Michael Angelo Consulting Co. (609) 641-6392 | NJ Computer Networking and Repair

1         Preparing TAPE Media for backups

1.1    USAID Backup Policy

The Backup policy for the Mission USAID servers will be as follows: 

Ø       For the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday backups, a two-week tape rotation cycle will be created, whereby TWO tapes will be created for each day of the week for each USAID Server.  Two sets of four tapes will be created and used in alternating weeks’ backup jobs.  Each week’s backups will be held onsite and then overwritten/reused every other week. 

Ø       Each Friday’s backup will be archived and held onsite for a month.  Therefore, for the Friday backups, there will be FIVE tapes created for each of the four servers (one for each of the four weeks of the month and an additional tape to allow for those months that contain a fifth Friday).  A rotational cycle will then be set up for the tapes, whereby each week the previous Friday’s backup will be rotated out (to be held for a month), and the fourth tape in the set (which will be the oldest in the set, having been held for a month) is rotated in to be used for the current Friday’s backup.  The next Friday the process repeats itself, using the next tape in the rotational set, and so on. 

Ø       A manual full backup will be performed on all servers on a monthly basis.  These backups will be performed on the final business day of the month, and then stored either in an offsite secure facility, or in an onsite fireproof/secure container.  The retention period for this data is to be two years.

1.2    Backup Procedure Overview

Windows 2000 Backup (Ntbackup.exe) is designed to work with Removable Storage Manager (RSM) to manage media during a backup session. When you have a stand-alone tape library (one that requires you to manually load/unload media), you can schedule nightly unattended backups provided the data that you are backing up can fit on a single tape. The backup method that will be employed by USAID is known as the Managed method.  This method ensures the proper tape is always in the tape drive before overwriting the tape, and is recommended by Microsoft.

To use this method, all tapes are first physically labeled.  They are then prepared for use and logically labeled by the operating system.  Then, the appropriate recurring backup jobs are created and scheduled.  Once this is completed, the only manual intervention that is required is ensuring that the previous night's backup tape is ejected and the next night's tape is inserted into the stand-alone tape library.  This operation can be performed anytime prior to the next scheduled backup session.

This section outlines the basic concepts and steps necessary to prepare and label the tapes, and how to schedule NTBackup to use the tapes.  There are five major components to the process: 

Ø       Physical Labeling of the Tape Set

Ø       Preparing The Tape

Ø       Logically Labeling The Tape

Ø       Ejecting the Tape From the DAT Drive

Ø       Scheduling the Backups

 

1.3    Physical Labeling Of Tape Set

Before the tapes are configured with the Operating System, the entire set of tapes must be physically labeled.  These labels must exactly match the logical labels that will be assigned during the tape preparation process.  This is critical because when the backup jobs are scheduled, the tape/media that is specified in the backup job MUST match the tape that is physically in the drive or the backup will not succeed.  Physically preparing the entire set of tapes BEFORE you begin the logical labeling process will minimize the chance for errors. 

Use the following standards and references for the Tape Labels:

Ø       Thirty-Two (32) Tapes per site (8 per server) will be required for the 2-week Monday-Thursday backups.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.1 to label each of the 32 Mon-Thurs backup tapes.

Ø       Twenty (20) tapes per site will need to be reserved and prepared for Friday 4-week rotational backup cycle.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.2 to label each of the 20 Friday backup tapes.

Ø       A total of Ninety-Six (96) tapes will be required for the monthly manual backups:  12 Tapes for each of the 4 servers for 2 years.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.3 as a referencing label for the monthly backup tapes.

Secure a complete set of tapes, and label them according to the entries in Tables 8.1, 8.2, & 8.3.  Once the entire set of tapes has been physically labeled, proceed to the Prepare section.

