4 \section*{Autochangers Support}
5 \label{_ChapterStart18}
6 \index[general]{Support!Autochangers }
7 \index[general]{Autochangers Support }
8 \addcontentsline{toc}{section}{Autochangers Support}
10 \subsection*{Autochangers -- General}
11 \index[general]{General!Autochangers -- }
12 \index[general]{Autochangers -- General }
13 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Autochangers -- General}
15 Bacula provides autochanger support for reading and writing tapes. In
16 order to work with an autochanger, Bacula requires three things, each of
17 which is explained in more detail after this list:
20 \item A script that actually controls the autochanger according to commands
21 sent by Bacula. We furnish such a script that works with {\bf mtx} found in
22 the {\bf depkgs} distribution. This script works only with single drive
24 \item That each Volume (tape) to be used must be defined in the Catalog and
25 have a Slot number assigned to it so that Bacula knows where the Volume is in
26 the autochanger. This is generally done with the {\bf label} command. See
27 below for more details. You must pre-label the tapes manually before
29 \item Modifications to your Storage daemon's Device configuration resource to
30 identify that the device is a changer, as well as a few other parameters.
31 \item You should also modify your Storage resource definition in the
32 Director's configuration file so that you are automatically prompted for the
33 Slot when labeling a Volume.
34 \item You need to ensure that your Storage daemon (if not running as root)
35 has access permissions to both the tape drive and the control device.
36 \item You need to have {\bf Autochanger = yes} in your Storage resource
37 in your bacula-dir.conf file so that you will be prompted for the
38 slot number when you label Volumes.
41 In version 1.37, there is a new \ilink{Autochanger
42 resource}{AutochangerRes} that permits you to group Device resources thus
43 creating a multi-drive autochanger. If you have a multi-drive autochanger,
44 you must use this new resource. If you have a single drive autochanger,
45 it is recommended, but not required.
47 Bacula uses its own {\bf mtx-changer} script to interface with a program
48 that actually does the tape changing. Thus in principle, {\bf mtx-changer}
49 can be adapted to function with any autochanger program. The current
50 version of {\bf mtx-changer} works with the {\bf mtx} program. However,
51 FreeBSD users have provided a script in the {\bf examples/autochangers}
52 directory that allows Bacula to use the {\bf chio} program.
54 Bacula also supports autochangers with barcode
55 readers. This support includes two Console commands: {\bf label barcodes}
56 and {\bf update slots}. For more details on these commands, see the ``Barcode
57 Support'' section below.
59 Current Bacula autochanger support does not include cleaning, stackers, or
60 silos. However, under certain conditions, you may be able to make Bacula
61 work with stackers (gravity feed and such). Support for multi-drive
62 autochangers requires the \ilink{Autochanger resource}{AutochangerRes}
63 introduced in version 1.37. This resource is also recommended for single
66 In principle, if {\bf mtx} will operate your changer correctly, then it is
67 just a question of adapting the {\bf mtx-changer} script (or selecting one
68 already adapted) for proper interfacing. You can find a list of autochangers
69 supported by {\bf mtx} at the following link:
70 \elink{http://mtx.badtux.net/compatibility.php}
71 {http://mtx.badtux.net/compatibility.php}.
72 The home page for the {\bf mtx} project can be found at:
73 \elink{http://mtx.badtux.net/}{http://mtx.badtux.net/}.
75 If you are having troubles, please use the {\bf auto} command in the {\bf
76 btape} program to test the functioning of your autochanger with Bacula. When
77 Bacula is running, please remember that for many distributions (e.g. FreeBSD,
78 Debian, ...) the Storage daemon runs as {\bf bacula.tape} rather than {\bf
79 root.root}, so you will need to ensure that the Storage daemon has sufficient
80 permissions to access the autochanger.
