-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas, Tim [mailto:tthomas AT Centuryky DOT com]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 10:29 AM
To: Werth, Dave
Subject: RE: [Networker] Tape Management/Offsite tape rotation
Dave,
I'm actually, kind of interested in hearing how you have that database
set up (if you don't mind). I might like to incorporate something like
that in my daily routine.
Thanks,
Tim
=====
Tim,
(I'm replying to Tim but cc'ing the list so I don't have to repeat if others
are interested.)
It's a pretty simple DB. There are 4 tables, the main table that keeps the
information about each labeled piece of media, a table for valid status
options, a table for valid system options, and a table for valid media type
options.
Note: The word "Tape" is used in a number of places in the DB but
now-a-days we consider it to generically refer to any kind of labeled media
that we are tracking with the DB including CD's, DVD's, floppy disks, even
paper archives that we've labeled.
The main table is named Tapes and has the following fields:
Tape # The number of the label we put on the media
Status Status of the tape
System System backed up
Backup Date Date of backup
Backup Date Text In cases where the backup covers several days
we put the date range in this field and the
ending date in the Backup Date field.
Backup Desc Description of what's on the backup
Comments Anything you want to include that's not
appropriate for the descriptions field
Date Sent Out Date sent off-site
Pickup Slip # Number of our off-site providers pick-up slip
Date Due Back Date to be returned
Tape Type The specific type of media
Brand The brand of media
Date New/Cleaned Date the media was first used
Next Cleaning Not used, left over from when we cleaned reel tapes.
The Status Options table contains the only valid entries for the Status
field in the Tapes table. It has the following fields:
ID Serial Number for unique key
Status Option Valid Status Options
Among the status options we have are On-Site, Off-Site (if we had multiple
off-site locations there would be one for each location), Destroyed,
On-Site4Restore, Renumbered, Unknown.
The Systems Options table contains valid entries for the System field in the
Tapes Table. Fields:
ID Serial Number for unique key
System Options Valid System Options
Active System Yes/No whether the system is still active
The systems options table has the names of the system we back up. When we
started using it every system had a discrete backup. Now with Networker
where a number of systems get multiplexed on one tape I have some generic
entries like NWKR-Backup & NWKR-Clone. For things that don't really have a
system I use OTHER and describe it further in the Comments field.
The Tape Type Options table has valid entries for the Tape Type field in
Tapes. Fields:
ID Serial Number for unique key
Tape Type Options Valid Media Types
Among the entries we have here are "8MM Cartridge", "4MM DAT", "REEL, 2400",
"AIT II", "AIT-4", "MICROFILM", etc. You get the idea.
That's about all there is to it. I created an Access Form for easy entry in
the Tapes table and a number of reports for the things I commonly want to
report. It's easy enough to write an ad-hoc report for anything else. When
media are sent out I update/create the record for it in the DB. When they
are returned I change the Status to On-Site and clear the Date Sent Out,
Pickup Slip #, and Date Due Back fields.
One of these days when I get a "round toit" I've considered splitting the
Tapes table into a header table and a transactions table so I can keep
better track of the history of the media. Also I've considered adding
fields for "1 of 3" type information when a backup spans multiple volumes.
Also I've thought about writing macros so when tapes returned match tapes
due back I just click the button and it automatically updates the records.
I can think of other things as well.
Hope this helps. If you have more questions let me know.
David Werth
Garmin AT, Inc
Salem, Oregon
dave.werth<at>garmin.com
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