 

 

 

Table 8.2:  Windows 2000 Backup Label Naming:  Friday Weekly Rotation Backup
	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Fifth Friday
Server Name
2KXXXXX01	2KXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 1	2KXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 2	2KXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 3	2KXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 4	2KXXXXX01 Fifth Friday Full Backup
2KXXXXX02	2KXXXXX02 Friday Full Backup Week 1	2KXXXXX02 Friday Full Backup Week 2	2KXXXXX02 Friday Full Backup Week 3	2KXXXXX02 Friday Full Backup Week 4	2KXXXXX02 Fifth Friday Full Backup
E2XXXXX01	E2XXXXX01 Friday System & Exchange Backup Week 1	E2XXXXX01 Friday System & Exchange Backup Week 2	E2XXXXX01 Friday System & Exchange Backup Week 3	E2XXXXX01 Friday System & Exchange Backup Week 4	E2XXXXX01 Fifth Friday System & Exchange Backup
FPXXXXX01	FPXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 1	FPXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 2	FPXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 3	FPXXXXX01 Friday Full Backup Week 4	FPXXXXX01 Fifth Friday Full Backup

 

 

1.4    Preparing The Tape:

Use the following steps to prepare each tape that you want NTBackup to use.  Remember that NTBackup can only use prepared tapes during a backup session.  This operation writes a free media label on the tape, and makes it available for use by the NTBackup application.

1.       Access the “Manage All <DOMAIN> Servers” MMC.  Using Computer Management (focused on the local computer to which you are logged on), expand Storage, expand Removable Media, and then expand Physical Locations.  Locate and expand the entry for the tape device (Compaq DDS4 20/40 Gig), and then click the Media icon under the tape device.

 

Figure 8.4‑1 :  Computer Management RSM "Media"

 

2.       Insert a tape into the tape drive. Begin with the 2KXXXXX01 server, and insert the “Monday Full Backup:  Week 1” tape into the drive.  RSM reads the tape, and the media pool in which it resides is displayed in the right pane.

3.       If the tape is NEW, continue to step 5.  If the tape has already been used, labeled and/or Allocated to a Windows 2000 RSM Media Pool, and you wish to reformat and re-label it, go to step 4

Ø       NOTE:  Only perform the procedures in Step 4 on a previously-used tape, and if you are sure that it is not currently being used as part of the backup cycle and you are willing to lose all data and formatting on the tape.  The procedure in Step 4 is helpful in recycling existing tapes, if you wish to re-label previously-prepared tapes, or add tapes whose data is out of the backup cycle back to the media pool.  It is NOT for NEW tapes. 

4.       If a tape has been previously prepared/labeled, it becomes Allocated, and is unable to be reformatted/re-prepared in that state.  Therefore, before this can be accomplished, the tape must be deallocated.  Perform the following steps to complete the deallocation process: 

a.       In the right pane, right-click the tape, and then click All Tasks.

b.      In the fly-out menu that appears, select deallocate, as shown in Figure 8.4.2.  NOTE:  If the tape is NEW, and/or has NOT been prepared before, the ‘deallocate’ option will be grayed out, and not available.  If this is the case, simply proceed to the “Prepare” procedure beginning in Step 5.

 

Figure 8.4‑2:  Accessing “Deallocate” Procedure For NON-NEW MEDIA

 

c.       You will receive the warning alert as indicated in Figure 8.4.3.  Click “Yes” to confirm the deallocation process.  The media will be deallocated, made available, and you may now continue with the “Prepare” process, which begins in Step 5.

 

Figure 8.4‑3  Deallocation Confirmation for NON NEW MEDIA

 

5.       In the right pane, right-click the tape, and then click Prepare, as shown in Figure 8.4.4.

 

Figure 8.4‑4:  Initializing the “Prepare” Media Process for NEW Media

 

6.       You will receive the 2 alert notifications as shown in Figures 8.4.5 & 8.4.6.  Click Yes to both screens to prepare the media. 

 

 

Figure 8.4‑5:  Confirm Media Preparation 1

 

 

Figure 8.4‑6:  Confirm Media Preparation 2

 

 

7.       Wait for the media state to change to "Idle, available" and the media pool to change to "free."  Continue refreshing the screen (using the F5 button or by Right-Clicking in the right window and clicking “Refresh” on the flyout menu) until the operation completes and displays the correct settings (See Figure 8.4.7).