83 \subsection*{Knowing What SCSI Devices You Have}
84 \index[general]{Have!Knowing What SCSI Devices You }
85 \index[general]{Knowing What SCSI Devices You Have }
86 \index[general]{SCSI devices}
87 \index[general]{devices!SCSI}
88 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Knowing What SCSI Devices You Have}
98 to see what SCSI devices you have available. You can also:
102 cat /proc/scsi/sg/device_hdr /proc/scsi/sg/devices
106 to find out how to specify their control address ({\bf /dev/sg0} for the
107 first, {\bf /dev/sg1} for the second, ...) on the {\bf Changer Device = }
110 Under FreeBSD, you can use:
118 To list the SCSI devices as well as the {\bf /dev/passn} that you will use on
119 the Bacula {\bf Changer Device = } directive.
121 Please check that your Storage daemon has permission to access this
126 \subsection*{Example Scripts}
127 \index[general]{Scripts!Example }
128 \index[general]{Example Scripts }
129 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Example Scripts}
131 Please read the sections below so that you understand how autochangers work
132 with Bacula. Although we supply a default {\bf mtx-changer} script, your
133 autochanger may require some additional changes. If you want to see examples
134 of configuration files and scripts, please look in the {\bf
135 \lt{}bacula-src\gt{}/examples/devices} directory where you will find an
136 example {\bf HP-autoloader.conf} Bacula Device resource, and several {\bf
137 mtx-changer} scripts that have been modified to work with different
143 \index[general]{Slots }
144 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Slots}
146 To properly address autochangers, Bacula must know which Volume is in each
147 {\bf slot} of the autochanger. Slots are where the changer cartridges reside
148 when not loaded into the drive. Bacula numbers these slots from one to the
149 number of cartridges contained in the autochanger.
151 Bacula will not automatically use a Volume in your autochanger unless it is
152 labeled and the slot number is stored in the catalog and the Volume is marked
153 as InChanger. For each Volume in your
154 changer, you will, using the Console program, assign a slot. This information
155 is kept in {\bf Bacula's} catalog database along with the other data for the
156 volume. If no slot is given, or the slot is set to zero, Bacula will not
157 attempt to use the autochanger even if all the necessary configuration records
158 are present. In addition, the console {\bf mount} command does not cause
159 Bacula to operate the autochanger, it only tells Bacula to read any tape that
162 You can check if the Slot number and InChanger flag are set by doing a:
167 in the Console program.
170 \subsection*{Multiple Devices}
171 \index[general]{Devices!Multiple }
172 \index[general]{Multiple Devices }
173 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Multiple Devices}
175 Some autochangers have more than one read/write device (drive). The
177 \ilink{Autochanger resource}{AutochangerRes} introduced in version
178 1.37 permits you to group Device resources, where each device
179 represents a drive. The Director may still reference the Devices (drives)
180 directly, but doing so, bypasses the proper functioning of the
181 drives together. Instead, the Director (in the Storage resource)
182 should reference the Autochanger resource name. Doing so permits
183 the Storage daemon to ensure that only one drive uses the mtx-changer
184 script at a time, and also that two drives don't reference the
187 Multi-drive requires the use of the {\bf
188 Drive Index} directive in the Device resource of the Storage daemon's
189 configuration file. Drive numbers or the Device Index are numbered beginning
190 at zero, which is the default. To use the second Drive in an autochanger, you
191 need to define a second Device resource and set the Drive Index to 1 for
192 that device. In general, the second device will have the same {\bf Changer
193 Device} (control channel) as the first drive, but a different {\bf Archive
196 \label{ConfigRecords}
197 \subsection*{Device Configuration Records}
198 \index[general]{Records!Device Configuration }
199 \index[general]{Device Configuration Records }
200 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Device Configuration Records}
202 Configuration of autochangers within Bacula is done in the Device resource of
203 the Storage daemon. Four records: {\bf Autochanger}, {\bf Changer Device},
204 {\bf Changer Command}, and {\bf Maximum Changer Wait} control how Bacula uses
207 These four records, permitted in {\bf Device} resources, are described in
208 detail below. Note, however, that the {\bf Changer Device} and the
209 {\bf Changer Command} directives are not needed in the Device resource
210 if they are present in the {\bf Autochanger} resource.
214 \item [Autochanger = {\it Yes|No} ]
215 \index[sd]{Autochanger }
216 The {\bf Autochanger} record specifies that the current device is or is not
217 an autochanger. The default is {\bf no}.
