move unexpired tape to different pool for restores

[tinsoldier66]

Can anyone suggest a solution for this issue please:

We have an unmanned site where Iron Mountain do our daily Vault changes. We write our duplication jobs to a Pool called OFFSITE and the daily Vault_Eject job then ejects tapes from this Pool.

In the event of a restore being required we request the tapes back and they are loaded into the library by Iron Mountain however they then get ejected again the following day as they are still in the OFFSITE pool !

I cannot move them to a RESTORE pool because they are still assigned (error 91) and if I expire them in order to be able to move them to the other Pool I assume I would then have to re-Import the tapes and images because they would no longer be in the Catalog.

I am trying to make this as simple as possible as we get a lot of Restore requests and assuming we can't be the only company with a similar scenario of having an automated site.

Any help appreciated.

[RamNagalla · Accepted solution]

its simple..

as soon as you get the tapes loaded for restore ...move then to Different Volume Group.. (may be you can create one for Restore)

Vault profile does not pick the tapes from Different Volume group..

once the Restore is done and tapes are ready to move offsite.. move then to Orignal volume Group..

remember.. Its Volume Group.. not volume pool.

[tinsoldier66]

Lovely, Thanks Ram.

I did consider this option but couldn't see anywhere obvious to add a new Volume Group but it seems you need to do it via command line and specify a tape number:

eg:

Install path\volmgr\bin\vmchange -new_v ONSITE_RESTORES -m 123465

Thanks for the swift reply.

[RamNagalla]

you can do it from GUI as well.. 

[Genericus]

OR, you can change your vault parameters.

My daily vault only checks for backups run within the last 48 hours.

It cannot eject a tape brought back for a restore.

On Friday, I run a separate vault that only ejects backups older than 48 hours. so it only ejects these restore tapes. 

The added advantage is this does not confuse you numbers of data vaulted, and if you inventory your robot it sometimes "fixes" your volume groups...