HP B6960-96035 - Manual (Page 124)

Smart media copying using VLS
What is smart media copying?
In smart media copying, the data is first backed up to a virtual tape library (VTL)
configured on the Virtual Library System (VLS). Then, a copy of a virtual tape
containing a backup is made to the physical library attached to the VLS in a process
called automigration. Data Protector initiates the copy process, which is then
performed by the VLS. The data is transferred to a physical library in a smart copy
operation, which allows Data Protector to distinguish between the source and the
target media thus enabling media management. The smart copy media follow the
Data Protector format and can thus be inserted in any compatible tape drive and
read by Data Protector. The result of smart copying is two identical sets of media,
the source medium located on the VLS' virtual tape and the target medium (a smart
copy) located on a physical tape library attached to the VLS. Either of these copies
can be used for restore, thus increasing the security and availability of the backed
up data. You can also keep smart media copies for archiving or vaulting purposes.
Data Protector offers two types of smart media copying: automated smart media
copying and interactive smart media copying.
Automated smart media copying
You can create automated smart media copying of the following types:
• Post-backup smart media copying, which takes place after the completion of a
backup session and copies the media used in that particular session.
• Scheduled smart media copying, which takes place at a specific time or at regular
intervals.
Interactive smart media copying
Interactive smart media copying creates a copy of a medium containing the backed
up data and can be started on demand at any point in time.
What happens after the backup?
After the backup data has been moved to a physical tape, it is still available for the
Data Protector restore. However, since the destination library is not visible to Data
Protector, the restore cannot be performed directly from this library but from any tape
drive or library that is controlled by Data Protector.
For more information about VLS smart copies, see the online Help index: "smart
media copying" and the VLS documentation.
Planning your backup strategy 124