219 \item [Changer Device = \lt{}device-name\gt{}]
220 \index[sd]{Changer Device }
221 In addition to the Archive Device name, you must specify a {\bf Changer
222 Device} name. This is because most autochangers are controlled through a
223 different device than is used for reading and writing the cartridges. For
224 example, on Linux, one normally uses the generic SCSI interface for
225 controlling the autochanger, but the standard SCSI interface for reading and
226 writing the tapes. On Linux, for the {\bf Archive Device = /dev/nst0}, you
227 would typically have {\bf Changer Device = /dev/sg0}. Note, some of the more
228 advanced autochangers will locate the changer device on {\bf /dev/sg1}. Such
229 devices typically have several drives and a large number of tapes.
231 On FreeBSD systems, the changer device will typically be on {\bf /dev/pass0}
232 through {\bf /dev/passn}.
234 On Solaris, the changer device will typically be some file under {\bf
237 Please ensure that your Storage daemon has permission to access this
240 \item [Changer Command = \lt{}command\gt{}]
241 \index[sd]{Changer Command }
242 This record is used to specify the external program to call and what
243 arguments to pass to it. The command is assumed to be a standard program or
244 shell script that can be executed by the operating system. This command is
245 invoked each time that Bacula wishes to manipulate the autochanger. The
246 following substitutions are made in the {\bf command} before it is sent to
247 the operating system for execution:
252 %a = archive device name
253 %c = changer device name
254 %d = changer drive index base 0
257 %o = command (loaded, load, or unload)
264 An actual example for using {\bf mtx} with the {\bf mtx-changer} script (part
265 of the Bacula distribution) is:
269 Changer Command = "/etc/bacula/mtx-changer %c %o %S %a %d"
273 Where you will need to adapt the {\bf /etc/bacula} to be the actual path on
274 your system where the mtx-changer script resides. Details of the three
275 commands currently used by Bacula (loaded, load, unload) as well as the
276 output expected by Bacula are give in the {\bf Bacula Autochanger Interface}
279 \item [Maximum Changer Wait = \lt{}time\gt{}]
280 \index[sd]{Maximum Changer Wait }
281 This record is used to define the maximum amount of time that Bacula
282 will wait for an autoloader to respond to a command (e.g. load). The
283 default is set to 120 seconds. If you have a slow autoloader you may
284 want to set it longer.
286 If the autoloader program fails to respond in this time, it will be killed
287 and Bacula will request operator intervention.
289 \item [Drive Index = \lt{}number\gt{}]
290 \index[sd]{Drive Index }
291 This record allows you to tell Bacula to use the second or subsequent
292 drive in an autochanger with multiple drives. Since the drives are
293 numbered from zero, the second drive is defined by
302 To use the second drive, you need a second Device resource definition in the
303 Bacula configuration file. See the Multiple Drive section above in this
304 chapter for more information.
307 In addition, for proper functioning of the Autochanger, you must
308 define an Autochanger resource.
309 \input{autochangerres}
312 \subsection*{An Example Configuration File}
313 \index[general]{Example Configuration File }
314 \index[general]{File!Example Configuration }
315 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Example Configuration File}
317 The following two resources implement an autochanger:
324 Changer Device = /dev/sg0
325 Changer Command = "/etc/bacula/mtx-changer %c %o %S %a %d"
331 Archive Device = /dev/nst0 # Normal archive device
334 AutomaticMount = yes;
336 Mount Anonymous Volumes = no;
341 where you will adapt the {\bf Archive Device}, the {\bf Changer Device}, and
342 the path to the {\bf Changer Command} to correspond to the values used on your
346 \label{SpecifyingSlots}
347 \subsection*{Specifying Slots When Labeling}
348 \index[general]{Specifying Slots When Labeling }
349 \index[general]{Labeling!Specifying Slots When }
350 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Specifying Slots When Labeling}
352 If you add an {\bf Autochanger = yes} record to the Storage resource in your
353 Director's configuration file, the Bacula Console will automatically prompt
354 you for the slot number when the Volume is in the changer when
355 you {\bf add} or {\bf label} tapes for that Storage device. If your
356 {\bf mtx-changer} script is properly installed, Bacula will automatically
357 load the correct tape during the label command.
