HP Software manual Sharing storage devices on a SAN, Media Management

Initialization occurs when the library driver starts (at service startup or when the driver is manually started), when the user selects the Initialize command on the loader object or when Data Protector Express detects that the state of the loader has changed by manual intervention, either by opening the front door or by using the front panel.

During initialization, the library will attempt to perform barcode-based identification of media. If a match is found, the loader will set that element’s status to Probably Valid. This means that if barcodes are being used with the tape library, you will rarely need to run an identification job.

When the job loads the tape it ensures that the tape matches what the catalog says it is and, if necessary, updates the catalog to match the tape. If the tape is not usable because of the supplied media rules, the tape is re-stowed and another media is tried.

TIP: An Identify job will always physically mount media, and reassociate media to barcodes. This provides a mechanism for users to update barcodes on media if necessary. It also allows barcodes to be added to media after use without barcodes.

Media Management

One benefit of using Data Protector Express with tape libraries is the ease with which you can schedule different backups for different days of the week/month/year. There are no specific media tasks that must be carried out before you run a backup job. As long as the library has valid media loaded in it, Data Protector Express will automatically use it automatically.

NOTE: Media is invalid if it has been used by another backup product, is dirty or has been corrupted, or simply has not been identified.

Similarly, if you are restoring data from media that is already within the Data Protector Express catalog, there are no media management tasks. However, if you are restoring media from a different domain, you must first import it so that Data Protector Express can add the media to the database and associate all data objects on the tape with that media.

For a detailed description of all media management jobs, please refer to “Device Commands” (page 29).

Sharing storage devices on a SAN

Backup jobs automatically select devices to use based on their availability (whether or not they are in use). In a SAN environment, Data Protector Express automatically recognizes that a single backup device attached to a SAN may be accessible from two or more servers, and treats the device as a single device.

NOTE: All machines that need access to a SAN server must be included in the same Data Protector Express management domain.

34 Working With Devices