 

Figure 8.4‑7:  Successful Media Preparation Showing Available Media State and Media in Free Pool

 

8.       After a free label is written, the tape is now prepared.  The next step in the process is Labeling the tape.  

 

1.5    Logically Labeling The Tape

After you prepare the tape using the steps above, use NTBackup to write a Microsoft Tape Format (MTF) label with a name that describes the contents of the tape.  After this is accomplished, you can schedule NTBackup to use that tape over and over again by specifying the particular media label name that is assigned during this procedure.  NOTE: This operation writes a unique MTF label on each tape.  Be sure each tape has a unique name, even if you rotate different sets of tapes (weekly).

To write a label onto the tape and make it available for NTBackup use, an initial manual backup must be run.  Use the following steps to label the tape for NTBackup use.

9.       Make sure the tape you just prepared in Step B (in this case we have been working with the “Monday Full Backup – Week 1” tape for the 2KXXXXX01 server) is in the local tape drive, and that you are logged on to the same server. 

10.   Start NTBackup (Start || Programs || Accessories || System Tools || Backup ), and then click Backup Wizard (See Figure 8.5.1)

 

 

Figure 8.5‑1:  Windows NTBackup

 

11.   When the "What to Backup" dialog box is displayed, click "backup selected files, drives, or network data" as shown in Figure 8.5.2, and then click Next.

 

Figure 8.5‑2:  “Back Up Selected Files “Option

 

12.   When the "Items to Backup" dialog box is displayed, click on “My Documents,” as shown in Figure 8.5.3.  Click NEXT.

Ø    NOTE: It is not critical which folder is backed up, as the purpose of this task is to create a Media Label for the tape, which requires an actual backup to be run.  The “My Documents” folder was chosen because of its size and ease of accessibility.

 

Figure 8.5‑3:  Selecting “My Documents” Folder to Back Up

 

13.   When the "Where to Store the Backup" dialog box is displayed, in the "Backup media type" area, make sure that the tape drive (4mmDDS) is selected, and that "New Media" is shown/selected in the "Backup media or file name" area (See Figure 8.5.4). 

Ø       NOTE:  The purpose of this procedure is to create a new media label on a newly prepared tape, which will subsequently be added to the backup media pool and used as part of the USAID backup cycles.  You will be preparing many tapes for use, so it is important to ensure that New Media is chosen when a new tape is prepared, and NOT a previously-created piece of media.  This is especially important as you get more and more tapes labeled and your media pool grows, as each tape will then appear as an available option on the “Backup Media or filename” pull-down menu.

 

 

Figure 8.5‑4:  Initial Labeling Backup Media Specifying “New Media” for Backup

 

14.   When the "Completing the Backup Wizard" dialog box is displayed, click Advanced, as shown in Figure 8.5.5.

 

Figure 8.5‑5:  Accessing “Advanced” NTBackup Features

15.   Continue clicking Next through the screens until the Media Options dialog box is displayed, as illustrated in Figure 8.5.6.  Make sure that Replace the data on the media with this backup is selected.  If you are labeling a brand new tape, the “Append...” option should be grayed out and inaccessible.  (NOTE:  If you are re-labeling an existing tape, “append” will be available, but you should make sure that the Replace option is selected.)  Once this is done, click Next.

 

Figure 8.5‑6:  NTBackup Media Options Screen

 

16.   The Backup Label options screen will appear next (see Figure 8.5.7).  In this dialog box, you can change the Backup Label and Media Label fields.  This is the critical step in the labeling procedure, as the information in the Media Label field distinguishes one tape from another.   

17.   For the Backup Label field, simply enter “Initial Label BU”.  This data is not critical, and will have no effect on later backups.  It is required for naming purposes only.