360 {\bf Autochanger = yes} in the Storage daemon's Device resource
361 as we have described above in
362 order for the autochanger to be used. Please see the
363 \ilink{Storage Resource}{Autochanger1} in the Director's chapter
365 \ilink{Device Resource}{Autochanger} in the Storage daemon
366 chapter for more details on these records.
368 Thus all stages of dealing with tapes can be totally automated. It is also
369 possible to set or change the Slot using the {\bf update} command in the
370 Console and selecting {\bf Volume Parameters} to update.
372 Even though all the above configuration statements are specified and correct,
373 Bacula will attempt to access the autochanger only if a {\bf slot} is non-zero
374 in the catalog Volume record (with the Volume name).
376 If your autochanger has barcode labels, you can label all the Volumes in
377 your autochanger one after another by using the {\bf label barcodes} command.
378 For each tape in the changer containing a barcode, Bacula will mount the tape
379 and then label it with the same name as the barcode. An appropriate Media
380 record will also be created in the catalog. Any barcode that begins with the
381 same characters as specified on the ``CleaningPrefix=xxx'' command, will be
382 treated as a cleaning tape, and will not be labeled. For example with:
384 Please note that Volumes must be pre-labeled to be automatically used in
385 the autochanger during a backup. If you do not have a barcode reader, this
386 is done manually (or via a script).
392 Cleaning Prefix = "CLN"
397 Any slot containing a barcode of CLNxxxx will be treated as a cleaning tape
398 and will not be mounted.
402 \subsection*{Dealing with Multiple Magazines}
403 \index[general]{Dealing with Multiple Magazines }
404 \index[general]{Magazines!Dealing with Multiple }
405 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Dealing with Multiple Magazines}
407 If you have several magazines or if you insert or remove cartridges from a
408 magazine, you should notify Bacula of this. By doing so, Bacula will as
409 a preference, use Volumes that it knows to be in the autochanger before
410 accessing Volumes that are not in the autochanger. This prevents unneeded
411 operator intervention.
413 If your autochanger has barcodes (machine readable tape labels), the task of
414 informing Bacula is simple. Every time, you change a magazine, or add or
415 remove a cartridge from the magazine, simply do
423 in the Console program. This will cause Bacula to request the autochanger to
424 return the current Volume names in the magazine. This will be done without
425 actually accessing or reading the Volumes because the barcode reader does this
426 during inventory when the autochanger is first turned on. Bacula will ensure
427 that any Volumes that are currently marked as being in the magazine are marked
428 as no longer in the magazine, and the new list of Volumes will be marked as
429 being in the magazine. In addition, the Slot numbers of the Volumes will be
430 corrected in Bacula's catalog if they are incorrect (added or moved).
432 If you do not have a barcode reader on your autochanger, you have several
436 \item You can manually set the Slot and InChanger flag using the {\bf update
437 volume} command in the Console (quite painful).
438 \item You can issue a
446 command that will cause Bacula to read the label on each of the cartridges in
447 the magazine in turn and update the information (Slot, InChanger flag) in the
448 catalog. This is quite effective but does take time to load each cartridge
449 into the drive in turn and read the Volume label.
450 \item You can modify the mtx-changer script so that it simulates an
451 autochanger with barcodes. See below for more details.
456 \subsection*{Simulating Barcodes in your Autochanger}
457 \index[general]{Autochanger!Simulating Barcodes in your }
458 \index[general]{Simulating Barcodes in your Autochanger }
459 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Simulating Barcodes in your Autochanger}
461 You can simulate barcodes in your autochanger by making the {\bf mtx-changer}
462 script return the same information that an autochanger with barcodes would do.
463 This is done by commenting out the one and only line in the {\bf list)} case,
468 ${MTX} -f $ctl status | grep " *Storage Element [0-9]*:.*Full" | awk "{print \$3 \$4}" | sed "s/Full *\(:VolumeTag=\)*//"
472 at approximately line 99 by putting a \# in column one of that line, or by
473 simply deleting it. Then in its place add a new line that prints the contents
474 of a file. For example:
478 cat /etc/bacula/changer.volumes
482 Be sure to include a full path to the file, which can have any name. The
483 contents of the file must be of the following format:
494 Where the 1, 2, 3 are the slot numbers and Volume1, Volume2, ... are the
495 Volume names in those slots. You can have multiple files that represent the
496 Volumes in different magazines, and when you change magazines, simply copy the
497 contents of the correct file into your {\bf /etc/bacula/changer.volumes} file.
