Storix Software SBAdmin User Guide - Manual (Page 48)

The sequential data is written to the first tape in the
first drive until it fills up. Then, the backup continues
onto the next drive in the list, etc. Only when all tapes
in all drives are filled will the user be prompted to
change volumes. Then, the backup continues again
with the first drive and so forth. The volumes are
numbered in sequential order. Assuming all drives
are of the same type, the backup will be identical to a
backup written to a single tape drive, so restores may
be done either with the same sequential device or
from a single-drive device.
The data is split into multiple buffers (one for each
drive) of the same size, and the data is sent to all
three drives at the same time. The user will be
prompted to change the volumes in each drive as it
fills up, which may not necessarily be at the same
time as other drives, particularly when using different
types of tape drives in the same parallel device. The
volumes are numbered with a letter representing the
tape drive (A, B, C..) and a number representing the
volume in each drive (1, 2, 3...). Data from a parallel
device backup may only be verified or restored using
a parallel device with the same number and types of
drives.
An identical copy of the same data is written to each
of the drives at the same time, normally at about the
same time it would take to write to a single drive.
Since the same data is written to each drive, the
volumes are numbered as though each is a single-
drive backup. Since a multi-copy device backup looks
identical to multiple single-drive backups, each of the
backups can only be read using one drive at a time.
Sequential Autoloader
Select the “Yes” button if the selected tape drives are physically contained in a sequential autoloader or
“tape changer”. This may also be a tape library set to sequential mode. When you backup or restore using a
device configured as an autoloader, no volume prompts will appear on the screen at end of volume, but the
tape will be ejected and the process will wait for a new tape to be inserted. No commands are issued to the
autoloader device, but the process expects that the autoloader will automatically insert the next tape as
needed. The backup or restore will continue automatically when the new tape is inserted. Note that, when
beginning a backup or restore, the first tape containing the backup to read or write must already be inserted
before the process begins.
Random Library
Select the “Yes” to indicate the tape drives are physically contained in a random tape library. When backing
up or restoring from a random tape library, the tape will be ejected at the end of volume, and SBAdmin will
issue the commands needed to return the tape to its original slot in the library, then grab and insert the next
Storix System Backup Administrator 48 Version 8.2 User Guide