A duplicated medium is an exact copy of the original medium. An original medium and its copy have the following characteristics:

same medium volume headers, including medium volume UUIDs

same Fast Recovery Information data on system volume and all data volumes

same data

same media types and capacities

different medium barcodes

IMPORTANT: When a medium duplicate is used to replace its original in the FSE implementation, the barcode of its original must be used when the duplicate is put into the library.

How it works

An administrative job is started to duplicate a medium. A medium duplication process first requests FSE disk buffer resources, allocates the original medium and then the target medium. If the prerequisites are met, the medium duplication is started volume by volume. Once finished, the medium copy has the same attributes and data as the original except for the medium barcode.

NOTE: To replace an original medium with its duplicate, you should label the duplicate medium with the original barcode, remove the original medium, and use the duplicate instead.

When a medium copy is first used in place of the original, a warning is written to the fse.log file as the FSE implementation recognizes that the medium for the particular barcode has been switched.

Typically, when you decide to duplicate a medium, for example for storing backup copies off-site, the original medium is full and all its medium volumes are closed. If the medium is not yet full and still has open volumes that are almost full, HP recommends that you first close all such volumes (as described in ”Closing medium volumes” on page 120), and then start duplicating. This way you will not have to repeat the duplicating procedure each time new data is migrated to the original medium.

If you are duplicating a medium that still has open volumes, the medium volumes are copied as is and are left open on the target medium. Therefore, you have to repeat the duplication procedure every time new data is migrated to the original medium in order to have an up-to-date medium copy. In such cases, you can reuse the same target medium as described in ”Procedure for duplicating media” on page 105.

Note that while a medium duplication is in progress, no other job (migration or recall) can use the storage space that was allocated in the FSE disk buffer. The migration jobs are resumed when the storage space is freed, while recall jobs fail after the specified timeout.

Procedure for duplicating media

Before you start duplicating an FSE medium, you must ensure that the media duplication prerequisites are met. Note that the most common reasons for media duplication failures are shortage of storage space in the FSE disk buffer and mismatches in the medium characteristics.

Prerequisites

A target medium, which will hold a copy of the original data, must be of the same type as the original medium.

The target medium must have sufficient capacity.

The FSE disk buffer must have enough free storage space for temporary data. The largest file system assigned to the FSE disk buffer must have twice as much storage space as is the native capacity of the FSE medium which will be duplicated. The following examples show the native media capacities and the required file system sizes:

LTO 1 : 100 GiB * 2 = 200 GiB

HP StorageWorks File System Extender Software user guide 105

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HP File System Extender (FSE) How it works, Procedure for duplicating media, Prerequisites, LTO 1 100 GiB * 2 = 200 GiB

File System Extender (FSE) specifications

HP File System Extender (FSE) is a sophisticated solution designed to optimize data storage management for enterprises that deal with large volumes of unstructured data. This technology addresses the challenges of data growth and the need for effective data retention strategies, enabling organizations to store and manage their information more efficiently.

One of the main features of HP FSE is its ability to intelligently migrate data between primary and secondary storage. By utilizing policies that determine when to move infrequently accessed files to lower-cost storage environments, FSE helps reduce the strain on primary storage systems and saves on costs associated with high-performance storage solutions. This tiered approach to data management ensures that organizations can access the data they need quickly while still maintaining an efficient overall storage architecture.

Another notable characteristic of HP FSE is its seamless integration with existing storage infrastructures. The solution works with a variety of storage systems, allowing organizations to utilize their current investments without the need for significant changes to their infrastructure. This interoperability is powered by advanced technologies that facilitate data migration and retrieval, ensuring a smooth transition for organizations looking to optimize their storage strategies.

Additionally, HP FSE is equipped with robust reporting and analytics capabilities. This functionality provides organizations with insights into their storage usage, helping them understand data patterns and optimize their storage environments accordingly. By having visibility into which files are accessed most frequently and which are rarely used, organizations can make informed decisions on data retention policies and storage management.

Security is paramount in data management, and HP FSE addresses this concern by implementing advanced data protection features. This includes data encryption, secure access controls, and compliance with industry regulations, ensuring that sensitive information is safeguarded throughout its lifecycle.

Overall, HP File System Extender is a comprehensive data storage solution that combines intelligent data management, seamless integration, insightful analytics, and robust security features. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can efficiently manage their unstructured data, lower costs, and enhance operational efficiency, making it an invaluable tool in today’s data-driven landscape.