Adding Media Volumes

A media volume is an individual backup medium, such as a tape cartridge. Each media volume is identified by volume name. Another term for volume name is volser (volume serial number).

Tip. DPX allows you to define a set of consecutively named media volumes in one pass.

Requirements for media volumes:

• A media volume must be a member of a media pool.

• A media volume cannot belong to more than one media pool.

• All media volumes in a media pool must be of the same type (for example, a 4 mm tape cartridge).

• Data can only be backed up to defined volumes. However, it can be labeled on the fly if you choose the global default option for doing so.

• For a media pool used with a StorageTek ACS, an IBM 3494, or an ADIC AML or SDLC, you do not use DPX to add media volumes to the pool. Instead, you add tapes through the hardware interface of the manufacturer. When you later perform a backup, DPX automatically adds the new media volumes to the appropriate media pools.

Restrictions. Currently, media volumes can only be added via the desktop interface. This feature will be extended to the web interface in future releases.

Desktop interface

To define a new media volume or a set of media volumes:

1. Click the Configure tab on the Function Tab bar of the window, then click Media in the task panel.

2. Open the Add Media Volume dialog in the right pane by doing one of the following:

   • Right-click the media pool name or icon to display a context menu. The selection is indicated by the check box next to the media pool icon. Then select Add Media Volumes.

   • In the left pane, select the media pool to which you want to add the media volume(s) and do one of the following:

     • From the menu bar, select Media > Add Media Volume.

     • On the task panel, click Add Media.

   The Add Media Volume dialog appears.

   
3. Complete the active fields in the Add Media Volume dialog:

   • Capacity

     Tells the native storage capacity of the media volume(s). Enter a number, then select the unit of measure from the pull-down menu: megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). DPX uses this field to estimate free space on a media volume, but this field does not affect the amount of data DPX can actually store on the media volume.

   • Maximum Number Passes Allowed

     Tells DPX the number of times a media can be written to, including second passes. Enter a number recommended by the manufacturer (for example, 500). After the specified number of passes, DPX no longer requests the media volume for backups and will not accept it if it is mounted for backup. It is still available for restores. This option is not always enforced.

   • Volume Serial Number

     Enter a volume name (up to 6 alphanumeric characters, no spaces). The name cannot be the same as an existing media volume.

     If you are defining a set of consecutively named volumes, this must be the name of the first volume in the set. To define a set, the value you enter in this field must end with a number (for example, ENG001). DPX automatically creates consecutively named volumes (ENG002, ENG003, etc.), depending on the number you enter in the Number Volumes field (described immediately below).

     If you enter “1” in the Number Volumes field, Volume Serial Number is simply the name of the single volume you are adding.

   • Number Volumes

     Use this field to define a set of consecutively numbered media volumes. DPX automatically names and incrementally numbers the volumes, beginning with the volume entered in the Volume Serial Number field. For example, if the entry in Volume Serial Number is ENG001 and you specify 3 for Number Volumes, DPX accepts ENG001 and automatically creates volumes ENG002 and ENG003. To define only one media volume, enter “1” in this field.

   The following are non-alterable fields:

   • Media Pool Name

     This read-only field indicates the name of the selected media pool.

   • Media Type

     This read-only field indicates the type of media in the pool (for example 4 mm).

4. Click Add. The media volumes are now added and are visible in the tree view. At the same time, as the media pool is selected, the pane to the right shows the EDIT MEDIA POOL dialog.