Tape Backup Wizard: Options

On the Options page of the wizard, you can name the job and enable/disable network acceleration and encryption. In addition, you can set up pre and post actions and enable bandwidth throttling. 

Job Options

In this section, you can give a name to the tape backup job and enable/disable app-aware mode, change tracking, network acceleration, and encryption.

Job Name

Specify a name for the tape backup job in the Job name box.

Job Priority

Select a job priority level between 1 and 5, with 1 being the highest priority. Jobs with higher priority levels are prioritized by Transporters during job processing.

Notes

  • This option is only available in the Enterprise, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Plus, MSP Enterprise, and MSP Enterprise Plus editions.

  • If a tape backup job contains multiple backup objects, setting its Job Priority to 1 does not necessarily mean that the job will finish before lower priority jobs. This is because backup objects in Tape backup jobs are processed one by one, meaning that a Transporter is released after processing a given backup object. After the target tape cartridge for a subsequent backup object is found, a Transporter is assigned to the backup object with the highest priority.

Network Acceleration

Once Network Acceleration is enabled, NAKIVO Backup & Replication will use compression and traffic reduction techniques to speed up data transfer. Select this option if you are backing up over WAN without a VPN connection. For more information, refer to Network Acceleration. If the source backup is already compressed, it is recommended to enable Network Acceleration and make sure that the source Backup Repository and target tape device have the same compression level. For more information, see this article.

Data Encryption

If the Encryption option is selected, backup data will be protected with AES 256 encryption while traveling over the network. Data encryption increases the backup time and CPU load on machines running Transporters. Select this option if you back up over WAN without a VPN connection. For more information, refer to Encryption in Flight and at Rest.

Note
You need at least one Transporter at the source and target sites to enable encryption.

Tape Backup Settings

In this section, select when you want the system to create full backups and set up the rules for data appending.


Creating Full Backup

With the Create full backup list, you can specify how often the system should perform a full (not incremental) backup to tape. The following options are available:

  • Always: Every backup will be full

  • Every: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once a week on a specified day

  • Every 2nd: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once in 2 weeks on a specified day

  • First: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once per month starting with the first specified day of the month

  • Second: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once per month starting with the second specified day of the month

  • Third: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once per month starting with the third specified day of the month

  • Fourth: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once per month starting with the fourth specified day of the month

  • Last: Select a day of the week. The full backup will be performed once per month starting with the last specified day of the month

  • Day #: Select the day number. The full backup will be performed once per month on the specified day number

  • Job runs #: Specify the number of backup jobs to pass before running a full backup

With the If a full backup fails, create a full backup on the next job run option selected, the next job run creates a full backup if the current job run fails to do so.

Note
Only Always and Job runs # options are always available for selection. The rest of the options' availability depends on the scheduling settings specified on the Schedule page.

Tape Appending

The Tape appending feature allows you to set up the rules for data appending. The following options are available:

  • Append previous tape if possible: 

    • The job run appends data to the last tape cartridge.

    • If the tape cartridge that was last written during the last job run is not available in the device or is full, the job starts with an empty cartridge:

      • All job objects within the job run are written to the selected tape cartridge one by one.

      • If the selected tape cartridge runs out of space, the next empty tape cartridge is selected and the process repeats until all job objects are written.

  • Start full backup with an empty tape: 

    • In case the backup modes of all job objects within the job run are defined as full:

      • The job run starts with an empty tape cartridge.

      • All job objects within the job run are written to the selected tape cartridge one by one.

      • If the selected tape cartridge runs out of space, the next empty tape cartridge is selected and the process repeats until all job objects are written.

    • In case the backup modes of all job objects within the job run are defined as incremental:

      • The job run appends data to the last tape cartridge.

      • All job objects within the job run are written to the selected tape cartridge one by one.

      • If the selected tape cartridge runs out of space, the next empty tape cartridge is selected and the process repeats until all job objects are written.

    • In case the backup modes of all job objects within the job run are defined as a mix of full and incremental modes:

      • The job run appends data to the last tape cartridge.

      • All job objects within the job run are written to the selected tape cartridge one by one.

      • If the selected tape cartridge runs out of space, the next empty tape cartridge is selected and the process repeats until all job objects are written.

  • Always start with an empty tape: 

    • The job starts with an empty tape cartridge.

    • All job objects within the job run are written to the selected tape cartridge one by one.

    • In case the selected tape cartridge runs out of space, the next empty tape cartridge is selected and the process repeats until all job objects are written.

