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Parallel auxiliary copy

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If an auxiliary copy of the primary data is running, the DR Backup auxiliary copy job is waiting. What needs to be done to run in parallel?

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Best answer by Mike Struening RETIRED 15 June 2021, 20:33

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Mike Struening RETIRED
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@Wayn I see your case was closed.  Looks like it was a combination of combining streams and multiplexing required.

Sharing the details for posterity:

Your options are to either get more tape drives so that more jobs can run together in the same library, or configure the policy copies to use 1 drive/stream and enable multiplexing to at least 5 screams so that all streams on one job will use just one drive freeing up the other drive for other jobs. It is currently using both drives in the library and locking out other jobs to wait.

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Mike Struening RETIRED
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Great, thanks!  I’ll keep an eye on it.

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Incident 210609-358

Mike Struening RETIRED
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Hey @Wayn , following up to see if you were able to get a case created to investigate this issue.

Send em the case here or via pm.

thanks!!

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Mike Struening RETIRED
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@Wayn , it might be best at this point to create a support incident.  If you have 2 drives and 2 copies running with 1 stream each, they should both run at the same time with no problem, unless something else is at play.  A support engineer can investigate and see what is happening.

Can you share the case number here so I can follow up?

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According to our supplier, it is not possible for the auxiliary copy for data to release the drive for the auxiliary copy of the database if necessary.

It is said that it is possible to reserve one drive for this job or use a script to suspend the job that uses it.

Would anyone know how to write and run such a script? Thanks.

Mike Struening RETIRED
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Hey @Wayn , following up to see if you were able to combine streams to 1 for each copy (and if not, show me a screenshot of the copy you don’t have that option).

The Primary copy will not have that option (it inherits from the Storage Policy), but each Secondary Copy should have it available.

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Mike Struening RETIRED
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@Wayn , apologies for not being clearer….I was looking for the Media tab on the Aux Copy that you mentioned does NOT have a combine option.

Since DR is combined to 1, as long as the other one is (and you have 2 drives) they should be able to run at the same time.

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Mike Struening RETIRED
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That’s correct, the Source Copy (if not overridden) is the Primary so we can remove that as an issue (I didn’t expect it to be the problem, but better to confirm).

That’s odd that the first Aux copy doesn’t have a combine option…..can you share a screenshot of 2 items?

  1. The tab where the option SHOULD be
  2. View Media (right-click the Aux Copy and select View Media)

The second will show us how many different streams are being allocated.

Be sure to mark out any identifiable names before posting.

 

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I found the Combine source data stream setting only for the secondary copy for CommServeDR. I set up 1 stream there. For other auxiliary copies, this option is not available.

The tape library has two drives.

For all policies, the check box is not selected for Sourece copy. If I choose it, the only source will offer it to me: Primary.

Mike Struening RETIRED
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Thanks, @Wayn !

On the Properties of the Storage Policy itself, you’ll see a stream count.  Each copy will use this same stream count (Primary automatically) though the aux Copies can combine streams (useful for tape libraries):

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=10989.htm

Can you check each of the Aux copies to see what their setting is?  Also, how many drives does this tape library have?  If they streams are not combined, then each Aux Copy will attempt to to write to that many tapes at a time (regardless of how many drives you have).

the source copy is where the Aux Copy gets its data from.  To check for the source copy, follow these directions:

https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=13950.htm

I want to see if both Aux copies are using the Primary as the source, or if Aux 2 is using Aux 1.

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All additional copies of data are created in one disk library, both auxiliary copies are made in one tape library. 1 stream is configured for CommServeDR, 100 streams for other data. If they are combined I do not know how to find out. I also don't know what you mean by the initial source copy.

Damian Andre
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@Wayn , I have a few questions:

  • Is the Primary copy on this tape library or another library?
  • Are both Aux copies using the same Tape Library?  How many streams are allocated to the Storage Policy and the Aux copies (are they combined)?
  • Are both Aux copies using the Primary as their source, or is the DR Aux using the initial Aux Copy as its source?

I suspect you have resource contention, just a matter of seeing exactly where.

I agree. I think your auxcopy of primary data runs across both drives, so no free drives for the DR backup/copy. DR is a single stream backup and hence it will only ever use a single tape drive, so one is spare to run the auxcopy of the primary data.

If you start the DR first, it will use one drive leaving one free. If you start the auxcopy of primary data first, it will consume both drives leaving none available for anything else. 

Mike Struening RETIRED
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@Wayn , I have a few questions:

  • Is the Primary copy on this tape library or another library?
  • Are both Aux copies using the same Tape Library?  How many streams are allocated to the Storage Policy and the Aux copies (are they combined)?
  • Are both Aux copies using the Primary as their source, or is the DR Aux using the initial Aux Copy as its source?

I suspect you have resource contention, just a matter of seeing exactly where.

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Thanks for the feedback. It is a tape library with two drives. An auxiliary copy of the primary data runs on both. The DR Backup auxiliary copy is scheduled to start, which is waiting until I pause the primary data auxiliary copy. Then it starts immediately. I can immediately restart the auxiliary copy of the primary data and then both auxiliary copies run simultaneously, each on one drive. After the DR Backup auxiliary copy ends, the primary data auxiliary copy job immediately occupies the second drive.

Damian Andre
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I’m curious if both are going to tape and if there is some contention there?

The DR backup has a special storage policy just for itself. One thing about Commvault is that storage policies cannot share tapes. Waiting for state typically means resources are not yet available, so just wondering if the root of the problem may be waiting for an available drive or tape, or something like that.

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Hello Wayne,

 

Can you provide further information on what is happening?

 

Is the behavior that when the CommserveDR aux copy is running, and a new aux copy for a different storage policy starts running, the CommserveDR aux copy then goes into a waiting state? 

 

Is any error or message provided? Are both aux copies writing to the same library?

 

 

 

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