Administering the Backup Server › Configure CA ARCserve Backup Engines › Tape Engine Configuration › Tape Engine General Options

Tape Engine General Options

CA ARCserve Backup lets you specify the following general options:

• Use Global Scratch Set--Lets CA ARCserve Backup use a Global Scratch Set. This option is enabled by default.

  The Global Scratch Set treats all of the scratch tapes in all media pools as one large Scratch Set. This helps ensure that backup jobs do not fail when a scratch tape is not available in its own media pool.

  When this option is enabled, the Media Pool Manager shows only the Save Set for each pool (not the Scratch Set), but adds an object named GlobalScratchSet. This object contains all of the media available in the scratch sets of all your media pools. If you right-click GlobalScratchSet and select Assign Media, you can move media from an unassigned set to the Scratch Set.

  When you select a media in the Global Scratch Set, two extra properties appear as column headings on the top right-hand pane and on the Properties tab in the lower right hand pane: Medium Type and Media Pool. If you click a column heading on the top right-hand pane, you can sort the list by that column. If the media you select in the Global Scratch Set is vaulted, it appears in a different color to indicate that it is inactive.

  Note: If you enable the Global Scratch Set and submit a backup job using a specific media pool, CA ARCserve Backup first attempts to find media in that media pool's Scratch Set. If no media is available, the Global Scratch Set media will be used. Also, if you specify a media pool and submit a backup job that spans tapes, media in the Global Scratch Set can be used.

• Show Tape Log on Job Status Manager--Lets you view the Tape Log in the Job Status Manager. If the Activity Log is open when you enable this option, you must click Refresh to update the manager.

  Note: This option is available only on Windows computers.

• Use TapeAlert--Lets CA ARCserve Backup detect and report TapeAlert flags asserted by your tape drives and libraries. If you do not want to receive TapeAlert-related messages, disable this option.
  • With this option enabled, CA ARCserve Backup queries all devices connected to CA ARCserve Backup for TapeAlert flags in one minute intervals. If CA ARCserve Backup detects a TapeAlert flag, it reports real-time details about the flag in the Activity Log and the Tape.log file.
  • With this option disabled, CA ARCserve Backup does not maintain a separate thread-querying mechanism for detecting and reporting TapeAlert flags. As a result, CA ARCserve Backup will not query for TapeAlert flags until the job is running and a SCSI error occurs. If CA ARCserve Backup detects a TapeAlert flag while the job is running, it reports the details about the flag in the Activity Log and the Tape.log file.