Multiple Copies

Using the Multiple Copies option (sometimes referred to as Inline Tape Copy or ITC), NetBackup can create up to four copies of a backup simultaneously, provided that the storage units are on the same media server and there are sufficient resources available for each copy. For example, creating four copies simultaneously in a Media Manager storage unit requires four tape drives.

The Maximum Backup Copies property specifies the total number of backup copies that may exist in the NetBackup catalog (2 through 10). NetBackup creates either the number of copies specified under Multiple Copies, or the number of copies specified as the Maximum Backup Copies property, whichever is smaller.

If you want to create more than four copies, additional copies may be created at a later time using duplication.

The storage units used for multiple copies must be configured to allow a sufficient number of concurrent jobs to support the concurrent copies (Maximum Concurrent Jobs or Maximum Concurrent Drives Used for Backup setting).

You can write multiple images to the following storage units:

• Media Manager storage units (except optical devices)
• Disk storage units
• Disk staging storage units

If you create multiple original images simultaneously, the backup time required may be longer than for one copy. Also, if you specify both Media Manager and disk storage units, the duration of disk write operations will match that of slower removable media write operations.

  To configure a schedule to create multiple copies during a backup

1. Multiple copies can be created for a regular backup policy or for a disk staging storage unit relocation schedule:

   In a policy, created for a regular backup:

   Expand NetBackup Management > Policies. Double-click an existing policy or select Edit > New to create a new policy.

   For a relocation schedule, created as part of a disk staging storage unit:

   1. Expand NetBackup Management > Storage Units. Double-click an existing storage unit or select Actions > New > Storage Unit.
   2. Select Disk Staging as the storage type and configure the other storage unit selections. For more information on disk staging storage units, see Disk Staging Storage Unit Considerations.
   3. Click the Disk Staging Schedule button.
2. Select the Schedules tab.
3. Double-click an existing schedule or click New to create a new schedule.
4. In the Attributes tab, select Multiple Copies, then click Configure.
5. In the Copies field, specify the number of copies to be created simultaneously. The maximum is four, or the number of copies specified by the Maximum Backup Copies setting, whichever is smaller.

   Copy 1 is the primary copy. If Copy 1 fails for some reason, the first successful copy is the primary copy.

6. Specify the storage unit where each copy will be stored. If a Media Manager storage unit has multiple drives, it can be used for both the source and the destination.
7. Specify the volume pool where each copy will be stored.
8. Select the Retention level for each copy.
9. In the event that the copy does not complete, select whether you'd like the entire job to fail, or whether you'd like the remaining copies to continue.

   If a copy is configured to allow other copies to continue the job if the copy fails, and if Checkpoint Restart for Backup Jobs is selected for this policy, only the last failed copy that contains a checkpoint can be resumed.

10. Click OK.