 

Figure 8.5‑7:  Backup Label Specification Screen

 

18.   The Media Labels MUST exactly match the PHYSICAL labels assigned to the tapes during Step A of this procedure.  As before, the Media Labels must comply with the following standards:

Ø       For the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday backups, a two-week tape rotation cycle will be created, whereby TWO tapes will be created for each day of the week for each USAID Server.  Two sets of four tapes will be created and used in alternating weeks’ backup jobs.  Each week’s backups will be held onsite and then overwritten/reused every other week.  Thirty-Two (32) Tapes per site (8 per server) will be required for this component.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.1 to label each of the 32 Mon-Thurs backup tapes.  NOTE:  The Table displayed below is a copy of the one from above for convenience.

Ø       Each Friday’s backup will be archived and held onsite for a month.  Therefore, for the Friday backups, there will be FIVE tapes created for each of the four servers (one for each of the four weeks of the month and an additional tape to allow for those months that contain a fifth Friday).  A rotational cycle will then be set up for the tapes, whereby each week the previous Friday’s backup will be rotated out (to be held for a month), and the fourth tape in the set (which will be the oldest in the set, having been held for a month) is rotated in to be used for the current Friday’s backup.  The next Friday the process repeats itself, using the next tape in the rotational set, and so on.  To allow for this cycle, Twenty (20) tapes per site will need to be reserved and prepared for this process.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.2 to label each of the 20 Friday backup tapes.  NOTE:  The Table displayed below is a copy of the one from above for convenience.

Ø       A manual full backup will be performed on all servers on a monthly basis.  These backups will be performed on the final business day of the month, and then stored either in an offsite secure facility, or in an onsite fireproof/secure container.  The retention period for this data is to be two years.  For this component, a total of 96 tapes will be required:  12 Tapes for each of the 4 servers for 2 years.  Use the entries listed below in Table 8.3 as a referencing label for the monthly backup tapes.  NOTE:  The Table displayed below is a copy of the one from above for convenience.

 

19.   Using the tables below, find the appropriate Media Label for the Server/Tape that you are using, and enter that in the Media Label field.  Make sure that the Media label matches the physical tape that is in the drive.

VERY IMPORTANT – PHYSICAL LABELING OF TAPES

 

 

 

 

 

20.   Continue through the dialog boxes and start the backup. This will back up the single folder and write the media label that you specified in the step above to the tape.  Once complete, this tape/media can now be used for scheduled backups.

21.   After the backup process is finished, quit NTBackup.

22.   Using RSM, look in the backup media pool and notice the tape is present.  The name (Media Label) should now match the one that you specified in the previous backup. 

1.5.1          EJECTING THE DAT DRIVE TAPE – VERY IMPORTANT

The last step in the process is to physically eject the newly-prepared tape from the server DAT Drive.  While this may seem to be a very simple and self-evident task at first, a problem was discovered with the Windows 2000 Operating System which requires that a very careful and specific procedure be followed for doing so.  As was mentioned at the beginning of this document, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EJECT THE TAPE BY SIMPLY PRESSING THE EXTERNAL BUTTON ON THE TAPE DRIVE.  If you do this, the system will not recognize the tape as ejected, nor allow a new tape to be recognized after it is inserted.  In order to avoid this problem, ALWAYS use the Eject Wizard, which is available through the RSM Interface.  Instructions for using this follow. 

 

23.   Go back to RSM, right-click the tape device, and then click Eject.  (See Figure 8.5.8)  Alternatively, you can right click on the media in the right window and click Eject, as shown in Figure 8.5.9. 

 

 

Figure 8.5‑8:   Ejecting a Tape Via the RSM Interface

 

 

 

Figure 8.5‑9:  Alternative Method for Ejecting a Tape Via the RSM Interface

 

24.   The Eject wizard starts as shown in Figure 8.5.10, below. Click NEXT, and the tape will be ejected and moved to the off-line media library. 

 

 

Figure 8.5‑10:  RSM Eject Media Interface

25.   WHEN THE TAPE IS EJECTED FROM THE DAT DRIVE, REVIEW IT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE PHYSICALLY LABELED THE TAPE USING THE SAME LABEL NAME YOU SPECIFIED FOR THE MEDIA LABEL NAME DURING THE BACKUP.

26.   Repeat the steps 1 – 24 for each tape in the entire set until all tapes have been prepared and have valid media labels.