ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE ECHO - ENTERPRISE SERVER User Manual page 35

metadata on tape, so that identification information can be obtained when mounting a
tape that is not registered in the database.
If the database is lost or not available (say, you detach the tape device and attach it to
another computer or reinstall Windows) the necessary information is derived from the
metadata saved on the tape and the database will be recreated on the new host using the
new host RSM. This operation is performed at first access to the tape device while setting
up a backup, recovery or validation task. Therefore, under Windows the program knows
which tape should be mounted even if the data is recovered on another machine.
When booted from Acronis rescue media or backing up to a locally attached tape device,
Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server uses another mechanism for access to tape
devices since RSM is not available.
Moving tapes between tape devices
A tape that already has backups can be added to a tape device. When the tape device is
selected in the recovery or validation wizard, the newly added tape is scanned by the RSM
and then by Acronis and added to the Acronis database and the Acronis, or Import Media
pool. The access to the archives on the tape becomes available.
However, Acronis will not scan the added tape for changes if the tape already is in the
Acronis database. If you eject a tape, back up another machine on this tape and take the
tape back to the first tape device, the second machine archive will not be discovered by
Acronis and therefore cannot be restored by the first tape device. Please be aware of this
limitation when using tapes between multiple computers.
Using RSM pools
At first backup to the tape device, Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server takes a
tape from the Free pool. The program creates the Acronis pool and puts the 1st tape in
the pool. The tape stays mounted after writing a backup is completed. The next backups,
regardless of their contents, will be placed on the same tape, unless the tape free space
runs out.
When the 1st tape is full, the program looks for another cartridge in the Free pool and
uses it without user intervention. If the Free pool is empty, a cartridge from the Import
media pool is used through a prompt. (You have an option to disable prompts, see
6.3.14 Additional settings
So, to fully automate changing tapes at backup, you must always have at least one tape
in the Free pool (or a tape in the Import media pool and the prompt disabled.)
Overwriting old archives
You can move tapes with outdated archives from the Acronis pool to the Free pool
periodically using the Removable storage snap-in. To do so:
1. Select Control panel -> Administrative tools -> Computer management -> Removable
storage -> Media pools -> Acronis.
2. Right click on the tape in the Acronis pool, dismount the tape if it is has a status
Loaded and select Free from the context menu. The tape will be moved to the Free pool.
After putting a tape in the Free pool RSM and then Acronis will rescan it and record it to
the database with a new GUID.
A deleted archive is not necessarily deleted from the tape, it can be just marked as
deleted in the catalogue.
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