RD1000 and V5BACKUP FINAL DRAFT

Introduction

The Dell PowerVault RD1000 removable disk cartridges provide an easy-to-use, cost-effective and durable solution for storing and archiving data using the PowerVault RD1000 removable disk drive. The cartridges offer easy portability for offsite storage and disaster recovery protection. Continuous Data Protection software included with every PowerVault RD1000 provides users with an easy, reliable total data protection solution.

This new storage device called a RD1000 that has been released by Dell which enables group Customers to change their method of data security from their existing tape cartridges and will hold several copies of their data. It is a removable cartridge ie a removable hard disk. Currently the capacity of these devices is 320 gb . Most of our customers have data sets of approximately 5 gb.

V5backup has been modified to include a new device option and new commands and also the ability to configure how many backups you wish to store on each device. If you configure the device for only one , then each time the software will overwrite the existing archive. There is also a new format command to prepare the cartridge for use and an eject command.

· Prerequisites

The server where the RD1000 is to be installed has to be operating with LINUX 5.4 or greater, and CHARISMA 11.0.60 or greater.

The Cartridge should be formatted using a command “preprmedia” before use with V5BACKUP. This script will exist on all systems that have CHARISMA 11.0.60 or greater in use.

· Preparation

To format the device , type in preprmedia from the bml prompt. The screen below will be displayed.

Charisma removable media maintenance. Version 1.0

Removable media discovered <1>

####################################################

# WARNING: Root password required to format media. #

####################################################

Device: <sda>

Vendor: <DELL >

Model: <RD1000 >

Partition: <sda1>

Mount: </media/CHARISMA0>

FileSys: <ext3>

Label: <CHARISMA0>

##############################################################

# WARNING: Formatting removable media will destroy contents. #

##############################################################

[F]ormat, [Q]uit or CR=Skip?

If the device is not ready ie not loaded , then you receive a message that Removable media discovered <0>, which means it cannot find the device and will return back to the bml prompt. Load the cartridge as requested.

The mount point that is used with preprmedia is always CHARISMA0 , to prevent the need for users having to modify the options within V5BACKUP every day depending on the cartridge used. Each archive has a different label and date to each individual archive for use when restoring from an archive.

When you have selected F to format then the root password is requested. Once this has been entered then the cartridge is formatted and labelled as CHARISMA0 and the cartridge will be ejected.

Useful commands

· eject /(device name) ie /media /CHARISMA0 This will eject the cartridge if ever it is necessary . V5backup will normally eject the cartridge automatically.

· Preprmedia

· Options within V5BACKUP and operation of V5Backup.

1. Change options

The Change options screen within V5BACKUP will allow you to change options to operate with the RD1000.

N.B. The cartridge must be loaded to modify the options. If not you will receive an error INVALID DIRECTORY when changing the device option.

Necessary changes: -

Device: This needs to be the mount point together with the label of the formatted cartridge.

Eg : /media/CHARISMA0

Type : Needs to be D for directory

Other command options: needs to be –iPz (Where i and z are lower case.

Other extract options : need to be –iPz also for restore.

Max number of jobs : Needs to be the number of archives on each cartridge. IE if your data is 30gb then it may be possible to hold 5 archives. Please refer to the support group for advice on this setting. When the number of copies of the archive reach this number then the oldest copy is removed and replaced with the current archive.

Final command: This needs to be “eject $mp” and this will eject the cartridge after backup.

2 Backup

Once the options are changed as above then backup operates in the same manner as with any other device or tape except the backup will test that a cartridge is available and is formatted by trying to write to the device as part of the test when configuring a timed or an immediate backup .

If you try and use V5BACKUP with media that is not formatted, you will receive a message telling you that the cartridge is not available or not formatted as below.

“Writing to the tape appears to have failed.

Check the following :-

o The tape is in the drive.

o The tape is not write protected.

o The media is formatted (preprmedia)

o A correct mount point is being used

Do you wish to retry : Y”

This will recycle until one of the situations shown above is altered ie the cartridge is put into the drive or is formatted or the change options is revisited and the correct mount point is entered.

3 Restore

Once the options are changed the restore operates in the same manner as with any other device , except that the option to select the particular archive is provided and the restore does not automatically eject the cartridge therefore the eject command is needed once the restore is completed.