498 There is no need to stop and start Bacula when you change magazines, simply
499 put the correct data in the file, then run the {\bf update slots} command, and
500 your autochanger will appear to Bacula to be an autochanger with barcodes.
503 \subsection*{The Full Form of the Update Slots Command}
504 \index[general]{Full Form of the Update Slots Command }
505 \index[general]{Command!Full Form of the Update Slots }
506 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Full Form of the Update Slots Command}
508 If you change only one cartridge in the magazine, you may not want to scan all
509 Volumes, so the {\bf update slots} command (as well as the {\bf update slots
510 scan} command) has the additional form:
514 update slots=n1,n2,n3-n4, ...
518 where the keyword {\bf scan} can be appended or not. The n1,n2, ... represent
519 Slot numbers to be updated and the form n3-n4 represents a range of Slot
520 numbers to be updated (e.g. 4-7 will update Slots 4,5,6, and 7).
522 This form is particularly useful if you want to do a scan (time expensive) and
523 restrict the update to one or two slots.
525 For example, the command:
529 update slots=1,6 scan
533 will cause Bacula to load the Volume in Slot 1, read its Volume label and
534 update the Catalog. It will do the same for the Volume in Slot 6. The command:
543 will read the barcoded Volume names for slots 1,2,3 and 6 and make the
544 appropriate updates in the Catalog. If you don't have a barcode reader or have
545 not modified the mtx-changer script as described above, the above command will
546 not find any Volume names so will do nothing.
549 \subsection*{FreeBSD Issues}
550 \index[general]{Issues!FreeBSD }
551 \index[general]{FreeBSD Issues }
552 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{FreeBSD Issues}
554 If you are having problems on FreeBSD when Bacula tries to select a tape, and
555 the message is {\bf Device not configured}, this is because FreeBSD has made
556 the tape device {\bf /dev/nsa1} disappear when there is no tape mounted in the
557 autochanger slot. As a consequence, Bacula is unable to open the device. The
558 solution to the problem is to make sure that some tape is loaded into the tape
559 drive before starting Bacula. This problem is corrected in Bacula versions
563 \ilink{ Tape Testing}{FreeBSDTapes} chapter of this manual for
564 {\bf important} information concerning your tape drive before doing the
566 \label{AutochangerTesting}
568 \subsection*{Testing the Autochanger and Adapting Your mtx-changer Script}
569 \index[general]{Testing the Autochanger and Adapting Your mtx-changer Script }
570 \index[general]{Script!Testing the Autochanger and Adapting Your mtx-changer }
571 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Testing the Autochanger and Adapting Your
574 Before attempting to use the autochanger with Bacula, it is preferable to
575 ``hand-test'' that the changer works. To do so, we suggest you do the
576 following commands (assuming that the {\bf mtx-changer} script is installed in
577 {\bf /etc/bacula/mtx-changer}):
581 \item [Make sure Bacula is not running.]
582 \index[sd]{Make sure Bacula is not running. }
584 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ list \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0]
585 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ list \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0
587 This command should print:
599 or one number per line for each slot that is occupied in your changer, and
600 the number should be terminated by a colon ({\bf :}). If your changer has
601 barcodes, the barcode will follow the colon. If an error message is printed,
602 you must resolve the problem (e.g. try a different SCSI control device name
603 if {\bf /dev/sg0} is incorrect. For example, on FreeBSD systems, the
604 autochanger SCSI control device is generally {\bf /dev/pass2}.
