FYI:
Does anyone on this list have some tips on how to more efficiently do tape
library operations? Perhaps some of you on this list are confronted with the
same issue. Since we bought our Qualstar 412600 library with AIT-2 tape
drives three years ago, our backup requirements have mushroomed. I am looking
at upgrading the library from AIT-2 to AIT-3, but that is a considerable
expense so management here might balk.
Currently, I spend several hours a week swapping out full tapes with tapes
that are eligible for re-use. We recently upgraded to NetWorker 6.1.3.
Currently, I use "nsrjb -w" to withdraw tapes and individually remove them
from our tape library's one-tape load port, then use "nsrjb -d" to
individually load replacement tape cartridges into the library. This takes a
lot of time.
In an earlier version of NetWorker, when we first bought our Qualstar
library, I started out by managing tapes by manually opening the front door
of the library, and replacing full tapes with eligible tapes without using
nsrjb to withraw and deposit tapes; I would just reinventory the library
after swapping out the tapes. I did not have to do this very often so it took
a little while before I realized that doing so was not a good idea. This
practice caused NetWorker's media database to become outdated so I stopped
doing that and I resorted to using "nsrjb". I am wondering if the practice of
manually loading/unloading tapes with NetWorker 6.1.3 would still present
media database problems, or if there is some other more efficient way of
swapping out tapes with this type of tape library.
When we originally bought this tape library, we intended to keep three months
worth of data online in the library. Now, I shoot to keep one week's worth of
data in the library, although we still have a lot of data on tape in the
library that's many months old. I usually swap out about 15 to 20 AIT-2 tapes
every other day.
I also understand that the current firmware revision 2.20 for the Qualstar
412600 library supports a virtual load port. I just submittede paperwork to
order the EPROM chips for that revision. We have revision 2.12 in our library
now. I am wondering if anyone has tried allocating one or two 10-slot tape
cradles within the library for use as a virtual load port and what your
experience is in doing so. The down side is it would reduce storage capacity
in the library a bit, but I am hoping the operational time savings would be
worth that sacrifice.
Any comments on this issue will be appreciated.
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