CA ARCserve Backup Server Admin › Configuring Servers, Engines, and Alert Notifications › Configuring Windows Servers › Tape Engine Configuration

Tape Engine Configuration

The CA ARCserve Backup Tape Engine identifies all the backup devices that are connected to your system. The default configuration log options can be changed; for example, when you want to troubleshoot a hardware or Tape Engine-specific problem.

CA ARCserve Backup provides the following Tape Engine options.

Message Log Options

• Level--If you keep the default ("Summary"), you do not need to specify any other options. The available values are:

  None--No information is logged. Tape Engine logging is halted and the Tape Log tab does not appear in the Job Status Manager.

  Summary--(default) Logs critical messages and reduces the size of the tape log by excluding unnecessary information. For this option, the Tape Log tab does not appear in the Job Status Manager. The TAPE.LOG file, by default, is generated and stored in the CA ARCserve Backup\Log folder. If the log path needs to be changed, you can do so by creating an alternate log path entry in the registry file. For more information about creating an alternate log path entry, see the Setting an Alternate Log Path Entry topic.

  Detail--This option logs all commands sent to the attached backup devices by CA ARCserve Backup. Reads/Writes and Test Unit Ready commands are excluded. Tape Engine specific information, which may be used by CA Technologies to help troubleshoot backup and restore issues, is also logged. The TAPE.LOG file, by default, is generated and stored in the CA ARCserve Backup\Log folder. If the log path needs to be changed, you can do so by creating an alternate log path entry in the registry file.

  For more information about creating an alternate log path entry, see the Setting an Alternate Log Path Entry topic. The TAPE.LOG file for this option can be viewed in the Job Status Manager by accessing the Tape Log tab.

  Detail with Read/Writes--Logs all commands sent to attached backup devices by CA ARCserve Backup. Unlike the "Detail" option, this option includes Reads/Writes and Test Unit Ready commands. Tape Engine specific information, which may be used by CA Technologies to help troubleshoot backup and restore issues, is also logged. The TAPE.LOG file, by default, is generated and stored in the CA ARCserve Backup\Log folder. If the log path needs to be changed, you can do so by creating an alternate log path entry in the registry file.

  For more information about creating an alternate log path entry, see the Setting an Alternate Log Path Entry topic. The TAPE.LOG file for this option can be viewed in the Job Status Manager by accessing the Tape Log tab.

  Note: You may incur potentially large log file size due to the Read/Write capability. Read/Write logging may impede performance on the machine.

• Output--If you specified either "Summary", "Detail", or "Detail with Reads/Writes", you can define where you want the messages sent. Specify one of the following:

  Both Screen and File--The messages are recorded in the Tape Engine Log as well as to a DOS box (the Tape Engine Message window).

  Screen Only--The messages are sent to the Tape Engine Message window only.

  File Only--(default) The messages are recorded in the Tape Engine Log only. You can view the Tape Engine Log in the Job Status Manager.

  Important! If you select either option, Both Screen and File or Screen Only, you must configure the CA ARCserve Backup Tape Engine service such that it can interact with your desktop and display the contents of the tape log in a DOS window.

  To enable interaction with the desktop:

  1. Open Windows Component Services and select the Local Services.
  2. Locate and right-click CA ARCserve Backup Tape Engine.
  3. From the pop-up menu, select properties.

     The CA ARCserve Backup Tape Engine Properties (Local Computer) dialog opens.

  4. Select the Log On tab.
  5. Under Local System account, select the Allow service to interact with desktop check box and click Apply.
  6. Click OK and close Windows Component Services.
  7. Stop and then restart the CA ARCserve Backup Tape Engine service.

Limit Log Size Options

• Limit Log Size By--Check the Limit Log Size By check box to enable Circular Logging. In the Limit Log Size By field enter the value that you want to specify as the maximum total size of all chunked TAPE.LOG files.

  The Limit Log Size By value divided by the Log File Count value represents the maximum size of all chunked log files. For example, if you specify a Limit Log Size By value of 100 MB and a Log File Count of 10, CA ARCserve Backup chunks TAPE.LOG when it reaches 10 MB (100/10=10).

  The default value for the Limit Log Size By option is 100 MB, and the range is between 1 and 2000 MB.

  To disable Circular Logging, clear the Limit Log Size By check box.

• Prune Logs Older Than--Use this option to specify the number of days that must elapse before CA ARCserve Backup prunes the log files.

  The default value for the Prune Logs Older Than option is 100 days, and the range is between 1 and 365 days.

• Log File Split Criteria--The options in this section define the behavior of how CA ARCserve Backup splits the log files.

  Log File Count--Specifies the number of chunked log files CA ARCserve Backup retains.

  The default value for the Log File Count option is 10, and the range is between 3 and 32.

  Note: You can modify this setting only if the Limit Log File Size By option is specified.

  Single Log File Size--This option works in conjunction with the Prune Logs Older Than option. When you specify the Single Log File Size and Prune Logs Older Than options, CA ARCserve Backup switches to Circular Logging mechanisms when the TAPE.LOG reaches its maximum size, and deletes chunked log files when their age is greater than the value specified under the Prune Logs Older Than option.

  The default value for the Single Log File Size option is 10000 KB, and the range is between 1 and 100000 KB.

  Note: You can modify this setting only if the Prune Logs Older Than option is specified.

General Options

• Use Global Scratch Set--If you enable this option, CA ARCserve Backup uses a global scratch set. The global scratch set treats all of the scratch tapes in all media pools as one large scratch set. This ensures that backup jobs never fail because a scratch tape is not available in its own media pool.
• Show Tape Log on Job Status Manager--Select this option to 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 only available on Windows computers.

• Use TapeAlert--Enables CA ARCserve Backup to 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.
  • When you enable this option, 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.
  • When you disable this option, 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.

More information:

Configure the Engines

Tape Engine

Specify Circular Logging Settings

Prune Log Files