Pre and Post Job Actions

NAKIVO Backup & Replication provides you with the ability to enable certain actions before a tape backup job begins and after it has completed. You can choose to send job run reports to the email provided and run local pre and post job scripts.


Email Notifications 

NAKIVO Backup & Replication can send email notifications on job completion status to specified recipients. This feature complements global notifications and provides you with the ability to configure notifications on a per-job level.

To enable this option, configure your Email settings.

To send email notifications, do the following:

  • In the Pre- and Post- Actions section, select the Send job run reports to option and specify one or more email addresses in the text box. Separate multiple email addresses with a semicolon.

Pre Job Script

To run a script before the product begins copying backups, do the following:

  1. Place a script file on the machine on which the Director is installed.

  2. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select the Run local pre job script option and click the settings link. Specify the following parameters in the dialog that opens:

  • Script path: Specify a local path to the script on the machine on which the Director is installed. Script interpreter should be specified. 
    • Example (Windows): cmd.exe /c D:\script.bat
    Example (Linux): bash /root/script.sh

  • Job behavior: Choose either of the following job behaviors in relation to script completion:

    • Wait for the script to finish: If this option is selected, tape backup will not be started until the script is completed.

    • Do not wait for the script to finish: If this option is selected, the product will run the script and will start copying backups at the same time.

  • Error handling: Choose either of the following job behaviors in relation to script failure:

    • Continue the job on script failure: If this option is selected, the job will perform tape backup even if the script has failed.

    • Fail the job on script failure: If this option is selected and the script fails, the job will be failed and tape backup will not be performed.

Post Job Script

To run a script after the product has finished copying all backups, do the following:

  1. Place a script file on the machine on which the Director is installed.

  2. In the Pre and Post Actions section, select the Run local post job script option and click the settings link. Specify the following parameters in the dialog box that opens:

  • Script path: Specify a local path to the script on the machine on which the Director is installed. Script interpreter should be specified. 

    Example (Windows): cmd.exe /c D:\script.bat

    Example (Linux): bash /root/script.sh

  • Job behavior: Choose either of the following job behaviors in relation to script completion:

    • Wait for the script to finish: If this option is selected, the job will be in the “running” state until the script is completed.

    • Do not wait for the script to finish: f this option is selected, the job will be completed even if the script execution is still in progress.

  • Error handling: Choose either of the following job behaviors in relation to script failure:

    • Continue the job on script failure: If this option is selected, script failure will not influence the status of the job.

    • Fail the job on script failure: If this option is selected and the script has failed, the job status will be set to “failed” even if VM backup has been successful.

Important
Pre and post job scripts can be executed only on the machine where the Director is installed.

Data Transfer

In the Data Transfer section of the Options page, you can configure bandwidth throttling.

Bandwidth Throttling

Follow the steps below to regulate the speed of data transfer over the network for your tape backup job:

  1. For the Bandwidth throttling option, choose Enabled.

    Note
    If bandwidth throttling is disabled for the current job, global bandwidth rules may still apply to your job. Refer to Bandwidth Throttling for details.

  2. Click the Settings link that becomes available.

  3. The Job Bandwidth Rules dialog box opens displaying you the list of available rules. You have the following options:

    • Create a new bandwidth rule for your tape backup job:

      1. Click the Create New Rule button.

      2. The New Bandwidth Rule dialog box opens. Refer to Bandwidth Throttling for details on creating a bandwidth rule.

      3. Click Save.

    • Activate an existing bandwidth rule for your job. Select the checkbox to the left of the necessary bandwidth rule. To deactivate a bandwidth rule for your job, clear the corresponding checkbox.

    • Edit a bandwidth rule. Click the Edit link for a bandwidth rule and modify it in the Edit Bandwidth Rule dialog box that opens.

    • Disable a bandwidth rule. Click the Disable link. The bandwidth rule will be disabled for all jobs.

    • Remove a bandwidth rule. Click the Remove link and then click Delete to confirm your operation.

Bottleneck detection

When the Bottleneck detection option is enabled, additional information is collected and recorded in NAKIVO Backup & Replication logs in the course of data transfer for the purpose of bottleneck detection. Check this option to enable the Bottleneck detection capability of the physical machine agent engaged in the job.

Completing Tape Backup Wizard

Click Finish or Finish & Run to complete the job creation.

Note
If you click Finish & Run, you will have to define the scope of your job. Refer to Running Jobs on Demand for details.