Media Library Controls

Both locally attached and remote media libraries can be controlled through the UltraBac user interface with the use of the UltraBac Media Library Controls. UltraBac can use a media library in three different ways:

 

Setup and Configuration

To use the UltraBac Media Library Module, the UltraBac Medium Changer device driver must be installed on the system hosting the autoloader.

 

To install the UltraBac Medium Changer device driver:

 

  1. Open the Windows Device Manager.

  2. Expand the "Medium Changers" component appearing on the right side of the screen.

  3. Right click the existing device and select "Properties.”

  4. Select the Drivers tab.

  5. Click "Update Driver."

  6. Click "Next."

  7. Select "Display a list of the known drivers for this device so that I can choose a specific driver" and click "Next."

  8. Click "Have Disk.”

  9. Browse to the location of the "mchgr.inf" file (by default in "C:\Program Files\UltraBac Software\UltraBac\Drivers\Win2k"), and click "Open."

  10. At the "Select a Device Driver" screen, highlight the "UltraBac Medium Changer Device"and click "Next."

  11. Click "Yes," then click "Next" again.

  12. Click "Finish."

 

 

NOTE:  For more information on installing the UltraBac Medium Changer driver, please see the UltraBac Knowledge Base:

 

UBQ000150:  Installing the Optional Medium Changer Driver (Autoloader) in Windows 2008

 

NOTE:  For more information on unloading the UltraBac Medium Changer driver, please see the UltraBac Knowledge Base:

 

UBQ000195:  Medium Changer Driver Unloading

Library Configuration

The Library Configuration tool can be used to map the drive layout of the libraries attached to a backup host.

 

ub_medialibrary_libraryconfig.jpg

Fig. 1 - Library Configuration tool.

 

To use the Library Configuration tool:

 

  1. Select the Manage tab, Configure box, and click "Library"/"Configure Library."

  2. Click "Begin" to run the configuration process.

  3. Click "OK" when the configuration is complete.

Moving Media

First, select a tape drive as a default. To select the tape drive as the current storage device:

 

  1. Select the Manage tab. In the Configure box on the menu bar click "Storage Devices"/"Tape."

  2. Click on the autoloader's tape device to select the device.

  3. Click "Close."

 

Then, access the media library.

 

  1. Select the Manage tab and click "Library"/"Control Library" or press the keyboard shortcut F9. The Library Control selection is only available if the tape device is selected as the current storage device.

 

ub_medialibrary_librarycontrols.jpg

Fig. 2 - Media library controls.

 

From the above screen, drag and drop tapes into the Drive, Mailbox, or Slot, or right click on an object and move the tape to its destination by choosing a Slot, Mailbox, or Drive number.

 

Right click menus:

 

 

 

UltraBac also supports the administration of remote media libraries:

 

Configuring Media Pools

Media pooling has been implemented to allow better organization and automation of library backups, as compared to "slot based" backups, or using a media library in "sequential mode." Some benefits of using media pools include space savings on tape, automatic inventory of bar codes, lower-level administration, and more in-depth logging information. To use media pools, the tape library must have barcode support, and only media that has a readable barcode can be used.

 

Media pools are created through the media library controls:

 

  1. Right click on a tape with a barcode listed.

  2. Click "Media Pool"/"Create New Pool"

  3. In the Media pool name field, type a <name> for the Media Pool.

  4. Click "Create"

     

    ub_medialibrary_mediapools.jpg

    Fig. 4 - Media Pools in the Autoloader Library controls.

 

Next to the barcode number, the assigned media pool name will appear:

 

"Pool: <Media Pool Name>"

 

Any available barcode can be added to the media pool by right clicking on the barcode number and assigning the desired pool. To add multiple barcode tapes to the media pool:

 

  1. Right click on a tape with a barcode listed.

  2. Click "Media Pool"/"Add Multiple."

 

Other Media Pool Right Click options:

 

 

ub_medialibrary_adding_multiple_barcodes_to_a_media_pool.jpg

Fig. 7 - Adding multiple barcodes to a media pool.

