On Wed, Dec 10, 2003 at 05:56:21PM -0500, Shawn Sanders wrote:
> If my tapelist consists of 20 tapes will it rotate the index files after
> every rotation?  I am currently using 2 sets of 20 tapes,that are labeled
> the same Tape-1 through Tape-20.  Once I reach Tape-20 on the first set I
> rotate the entire set and replace with the other set's Tape-1.  The tape set
> is then taken offsite until the new set gets to Tape-20.  Running some
> amrecovers, a setdate command seems to only allow me to go back 20 days.
> 
> If this is the case is there another means to provide offsite storage of
> tapes and keep 40 days of indexes?  I know I could create 2 configs to
> support this, but I don't want to have to worry about our tape handler
> forgetting to bring in the next set and messing things up.  Currently, if
> they are forgotten we just use the Tape-1 from the current set.  Granted it
> defeats the purpose of offsite backups, but it keeps things working.
> 
> Perhaps I could have a script that runs once I get to the Tape-20 and save
> the logs to another location if I need to get an offsite tape to do the
> restore.
> 


Showing my age, I reply with a line from an old Sci-Fi Sit-Com:

    "Danger Will Robinson!!"


I see no benefit, good, advantage, reason, .... for your arrangement.
I see nothing but problems.



To answer your very first question, no amanda does not rotate the indexes
after your 20-tape tapecycle.  It deletes the indexes of each dated dump
on the tape it is using at that moment.  And as there is NO way for amanda
to differentiate your artifical set 1 from your artificial set 2, amanda
deletes the indexes for the "one, and only one" group of dated dumps on the 
tape.


> Any ideas would be appreciated.

 - Work with your tape handler to ensure your next tape is available.

 - Cycle 60 tapes with only 20 offsite, the current 20 and the next 20 onsite,
   the previous 20 offsite.  (or 42 with 2 weeks, 14 tapes, offsite)

 - Cycle 40 tapes as now doing, but differently labeled AND with a tapecycle
   parameter of 20 (not 40).  Then when you get to Tape-40 and Tape-1 is not
   available, you could use Tape-21 again.  Your ordered sequence will be shot.

 - Have a sufficiently large holding disk such that a day or three can be
   left in the holding disk.  This may be in degraded mode so that level 0's
   might get delayed til the tapes are available.

-- 
Jon H. LaBadie                  jon AT jgcomp DOT com
 JG Computing
 4455 Province Line Road        (609) 252-0159
 Princeton, NJ  08540-4322      (609) 683-7220 (fax)