HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Preparing Tapes and DDSs
This section discusses preparing tape and DDS devices. Much of the
information can also be applied to storing to StorageTek devices,
although some implementation details may differ. If you are using
magneto-optical or disk devices for your backup, refer to the sections
"Preparing Magneto-Optical Disks" and "Storing to Disk Files" for more
information on those devices.
You must select the backup media onto which you are going to store your
files. If you have followed the instructions for setting up a backup
library in Chapter 2, "Managing Backups and Backup Media," you should
have a set of new or scratch backup media or both available for storing
files.
To prepare your backup media, perform the following steps:
1. Estimate the number of blank media you need, and take them from
your library.
2. Attach a label to each unit of backup media. (A standard
Hewlett-Packard tape label has several headings for different
types of important information. If your label does not have such
headings, you may want to create your own headings including the
information which is described next.)
3. Label the first unit of backup media.
Single or Sequential Label the first unit Volume 1 of n. Replace
n with the total number of units of backup
media--if you use more or fewer tapes than
you planned, you may have to change this
number when you finish storing the files.
Label the second unit of backup media Volume
2 of n. Label the third unit of backup
media Volume 3 of n, and so on.
Parallel or Parallel Label each piece of media with both the reel
Pools number and the set number. Label the first
media of each parallel device or device pool
as
Volume 1 of "x", Set 1 of "y"
where "x" is the total number of media
allocated to the particular parallel set,
and "y" is the total number of parallel
sets. If you use more or fewer units of
backup media than you planned, you may have
to change the final number of volumes when
you finish.
For example, if you plan to use four units
of backup media with two parallel devices,
label:
a. First media as Volume 1 of 2, Set 1
of 2.
b. Second media from the first parallel
device as Volume 2 of 2, Set 1 of 2.
c. First media from the second parallel
device as Volume 1 of 2, Set 2 of 2.
d. Second media from the second parallel
set as Volume 2 of 2, Set 2 of 2.
4. In addition to the media number, write the following information
on each media's label:
* The current date which serves as a reminder of when the
backup was created.
* The name of your computer system.
* A list of the files you intend to store, or if the tape is
from a system backup, write either "FULL BACKUP" or
"PARTIAL BACKUP".
* If you plan to use interleave format, write "INTERLEAVE".
(Interleave format is described in Chapter 5, "Storing
Files.")
* Any other important information about the backup. Since it
is a STORE backup, write "STORE".
* Your name or initials.
* The date after which the information on the backup is
obsolete, called the Purge Date. If you keep STORE backups
indefinitely, make a note to that effect.
* The number of times the backup media has been used, under
the heading "Cycle".
Figure 3-2 shows an example of a correctly labeled backup:
![[]](../../pic3k/M016173/FFN53c50.gif)
Figure 3-2. A Correctly Labeled Tape
5. Stack all your media (tapes or DDSs).
Single If you plan to use a single device, stack
all of your backups, label side up, in
order, with the lowest number on top, near
the device, as shown in Figure 3-3 .
![[]](../../pic3k/M016173/FFN63c50.gif)
Figure 3-3. Preparing Tapes for a Single Device
Parallel If you are using parallel devices, stack all
of your backups, label side up, in order
with the lowest number on top, near the
corresponding device. For example, place
all the backups with numbers ending with
Set1 near your first parallel device. Put
media Reel1 Set1 on top of the stack.
Figure 3-4 shows how to prepare backup
medias for parallel devices.
![[]](../../pic3k/M016173/FFN73c50.gif)
Figure 3-4. Preparing Tapes for Parallel Devices
6. Divide your media among the devices.
Sequential If you plan to use sequential devices,
divide your media among the devices in
order. For example, if you have two
sequential devices and six media, stack
media 1, 3 and 5 near device 1, and stack
media 2, 4 and 6 near device 2. Stack all
media label side up and make sure that the
lowest-numbered backup is on the top of each
stack. Figure 3-5 shows an example.
![[]](../../pic3k/M016173/FFN83c50.gif)
Figure 3-5. Preparing Tapes for Sequential Devices
Parallel Pool If you are using parallel device pools,
divide your media among the devices in each
device pool, placing them in order with the
label side up. For example, if the first
device pool has two sequential devices and
four media, stack media Reel1 Set1 and Reel3
Set1 near device A1, and place media Reel2
Set1 and Reel4 Set1 near device A2. Figure
3-6 shows media prepared for storing
files to parallel device pools.
![[]](../../pic3k/M016173/FFN93c50.gif)
Figure 3-6. Preparing Tapes for Parallel Device Pools