of free disk space approaches the configured minimum amount required for the device to work. This enables you to free more disk space in good time for the device to continue saving data. If all the space allocated to the file library device is ever completely used, a warning message appears on the screen with instructions as to how to solve the problem.

The file library device automatically creates more file depots if a particular backup requires more space than is available in a single file depot.

Recommended disk-backup device

Hewlett-Packard recommends using the file library device as the preferred disk-based backup device. The file library device is the most flexible and intelligent of the set of disk-based backup devices. It can be re-configured at any time during use and is capable of performing more sophisticated disk space handling than any other disk-based backup devices. Furthermore, it enables the use of advanced backup strategies such as synthetic backup.

For description of the file library device functionality, see the online Help index: “file library devices“.

Data format

The data format of the disk-based devices is based on the tape data format. Data Protector converts the data to be backed up into tape format before it writes the data to the disk-based device.

With file libraries used for virtual full backup, distributed file media format must be used. Select this format in the device’s properties.

Configuration

It is possible to set properties for the all disk devices both during the initial device setup and after the devices are in operation. The degree of changes that can be made to the properties of each device vary according to the device.

Backing up to a disk device

A backup can be made to a disk-based device by creating a normal Data Protector backup specification.

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Disk backup