 

Using the Library in a Scheduled Backup

NOTE:  For instructions on creating a Scheduled Backup group, please visit the "Scheduled Backup Creation" section of the User Manual:

 

UltraBac User Manual:  Scheduled Backup Creation

Sequential Mode

When using an autoloader in "sequential mode," the autoloader will appear to UltraBac as a stand-alone tape device. Before backing up, a tape must be put into the drive. If the autoloader is set to run in "sequential mode," all autoloader control functionality in UltraBac is disabled.

 

NOTE:  "Sequential mode" is a setting usually available through a configuration/control screen on the autoloader. Please refer to the manufacturer's documentation for more information on this setting.

Slot Based Backup

This option allows a range of autoloader slots to be specified for use in a scheduled backup group. If the amount of data backed up is larger than the capacity of the slot range, the backup will abort when it reaches the end of the tape.

 

The slot range is specified during the creation of a scheduled group in the Scheduled Backup Wizard.

 

NOTE:  This setting will only be available if an autoloader tape device is specified as the first device to use, under "Use devices in this order," during a scheduled backup.

 

To view the media library settings of a group:

 

  1. Select the Tools tab, and click "View Events."

  2. Double click the backup job to be viewed.

  3. Select the Library tab.

 

ub_medialibrary_scheduledjoblibrarytab.jpg

Fig. 8 - Library tab in the properties of a scheduled backup group.

Media Pools

Media pools are assigned to each backup through the Scheduled Backup Wizard, or through the scheduled backup's properties. If the amount of data backed up exceeds the tape space provided in the media pool, a secondary, or spillover, media pool can be defined.

 

NOTE:  This setting will only be available if a media library tape device is specified as the device to use during backup. Failover support to a non-media pool device (BackupPath, stand-alone tape drive) is NOT supported.

 

To view the media pool settings of a scheduled backup:

 

  1. Select the Tools tab, and click "View Events."

  2. Double click the backup job to be viewed.

  3. Select the Media Pools tab.

     

    ub_medialibrary_media_pool_tab_in_the_properties_of_a_scheduled_backup_group.jpg

    Fig. 9 - Media Pool tab in the properties of a scheduled backup group.

 

UltraBac will use the blank media in the pool first, then the expired media, protecting the media for five days (the default setting defined in the Manage tab, under "General"/"Media"). During the protection period, UltraBac will not be able to overwrite the tapes.

 

When the protection period has ended, the media will appear as "expired" in the library controls, making the media available for backup rotation. If the protection period has been disabled, UltraBac protects the barcode media automatically for one day.

 

 

Media Selection Options

 

These options define the way UltraBac selects the first tape from the media pool for use during backup:

 

 

NOTE:  Ad hoc backups cannot use protected media pool tapes, and "Clear storage media" is disabled to eliminate the possibility of overwriting data.

 

NOTE:  For information on removing Media Pools from UltraBac, please see the UltraBac Knowledge Base:

 

UBQ000242:  Removing Media Pools

Enabling Automatic Cleaning

UltraBac has the ability to automatically schedule a cleaning operation on a cleaning tape in a barcode enabled library.

 

To specify a tape in the library as a cleaning tape:

 

  1. Select the Manage tab, and  click "Library"/"Autoclean Library."
  2. Right click on the slot containing the cleaning tape.

 

ub_medialibrary_cleaningtape.jpg

Fig. 10 - Specifying a cleaning tape.

 

  1. Select "Cleaning Tape" from the menu options.

 

To enable library AutoClean options:

 

  1. Select the Manage tab, and click "Library"/"Autoclean Library."

 

ub_medialibrary_autocleanoptions.jpg

Fig. 11 - Setting the AutoClean options.

 

  1. Check "Enable Library AutoCleaning."

  2. Specify the number of days between cleanings as recommended by the manufacturer of the library.

  3. Specify the maximum number of times the cleaning tape should be used as recommended by the manufacturer of the cleaning media.

  4. Click "OK" to save the settings.