Using the Option › How Arcserve Backup Cures Tape Drive Errors › How Uninterrupted Drive Cleaning Works

How Uninterrupted Drive Cleaning Works

A contaminated tape drive condition is usually discovered when you are running a backup job. A significant number of tape drive and media errors can be remedied by cleaning the tape drive.

For Arcserve Backup to perform uninterrupted drive cleaning, you must have a cleaning tape installed in the tape cleaning slot specified during setup, and a specified cleaning schedule. If you did not specify a cleaning schedule, Arcserve Backup defaults to a 100 hour period between scheduled tape cleaning operations.

If Arcserve Backup detects a contaminated tape drive condition during a backup job, and a cleaning slot is configured, Arcserve Backup automatically performs the following analyses and actions:

• If Arcserve Backup detects a write error during a backup, and the symptoms relate to a contaminated tape drive or media, Arcserve Backup makes a second attempt to write to the tape drive.
• If the second write attempt fails, Arcserve Backup cleans the tape drive if one or more of the following conditions exist:
  • The tape drive was never previously cleaned.
  • DLTSage detected the need to clean the tape drive and drive usage exceeds one fourth of the scheduled cleaning.
  • Tape drive usage exceeds one third of the cleaning.
  • The user specified ForceClean the tape drive.

If Arcserve Backup determines that a tape drive must be cleaned to continue a job, the following actions take place:

1. Arcserve Backup pauses the job.
2. The library returns the tape to its home slot and locks the tape drive.
3. Arcserve Backup directs the cleaning operation.
4. The library reloads the tape into the cleaned drive and aligns the tape with the buffer.
5. Arcserve Backup resumes the job.