NTBackup and multiple tapes

[Jack B. Pollack]

I want to be able to give one of my elderly clients a simple one-button
backup icon using NTBackup.
He is backing up to tape. I want him to rotate through several tapes before
returning to the first.

I am using a shortcut with command line:
ntbackup backup "@C:\Backup Jobs\Selective.bks" /j "Selective Backup Job" /t
"Selective BU" /n "Selective BU"


If the tapes have different names (eg "Selective BU 1", "Selective BU2")
NTBackup sits there waiting for a specific tape to be mounted. I want all
the tapes to be used interchangeable. If I name all of the tapes with the
same name I get a message when running my shortcut that multiple tapes have
the same name.

How can I get around this? I do not run into this problem when backing up to
a second hard drive. I only have it when backing up to (named) tapes.

I have used MS KB as reference http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814583.

Thanks

 

[Twayne]

I want to be able to give one of my elderly clients a simple

one-button backup icon using NTBackup.
He is backing up to tape. I want him to rotate through several tapes
before returning to the first.

I am using a shortcut with command line:
ntbackup backup "@C:\Backup Jobs\Selective.bks" /j "Selective Backup
Job" /t "Selective BU" /n "Selective BU"


If the tapes have different names (eg "Selective BU 1", "Selective
BU2") NTBackup sits there waiting for a specific tape to be mounted.
I want all the tapes to be used interchangeable. If I name all of the
tapes with the same name I get a message when running my shortcut
that multiple tapes have the same name.

How can I get around this? I do not run into this problem when
backing up to a second hard drive. I only have it when backing up to
(named) tapes.

I have used MS KB as reference http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814583.

Thanks

I think about the only way to do that would be to create a completely
new, virgin job at every backup, thereby destroying any history of past
backups. Many tape backups keep the whole backup history on each tape
so it can identify which is which for the user. But, the date always
makes for a good name anyone can remember how to format?

I assume the issue is KISS and you don't want the user to have to make
up names? It's the only way I make sense out of what you want.
In that case, you could instead just write a batch file (cmd file,
whatever ... ) and put a self-incrementing name in the batch to save the
backup to. Thus, the user only runs the same backup batch file every
time. You could even add that to the scheduler and have it run
automatically without user intervention; all the user had to do is label
the tapes and put new ones in.
And better yet, the names in the batch file, instead of incrementing,
could be a representation of the date. After the batch runs, have it
pause and display a message about what to label the tape/s with. Lots
of different possibilities with batch files.
alt.msdos.batch.nt is a group with many helpful and very
knowledgeable folks if you need help with the batch. They specifically
know XP in and out for using batch files. One place they're carried is
news.aioe.org in case your ISP doesn't carry it.

HTH

 

[Jack B. Pollack]

Thanks I'll post there.

I think about the only way to do that would be to create a completely
new, virgin job at every backup, thereby destroying any history of past
backups. Many tape backups keep the whole backup history on each tape
so it can identify which is which for the user. But, the date always
makes for a good name anyone can remember how to format?

I assume the issue is KISS and you don't want the user to have to make
up names? It's the only way I make sense out of what you want.
In that case, you could instead just write a batch file (cmd file,
whatever ... ) and put a self-incrementing name in the batch to save the
backup to. Thus, the user only runs the same backup batch file every
time. You could even add that to the scheduler and have it run
automatically without user intervention; all the user had to do is label
the tapes and put new ones in.
And better yet, the names in the batch file, instead of incrementing,
could be a representation of the date. After the batch runs, have it
pause and display a message about what to label the tape/s with. Lots
of different possibilities with batch files.
alt.msdos.batch.nt is a group with many helpful and very
knowledgeable folks if you need help with the batch. They specifically
know XP in and out for using batch files. One place they're carried is
news.aioe.org in case your ISP doesn't carry it.

HTH