606 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ slots \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0]
607 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ slots \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0
609 This command should return the number of slots in your autochanger.
611 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ unload \ ]
612 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ unload \ }
613 If a tape is loaded, this should cause it to be unloaded.
615 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ load \ 3 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0 ]
616 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ load \ 3 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0
618 Assuming you have a tape in slot 3, it will be loaded into the read slot (0).
621 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ loaded \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \ 0]
622 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ loaded \ 0 \ /dev/nst0 \
624 It should print ``3''
626 \item [/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ unload]
627 \index[sd]{/etc/bacula/mtx-changer \ /dev/sg0 \ unload }
630 Once all the above commands work correctly, assuming that you have the right
631 {\bf Changer Command} in your configuration, Bacula should be able to operate
632 the changer. The only remaining area of problems will be if your autoloader
633 needs some time to get the tape loaded after issuing the command. After the
634 {\bf mtx-changer} script returns, Bacula will immediately rewind and read the
635 tape. If Bacula gets rewind I/O errors after a tape change, you will probably
636 need to insert a {\bf sleep 20} after the {\bf mtx} command, but be careful to
637 exit the script with a zero status by adding {\bf exit 0} after any additional
638 commands you add to the script. This is because Bacula checks the return
639 status of the script, which should be zero if all went well.
641 You can test whether or not you need a {\bf sleep} by putting the following
642 commands into a file and running it as a script:
647 /etc/bacula/mtx-changer /dev/sg0 unload
648 /etc/bacula/mtx-changer /dev/sg0 load 3
649 mt -f /dev/st0 rewind
654 If the above script runs, you probably have no timing problems. If it does not
655 run, start by putting a {\bf sleep 30} or possibly a {\bf sleep 60} in the
656 script just after the mtx-changer load command. If that works, then you should
657 move the sleep into the actual {\bf mtx-changer} script so that it will be
658 effective when Bacula runs.
660 A second problem that comes up with a small number of autochangers is that
661 they need to have the cartridge ejected before it can be removed. If this is
662 the case, the {\bf load 3} will never succeed regardless of how long you wait.
663 If this seems to be your problem, you can insert an eject just after the
664 unload so that the script looks like:
669 /etc/bacula/mtx-changer /dev/sg0 unload
670 mt -f /dev/st0 offline
671 /etc/bacula/mtx-changer /dev/sg0 load 3
672 mt -f /dev/st0 rewind
677 Obviously, if you need the {\bf offline} command, you should move it into the
678 mtx-changer script ensuring that you save the status of the {\bf mtx} command
679 or always force an {\bf exit 0} from the script, because Bacula checks the
680 return status of the script.
682 As noted earlier, there are several scripts in {\bf
683 \lt{}bacula-source\gt{}/examples/devices} that implement the above features,
684 so they may be a help to you in getting your script to work.
686 If Bacula complains ``Rewind error on /dev/nst0. ERR=Input/output error.'' you
687 most likely need more sleep time in your {\bf mtx-changer} before returning to
688 Bacula after a load command has been completed.
692 \subsection*{Using the Autochanger}
693 \index[general]{Using the Autochanger }
694 \index[general]{Autochanger!Using the }
695 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Using the Autochanger}
697 Let's assume that you have properly defined the necessary Storage daemon
698 Device records, and you have added the {\bf Autochanger = yes} record to the
699 Storage resource in your Director's configuration file.
701 Now you fill your autochanger with say six blank tapes.
703 What do you do to make Bacula access those tapes?
705 One strategy is to prelabel each of the tapes. Do so by starting Bacula, then
706 with the Console program, enter the {\bf label} command:
711 Connecting to Director rufus:8101
712 1000 OK: rufus-dir Version: 1.26 (4 October 2002)
717 it will then print something like:
721 Using default Catalog name=BackupDB DB=bacula
722 The defined Storage resources are:
725 Select Storage resource (1-2): 1
729 I select the autochanger (1), and it prints:
733 Enter new Volume name: TestVolume1
734 Enter slot (0 for none): 1
738 where I entered {\bf TestVolume1} for the tape name, and slot {\bf 1} for the
746 Select the Pool (1-2): 1
750 I select the Default pool. This will be automatically done if you only have a
751 single pool, then Bacula will proceed to unload any loaded volume, load the
752 volume in slot 1 and label it. In this example, nothing was in the drive, so
757 Connecting to Storage daemon Autochanger at localhost:9103 ...
758 Sending label command ...
759 3903 Issuing autochanger "load slot 1" command.
