windows 2003 back up multi tape rotation

[waylander786]

I wish to perform daily/weekly/fortnightly/monthly back up using many tapes through the standard 2003 server backup utility at 11pm. When using the scheduler i understood that you can only use ONE tape per schedule since it defines the tape label in the wizard.

To use multi tapes do i have to create a new schedule for each tape or is there a way to create ONE schedule and use many tapes for the same one. Please advise, if the latter is true can someone please tell me how this is done?

 

[ncotton]

Are you talking about overflowing one backup process onto many tapes, backing up different things on to seperate tapes or doing a multiple copy (dualbackup) off the data on several tapes.

What is your hardware setup. One server, many external tape drives, or are you thinking of a single drive, interchanging the media when it is full etc.

Get back to us.

Hope this helps

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[waylander786]

OK,

we have one server and the data will fit on one tape, i want to perform daily backup on to one tape but using a different tape for each day

 

[ncotton]

whats the problem with setting up a normal schedule to run at the same time everyday? I'm not familiar with the Win2k3 built in BKUP, but does it not include the date stamp on the backup label?

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[waylander786]

Neil,

the problem occured when setting up a simple schedule in the ntbackup wizard. When you create the tape label, it would only allow me to back up using the specific tape and NOT allow me to use a different tape for a new day. However i have learnt to amend the back up batch file creating an unmanaged back up schedule deleting the label thus allowing w2k3 to format each tape, use default label and then overwrite each new tape for each new back up.

 

[ncotton]

Does this work for you, cause Im gonna start looking into Win2k3 BkUps, if you still have an open issue here, I will see if I come across any other way, unless you are happy with your new method.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[waylander786]

Thanks Neil,

I am happy with this set up untill our data/requirements begin to grow