Virtual TapeServer 6.04.03 Operations and Administration Guide

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Using AutoCopy
AutoCopy is an optional Virtual TapeServer (VTS) software module that enables you to copy a
virtual tape from one VTS system to another when the virtual tape is mounted, modified, and
dismounted by the host server. Configure AutoCopy to set the following:
• The pools to be monitored for mount and dismount activity on the VTS system
• The VTS system that will be the recipient of copies of modified virtual tapes
• The pool name on the target and recipient VTS system
AutoCopy is enabled at the pool level; all virtual tapes contained in the pool are monitored
and copied when necessary. If VTS fails to copy a virtual tape, it retries the AutoCopy
operation every five minutes for a total of twelve attempts. If the operation fails altogether, a
failure message is sent to the event log.
If an encrypted virtual tape is stored on an AutoCopy server and the AutoCopy server
attempts to perform an operation on the tape, SecureVTS must be enabled and the key server
that was used to encrypt the tape must be configured on the AutoCopy server. If not, the tape
operation will fail and an error message is displayed on the AutoCopy server indicating that
the operation failed. See
Using SecureVTS on page 73 for more information about the
SecureVTS feature. See SecureVTS and failed tape operations on page 131 for an explanation
of the possible failures.
In general, AutoCopy should be used if files change often throughout the day. VTS
automatically monitors pools designated for AutoCopy. If a change is detected, data is
transmitted when each virtual tape is unmounted. This means that bandwidth may be
consumed throughout the day, which may coincide with user activity on the network. You
may also rely on Instant DR for synchronizing data. See
Using Instant DR on page 95 to
determine if Instant DR is a better solution for your needs.
Event Management System (EMS) and Secure Shell (SSH) are prerequisites for AutoCopy.
EMS must be configured and running correctly as described in
Configuring EMS
Communication on page 39. The EMS service is responsible for monitoring mounts and
dismounts relevant to AutoCopy. SSH must be configured on the source VTS server (contact
your authorized service and support representative if you need help configuring SSH).
AutoCopy performs the copy operation from the source VTS system to the target VTS system
using an SSH transfer, which encrypts communication between the VTS systems. The VTS
systems that receive virtual tape copies do not have to be configured for EMS or AutoCopy.
Also, AutoCopy is a licensed feature. If you must update (or remove) the license key, see
Managing licensing on page 116. (The Instant DR and AutoCopy license key are the same.)
AutoCopy assumes that a virtual tape mounted in Read/Write or With Ring mode will be
modified upon dismount. NonStop mount requests that are designated No Ring are mounted
as Read Only and are not automatically copied.