Set Catalog Backup Destination Options

The Backup Destination Options dialog controls how DPX handles media volumes during a backup operation.

To set backup destination options:

1. Open the Backup Destination Options dialog box by doing one of the following:

   • Right-click the Enterprise name or icon to display a context menu. Then select Set Destination Options.

   • From the menu bar, select Backup > Set Destination Options.

   • On the task panel, click Set Destination Options.

   The Backup Destination Options dialog box appears.

2. Optionally enter or revise each field:

   • Backup Type

     Select the backup type these job options are being defined for. Choices are Base, Incremental, and Differential. For Catalog backups, only Base Backup is available.

   • Tape Usage

     Determines whether or not to accept a tape with data on it.

   Use a new tape	Requires media with status New or Empty from the selected media pool. Media with status New is only be used if the option “Unlabeled Tape Usage” (defined below) is set to “Allow unlabeled tapes and label them.”
   Attempt to append data to available tape	Accepts a backup tape from the selected media pool with data on it (status Appendable) and writes to the unused portion of the tape. The appended data can have a retention period that differs from the data preceding it on the tape.

   • Unlabeled Tape Usage

     Determines expected behavior when an unlabeled tape is found in the tape drive.

     Label unlabeled tapes	Label the unlabeled tape. This saves the step of labeling a tape beforehand.
     Reject unlabeled tapes	Do not use the unlabeled tape.

   • Tape Retention (Days)

     Note. Although the Tape Retention option is displayed, it is not recommended for Catalog backup. Use instead, use the scheduler to set the retention period. Click Schedule Backup Job in the task pane. See Creating New Catalog Backup Jobs.

     Determines how long the backed up data for this job is saved in the Catalog. Note that every job can have a different retention associated with it, so a single tape may contain jobs with retentions ranging from one day to many years. A tape expires (that is, the status changes from Full or Appendable to Empty) if all jobs on the tape expire (that is, reach their retention periods).

     The Catalog condense operation checks for expired retention periods. If you do not perform a Catalog condense, then tapes will not expire. It is recommended that you perform a Catalog condense on a regular basis.

   • Mark Original Offsite

     Determines if a backup tape is stored offsite. DPX adds the Offsite status to the tape.

     Yes	Indicates in the Catalog that the tape is stored offsite.
     No	Indicates in the Catalog that the tape is stored onsite.

   • Append Offsite

     Determines if a backup tape with status “Offsite” can be appended to.

     Yes	Tapes in the library with status “Offsite” can be appended to. The Append Offsite field on the Edit Media Pool dialog must also be set to Yes.
     No	Tapes in the library with status “Offsite” can not be appended to.

     The Offsite status of a tape can be viewed through the Operate Tape Library function, the Configure Media function, or in the media volume report. Note that when you use the Operate Tape Library function to import a tape with status Offsite, the Offsite status is cleared and the tape is available for use.

   • Twin Tapes

     Enables the twinning option. The twinning option creates two sets of backups simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate tape duplication for off-site vaulting.

     Yes	Backs up data simultaneously to two tapes.
     No	Disables twinning.

   • Mark Twin Offsite

     Indicates in the Catalog the location of twinned tapes, if twinning is on.

     Yes	Indicates that the twinned tape (second tape) is stored offsite.
     No	Indicates in the Catalog that the tape is stored onsite.

   • Tape EOJ Usage

     Determines what to do with the tape when the backup job is complete.

     Rewind Tapes	For a standalone tape device, this option rewinds the tape and leaves it in the drive. For a tape library tape drive, this option rewinds, unloads, and returns the tape to its slot.
     Unload Tapes	For a standalone tape device, this option rewinds the tape and ejects it from the drive. For a tape library tape drive, this option rewinds, unloads, and returns the tape to its slot. For DiskDirectory, this option causes empty volsers to be used before new volsers.
     Leave Tapes	For both standalone and tape library tape drives, this option leaves the tape wound to the point where the job ended and leaves it in the drive. The next job attempts to use the tape in the drive instead of mounting a new tape. In the case of standalone drive, if the currently mounted tape is unacceptable (for example, if the next backup requires a tape from a different media pool), the operator is prompted to mount another tape. In the case of a tape library, if the tape in the drive is rejected for any reason, it unloads the tape, returns it to its slot, and proceed to select another tape.

   • Checksum Files

     Generates a checksum value for each file that is backed up. The checksum value is written to the SIDF header.

     Yes	Generates a checksum value for backed up files.
     No	Turns off checksum generation. If you turn checksum generation off, level 3 verification cannot be performed. For more information on level 3 verification, see the source option Verify Backup.

   • Performance Options

     Although Performance Options display in the management console, it is strongly recommended to not change the default setting. The Performance Options option controls the number of tasks running concurrently within a backup job.

   • Split Size (MB)

     Although the Split Size (MB) option displays in the management console, do not use this field for Catalog backup.

   • Concurrency Per Device (Nodes)

     Although the Concurrency Per Device (Nodes) option displays in the management console, do not use this field for Catalog backup.

   • Max Devices (Devices)

     Although the Max Devices (Devices) option displays in the management console, do not use this field for Catalog backup.

   • Min Devices (Devices)

     Although the Min Devices (Devices) option displays in the management console, do not use this field for Catalog backup.

   • Tape Mount Attempts

     The maximum number to check a tape in a standalone tape device.

   • Mount Interval (Seconds)

     The number of seconds to wait between checking the availability of a tape in a standalone tape device.

   • Early Device Release

     Controls tape drive usage.

     Select Yes to release the tape drive after the current task with a tape drive finishes so that the next job can use the same tape drive before completing the entire job.

     Or, select No so as not to make the tape drive available for the next job until the entire job completes.