Understanding Backup To Tape Devices Attached To The Backup Server - ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE ECHO - WORKSTATION User Manual

3.8.2 Understanding backup to tape devices attached to the Backup
Server
Archives cataloguing
Acronis True Image Echo Workstation creates a dedicated database for archives and
tapes cataloguing (\Program files\Common Files\Acronis\Fomatik\tape_archives.fdb.)
Each tape of an RSM-managed device has its own GUID stored in the Windows registry.
Acronis True Image Echo Workstation creates its own ID for each tape, sets up the
correspondence between this ID and the RSM GUID and stores that information along
with information about the archive in its own database. Additionally, the program stores
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 Workstation 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 Workstation 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:
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