ArcServe V11.1 hardware compression

[dprello]

I need to disable hordware compression on a server. Without using software compression only, I cannot get a full backup.

I'm relatively new to ArcServe, but I know I have to disable hardware compression and enable software compression. Is there a quick and easy way to do this?

Thanks for any info you can offer,

DPRELLO

 

[vschumpy]

Depends if the hardware compression is hard or soft settable on your tape drive.

What I mean is, on older drives hardware compression is set by DIP switches or jumpers on the drive itself. For newer drives this is can be set using the backup software.

Check your tape drive manual for further information.

If it is soft settable then you can set compression on or off using ARCserve device manager - you will need a blank tape in the drive for this to work.

If the option is greyed out then it is likely that compression is set on or off on the drive itself. Some drives use a combination of both dip switches/jumpers and soft settable settings.

Also note that ARCserve will attempt to set hardware compression ON everytime you start the tape engine.

You can enable software compression in the global options of your backup job, but of course as I'm sure you already know you cannot run both together. If you try to do this software compression will be disabled.

 

[davidmichel]

load a tape
go to device manager window
select the drive
if the tape shows compression enabled
do a quick erase plus
select compression disabled
format the tape
verify the tape is now non-compressed
now software compression will work.

By the way who says that software compression is more efficient than hardware compression.

 

[dprello]

The tape drives we use are soft set. There are no DIP switches on the drives.

I hadn't meant to imply that software compression is more efficient, but in our case with this server, hardware compression just isn't working. We use a DDS3 drive and are already backing up 18GB compressed data. When software compression is enabled (and hardware compression is not), full back ups work. If hardware compression is enabled, full backups span to a second tape after 12-15GB.

ArcServe must prefer hardware compression, since it "will attempt to set hardware compression ON everytime you start the tape engine." I was just hoping there was a permenant way around that.

Looks like I got my answer.

Thanks for your help, to the both of you!

Dean

 

[davidmichel]

See How does ARCserve control compression? faq478-4399
for more details.

 

[dprello]

Excellent FAQ! Thanks!

One more question...
when I do a "quick erase plus", then try to set compression on the drive, the compression button is greyed out. I know the hardware we use (HP6280-4000) is quite old, is it possible that ArcServe 11.1 cannot edit the compression type because of the hardware?

Thanks,

Dean

 

[davidmichel]

Is the tape drive selected when you are trying to set compression?

compression enable/disable is a pretty standard command so it is doubtfull that ARCserve does not know to.