On Sat, Jan 18, 2003 at 03:16:24PM +0100, Chris Karakas wrote:
> DK Smith wrote:
> > Do most amanda configs (with changers) run amdump every weekday (M-F) and 
> > skip running amdump on weekends? I see this sort of idiom stated as "the 
> > way" for Amanda, however I am not so sure this well-documented idiom is 
> > actually used in practice. Or is it?
> > 
> 
> Well, I use AMANDA mostly during the week, but *I reserve the right*
> (and I do use it occasionally) to use it also on weekends. I think
> trying to get AMANDA to ignore Saturdays and Sundays in its time
> calculations is outside the way it currently functions and would require
> extra programming and configuration parameters (perhaps a whole calender
> function to click off the days that should not "count" as such...)
> which, in the end of ends, will make life more complicated instead of
> easier (as it is now, as far as backups are concerned ;-)).
> 
> My experience is that there is absolutely no meaning in trying to mess
> with AMANDA and interfere in the way she does the backups - she does it
> so optimally, that every other effort will be suboptimal! So let her do
> the work and go home! Next day, or Monday, you'll have this or that on
> your tapes - 0 levels, 1 levels and so on. So what? You wanted that 0
> level to be on Tuesday? Why? This thinking will only bring you trouble.
> The AMANDA "philosophy" is "you press the button, AMANDA decides for
> you".

While I agree basically with you there can be cases where the scheduler
fights a specific situation.  Suppose my Level 0's are 9-10 GB total
and I'm using a DDS2 tape with 4GB capacity with a dumpcycle of 3 days.
Works well for a single tape/dump usage with the Level 0's spread out.
Further suppose I'm a small business with activity and operators available
M-F only.  Thus I want to do 5 dumps a week.  However, every Monday, after
missing dumps on 2 days, amanda will believe it is time for Level 0's for
everything.  No spreading of Level 0's at all.  Its not that a specific
DLE should get Level 0 on Tuesday, it that they are not scheduled for
various days.  Because amanda considers the non-dumping days in the
dumpcycle, it will fight what the hypothetical business would like.
-- 
Jon H. LaBadie                  jon AT jgcomp DOT com
 JG Computing
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