Device and media options for backup jobs and templates

You select the storage device and media set on which the backup job will run by clicking Device and Media on the Backup Job Properties box and completing the options you want.

This dialog box includes the following options:

Table: Device and Media options for backup job

Item

Description

Device

Select a drive pool, stand-alone drive, robotic library drive, backup folder, or virtual disk to be used for processing the backup.

If you select a backup folder, be sure it is not on the disk you are backing up. For example, if you are backing up your local C:\ drive, select a backup folder that is not on your local C:\ drive.

If the Backup Exec Storage Provisioning Option is installed, you can select the All Virtual Disks device pool, or a specific virtual disk to submit a job to.

Backup jobs submitted to a backup folder cannot span disks unless the folder is a removable backup-to-disk folder

See About backup-to-disk folders and files.

If the size of a backup job exceeds the amount of free space on the disk where the backup folder is located, the job fails. Before you back up data to a disk, verify that there is sufficient free space on the destination disk. To maximize the amount of data that you can store on a disk, use the software compression option.

If a backup job fails due to insufficient disk space, the backup folder goes offline. To complete the backup job, you must create more free space on the disk, and then pause and resume the folder.

You can do the following to create more disk space:

  • Move the backup files to another disk or backing up the files to a tape.

  • Change the location of the backup folder.

  • Erase the backup files.

  • Overwrite the existing backup files.

If you are unable to create more free space and cannot continue the backup job, you can restore the data that was backed up prior to the failure.

Backup files are subject to the same overwrite and append options as other media.

Make sure that appropriate media (overwritable or appendable) is in the stand-alone drive or drive pool you select.

If the media in the drive is not overwritable or appendable, a message is displayed requesting that you insert overwritable media.

Restrict backup of the selection list to devices on the following media server or media servers in a pool

This check box displays only if you have the Central Admin Server Option installed. You can specify if you want a job to run on devices on a specific managed media server or on devices that are on a group of managed media servers. This is an additional filter that lets you control where certain jobs are delegated. For example, to always run backups of Exchange databases only on the devices that are attached to managed media servers in a pool named Exchange Backups, select this option, and then select the Exchange Backups media server pool.

Media set

Select the media set for the backup. If you select Overwrite, the media in the drive is overwritten if the media is scratch, or if its overwrite protection period has expired. If allocated or imported media are in the drive, they may also be overwritten depending on the Media Overwrite Protection Level that is set.

If you selected one of the append options, the backup will be added to an appendable media (if one exists).

Overwrite media

Select this option to place this backup on an overwritable media. Make sure that appropriate media is in the stand-alone drive or drive pool you select in the Device field in this dialog box.

The media in the drive is overwritten if the media is scratch or recyclable (its overwrite protection period has expired). If allocated or imported media are in the drive, they may also be overwritten depending on the Media Overwrite Protection Level that is set.

Depending on your configuration, overwritable media is selected from scratch media or recyclable media.

See Setting the search order for overwritable media.

If the media in the drive is not overwritable, an alert appears requesting that you insert overwritable media.

Append to media, overwrite if no appendable media is available

Select this option to append this backup to the media set listed in the Media Set field in this dialog box. The backup set is appended if an appendable media is available in the selected media set; if not, an overwritable media is used and added to the media set.

If an append job fills a media, the job continues on another piece of overwritable media.

If the media in the drive is not overwritable, an alert appears requesting that you insert overwritable media.

Append to media, terminate job if no appendable media is available

Select this option to append this backup to the media set listed in the Media Set field in this dialog box. The backup set is appended if an appendable media is available in the selected media set; if not, the job is terminated.

Eject media after job completes

Select this option to have Backup Exec automatically eject the media in the drive when the operation completes.

Retension media before backup

Select this option to have Backup Exec run the tape in the drive from beginning to end at a fast speed, which helps the tape wind evenly and run more smoothly past the tape drive heads. Retensioning is primarily for Mini Cartridge and quarter-inch cartridges and is not supported on most other types of tape drives.

Use Write once, read many (WORM) media

Check Use Write once, read many (WORM) media to use WORM media for this backup job. Backup Exec confirms that the destination device is or contains a WORM-compatible drive, and that the WORM media is available in the drive. If WORM media or a WORM-compatible drive is not found, an alert is sent.

See About WORM media.

Maximum number of devices to use for resources that support multiple data streams

Select the number of devices that this backup job can use. Only one device per stream can be used.

Minimum number of devices, terminate job if fewer devices are available

Select the minimum number of devices that can be used for this backup job. If the minimum number of devices is not available, the job ends without completing.

More Information

About the All Virtual Disks device pool in the Storage Provisioning Option