760 3000 OK label. Volume=TestVolume1 Device=/dev/nst0
761 Media record for Volume=TestVolume1 successfully created.
762 Requesting mount Autochanger ...
763 3001 Device /dev/nst0 is mounted with Volume TestVolume1
769 You may then proceed to label the other volumes. The messages will change
770 slightly because Bacula will unload the volume (just labeled TestVolume1)
771 before loading the next volume to be labeled.
773 Once all your Volumes are labeled, Bacula will automatically load them as they
776 To ``see'' how you have labeled your Volumes, simply enter the {\bf list
777 volumes} command from the Console program, which should print something like
783 Using default Catalog name=BackupDB DB=bacula
787 Select the Pool (1-2): 1
788 +-------+----------+--------+---------+-------+--------+----------+-------+------+
789 | MedId | VolName | MedTyp | VolStat | Bites | LstWrt | VolReten | Recyc | Slot |
790 +-------+----------+--------+---------+-------+--------+----------+-------+------+
791 | 1 | TestVol1 | DDS-4 | Append | 0 | 0 | 30672000 | 0 | 1 |
792 | 2 | TestVol2 | DDS-4 | Append | 0 | 0 | 30672000 | 0 | 2 |
793 | 3 | TestVol3 | DDS-4 | Append | 0 | 0 | 30672000 | 0 | 3 |
795 +-------+----------+--------+---------+-------+--------+----------+-------+------+
801 \subsection*{Barcode Support}
802 \index[general]{Support!Barcode }
803 \index[general]{Barcode Support }
804 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Barcode Support}
806 Bacula provides barcode support with two Console commands, {\bf label
807 barcodes} and {\bf update slots}.
809 The {\bf label barcodes} will cause Bacula to read the barcodes of all the
810 cassettes that are currently installed in the magazine (cassette holder) using
811 the {\bf mtx-changer} {\bf list} command. Each cassette is mounted in turn and
812 labeled with the same Volume name as the barcode.
814 The {\bf update slots} command will first obtain the list of cassettes and
815 their barcodes from {\bf mtx-changer}. Then it will find each volume in turn
816 in the catalog database corresponding to the barcodes and set its Slot to
817 correspond to the value just read. If the Volume is not in the catalog, then
818 nothing will be done. This command is useful for synchronizing Bacula with the
819 current magazine in case you have changed magazines or in case you have moved
820 cassettes from one slot to another.
822 The {\bf Cleaning Prefix} statement can be used in the Pool resource to define
823 a Volume name prefix, which if it matches that of the Volume (barcode) will
824 cause that Volume to be marked with a VolStatus of {\bf Cleaning}. This will
825 prevent Bacula from attempting to write on the Volume.
829 \subsection*{Bacula Autochanger Interface}
830 \index[general]{Interface!Bacula Autochanger }
831 \index[general]{Bacula Autochanger Interface }
832 \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{Bacula Autochanger Interface}
834 Bacula calls the autochanger script that you specify on the {\bf Changer
835 Device} statement. Normally this script will be the {\bf mtx-changer} script
836 that we can provide, but it can in fact be any program. The only requirements
837 are that the ``commands'' that Bacula uses are {\bf loaded}, {\bf load}, {\bf
838 unload}, {\bf list}, and {\bf slots}. In addition,
839 each of those commands must return the information in the precise format as
844 - Currently the changer commands used are:
845 loaded -- returns number of the slot that is loaded in
846 the drive or 0 if the drive is empty.
847 load -- loads a specified slot (note, some autochangers
848 require a 30 second pause after this command) into
850 unload -- unloads the device (returns cassette to its slot).
851 list -- returns one line for each cassette in the autochanger
852 in the format <slot>:<barcode>. Where
853 the {\bf slot} is the non-zero integer representing
854 the slot number, and {\bf barcode} is the barcode
855 associated with the cassette if it exists and if you
856 autoloader supports barcodes. Otherwise the barcode
858 slots -- returns total number of slots in the autochanger.
862 Bacula checks the exit status of the program called, and if it is zero, the
863 data is accepted. If the exit status is non-zero, Bacula ignores any
864 information returned and treats the drive as if it is not an autochanger.