did phase one, then produced a report.  We did phase two and
> restore on media going back to 1/2002 for windows file servers.
>
> -Jonathan
>
> Here's the technote you are refering to - I got some data back using
> this method.
>
> failed phase 2 import
>
> ACTION: Discovered that the image is on only one tape, so determine that
> the tape has a bad spot on it.  The phase 2 import ran for three hours
> then gave the error "tar did not find all the files to be restored". to
> use the following procedure to read as much data off the tape as
> possible.
>
> bpexpdate -m media_id -d 0
> bpimage -cleanup -allclients
>
> Solution:
> The following touch file allows for this to happen:
> install_path\netbackup\db\images\"client_name"\xxxxxxxxxxxx\debug_add_fi
> les
> This touch file can be used under certain circumstances to restore from
> a partial import if the catalog is in a binary format. If the catalog is
> in an ASCII format, these steps can be used but you will not need to add
> the touch file.
> The first phase of an import creates the header file (non.f). The second
> phase of an import creates the files file (.f file). If the import fails
> during the phase two import for some reason (bad tape block, missing
> tape in a multi-tape backup, or the backup was incomplete etc.),
> NetBackup will not be able to browse the image for restore even though
> both files needed are created (assuming that the second phase of the
> import did not fail right away).
> 1. Perform the phase one import. Your directory structure will look
> something like this. The directory may have many images. This example
> assumes there is only one image.
> Directory of C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\Sap\1058000000
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> .
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> ..
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM <DIR> catstore
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM 822 Sap_test_1058889087_FULL
> 2. Create the debug_add_files touch file. Here is an example showing the
> new touch file.
> Directory of C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\Sap\1058000000
>
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> .
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> ..
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM <DIR> catstore
> 07/22/2003 01:24 PM 0 debug_add_files
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM 822 Sap_test_1058889087_FULL
> 3. Run the phase two import. As long as the phase two import gets to the
> point that actually starts writing entries in the files file, the
> structure may look like this.
> Directory of C:\Program Files\VERITAS\NetBackup\db\images\Sap\1058000000
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> .
> 07/22/2003 01:54 PM <DIR> ..
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM <DIR> catstore
> 07/22/2003 01:24 PM 0 debug_add_files
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM 822 Sap_test_1058889087_FULL
> 07/22/2003 01:51 PM 181,627 Sap_test_1058889087_FULL.f
> 07/22/2003 01:50 PM 338,287 Sap_test_1058889087_FULL_debug.f
> 4. When the phase two import finally does fail or is stopped, rename the
> .f to .f.old or any other name, and rename the _debug.f to just .f
> Sap_test_1058889087_FULL.f becomes Sap_test_1058889087_FULL.f.old
> Sap_test_1058889087_FULL_debug.f becomes Sap_test_1058889087_FULL.f
> 5. This is where you would start if you are running an import to an
> ASCII catalog and it fails.
> Edit the header file (Sap_test_1058889087_FULL).
> Change the "IMAGE_TYPE" from 1 to 2. The IMAGE_TYPE is set to 0 (zero)
> for backups, 1 after a phase one import and 2 after a successful phase
> two import. If the IMAGE_TYPE is left at 1, Backup, Archive and Restore
> will not browse it for restores.
> Example:
> IMAGE_TYPE 2
> Open the files file (Sap_test_1058889087_FULL.f) in a program that can
> count line numbers. Textpad can do this by going to Configure |
> Preferences | View, and selecting the checkbox for Line Numbers. Count
> the number of lines in the files file.
> Edit the NUM_FILES entry in the header file to represent the number of
> lines as above.
> Example:
> NUM_FILES 1778
> You should then be able to open up Backup, Archive and Restore and
> browse the image for restore. Since this was a partial import, not all
> files will be available for restore, but you may get the required file.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
> [mailto:veritas-bu-bounces AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu] On Behalf Of Jon
> Bousselot
> Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 1:32 PM
> To: Justin Piszcz
> Cc: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
> Subject: Re: [Veritas-bu] Media Tape lifespan
>
> 6 years old, so probably written with NB 3.2 or 3.4.  AIT-2 media, five
> tapes, five fragments,  and fragment 4 was damaged in such a way that NB
> could not finish the catalog import phase 2, but the data I wanted was
> on tape 3.
>
> Support gave me a tech doc that tells NB to keep the catalog data for
> all images found prior to a failure.  Without this method, it would fail
> on the import and discard all the previous work. (several hours!!)
>
> The AIT-2 media was used in a small tape changer that lived in an
> environment where drywall dust was present during construction,
> rendering a number of the tapes faulty.  Don't do drywall work in a live
> datacenter!!
>
>> Poll:
>>
>> What is the oldest tape you have restored from? 1 year? 3 years? 5+?
>>
>> Justin.
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