Sherry

I had a situation where I assigned a small pool (7 if I remember
correctly) tapes exclusively for database backup.  I labeled them
DBB000-DBB006 and took a corresponding number of floppy disks
equivalently labeled.  I then wrote a couple of scripts which:
* asked the operator to select the next tape and mount the
corresponding diskette
* verified that the correct diskette was mounted
* ran the DB backup command pointing to the nominated tape
* waited for the backup process to end
* backed up volhist and devconfig to the floppy
* deleted old volume history records.

It was then up to the operator to take the backup tape and floppy,
bundle them up and send them offsite.  The offsite location was
responsible for returning the oldest set each time they received a new
set.  Seven tapes allowed for 5 backups per week and a couple of
delays in turnaround.

I can't comment on how it worked in practice because I could never get
the client sufficiently excited about DRP to actually participate in
their part of the tape rotation on and off site.  The scripts and
actual backup procedure worked well on NT.  They allowed me to know
which was my latest db backup and to know I had a synchronised backup
of the database, the volume history and the device configuration.

Murray Nicholas
IT Systems Consultant
Galeforce Information Services Pty Ltd
email:  murray AT galeforce.bu.aust DOT com

Sherry Jackson <Sherry.Jackson AT TORO DOT COM> on 02/26/98 10:44:49 AM

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