Creating media sets

A media set consists of rules that specify append periods, overwrite protection periods, and vaulting periods.

When you create a new media set, you specify an append period and an overwrite protection period for the set. When media is associated with the media set, the append and overwrite protection periods apply to that media.

You can also specify vault rules, which allow you to set dates for when media should be reported as ready to be moved to or returned from a media vault. The Vault Wizard logically moves the media, and then exports the media, but you must physically move the media to and from the vault. You can use the Vault Wizard to print or view reports that contain details on which media are ready to be moved, and to update the media location.

See Using the Vault Wizard to move media.

If your environment includes remote sites, you should create separate media sets for each remote site, so that if vault rules are enabled, the reports contain details on which media are ready to be moved for just that site.

Note:

Even if the overwrite protection period is current, media can still be overwritten if the overwrite protection level is set to None.

See Media overwrite protection levels.

To create a media set

  1. On the navigation bar, click Media.

  2. Under Media Set Tasks in the task pane, click New Media Set.

  3. On the General tab, select the appropriate options as follows, and then click OK:

    Name

    Type a name for the new media set.

    Creation date

    Date and time when the media set was created. Backup Exec sets the date and time automatically. You cannot change them.

    Overwrite protection period

    Enter the length of time in hours, days, weeks, or years to retain the data on the media before the media can be overwritten (unless the media is erased, formatted, labeled, associated with Scratch Media, or if the Media Overwrite Protection Level is set to None).

    The overwrite protection period begins when the backup job is completed. If there is an append period, the overwrite protection period begins again each time an append job completes. Because the overwrite protection period does not begin until the job completes, the amount of time that the job takes to complete affects the amount of time until the media can be overwritten. You may shorten the overwrite protection period to take into account the amount of time a job may run.

    For example, setting the overwrite protection period for seven days and the append period for four days ensures that data will not be overwritten for at least seven days, and that data can be appended to the media for the next four days. The last data appended to this media is retained for at least seven days.

    Because of the method Backup Exec uses to compute time, the unit of time that you enter may be converted. For example, if you enter 14 days, the next time you view this property, it may be displayed as two weeks.

    The default is Infinite - Don't Allow Overwrite, which protects the media from being overwritten for 1,000 years, unless the media is erased, formatted, labeled, moved to Scratch Media, or if the media overwrite protection level is set to None.

    Append period

    Enter the length of time in hours, days, or weeks, that data can be added to media. Because of the method Backup Exec uses to compute time, the unit of time that you enter may be converted. For example, if you enter 14 days, the next time you view this property, it may be displayed as two weeks.

    The append period starts when the first backup job is written to this media.

    The default is Infinite - Allow Append, which allows data to be appended until the media capacity is reached.

  4. To specify vault rules to set dates for when media should be moved to or returned from a media vault, click the Vault Rules tab.

  5. Select the appropriate options as follows, and then click OK.

    Select the media vault to use with this media set:

    Click the drop-down arrow to select a media vault. This media vault will be used to store the media associated with this media set that meet the move and return time periods.

    Before the media location can be updated, even if the move and return dates are overdue, you must run the task Update vault using wizard .

    See Using the Vault Wizard to move media.

    This wizard can print reports that detail which media are ready to move to and return from the vault, and can update the location of the media if you choose to move them. However, you must physically collect the media, and move the media to and from the vault.

    Move media to this vault x after it is allocated (first written to or overwritten)

    Specify a time period after which this media will be reported as ready to be moved to this vault.

    Return media from this vault x after it is last written to

    Specify a time period after which this media will be reported as ready to be returned from this vault.

More Information

Media overwrite protection

Deleting a media set

Renaming a media set

Changing general media set properties

Configuring vault rules for media sets

Using the Vault Wizard to move media