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FAQs - Microsoft DPM

This page answers the following frequently asked questions:

For more information, see Microsoft DPM.

Can I do <such-and-such> with DPM and Firestreamer?

Check DPM documentation to see if the requested feature is supported for a physical tape library. If it is, then you can most likely use the feature with Firestreamer, with non-tape media instead of physical tape.

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Alert: Free tape threshold reached

You can safely ignore this alert, as long as you have enough free tape in the library for your backup jobs to succeed. Alternatively, you may want to reduce the number of storage slots in the library to disable the alert altogether.

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Alert: <such-and-such>

Check the Activity view of the Firestreamer Snap-In for any error or warning messages. If there are none, then the problem is most likely not related to Firestreamer. More...

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Why does DPM detect my tape as a cleaning tape?

Frequently, DPM incorrectly interprets tape drive errors as ones caused by a cleaning tape. To resolve the actual issue, follow the standard troubleshooting steps. In particular, check the Activity view of the Firestreamer Snap-in for any error or warning messages.

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Why does DPM mark my tape as suspect?

Most likely, the tape bar code is not what DPM expects to see. For example, the bar code was already used for another tape.

To resolve the issue, try any of the following methods:

To prevent the issue from occurring in the future, create file media only by using the Create File Media form, which ensures unique bar codes for the new media. Do not rename your file media.

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Why is DPM not appending to the current tape(s) but is asking for free tape instead?
Why is DPM not reusing expired tape?
Why can I not back up multiple protection groups to the same tape?

Firestreamer has nothing to do with the issue. It is entirely up to DPM to choose the appropriate tape for a particular backup, depending on the tape retention policy. The best way to resolve the issue is to add free tape to the library. Alternatively, you may want to contact Microsoft Support.

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Why is DPM displaying Firestreamer as several stand-alone tape drives as opposed to a tape library?

Firestreamer was not installed and/or detected by DPM properly for some reason. To resolve the issue, follow the steps below.

  1. Open Windows Control Panel, open Administrative Tools, and then open Services.
  2. Locate the Removable Storage service. If it is not present, or its Startup Type is Disabled, go to step 3. Otherwise, disable the service, restart your computer, and then perform the Rescan operation in DPM. If the problem persists, go to step 3.
  3. Uninstall Firestreamer.
  4. Reinstall Firestreamer. If the Firestreamer Installer displays a warning about incompatible software, disable or remove the listed third-party software first before proceeding with the Firestreamer installation. Do NOT perform the Rescan operation in DPM.
  5. Change the serial numbers of Firestreamer tape libraries.
  6. If the problem persists, then the DPM database may have been corrupted. Restore the DPM database from a backup copy, and then repeat steps 3 to 5.
  7. If the problem persists, or if a backup copy of the DPM database is not available, uninstall then reinstall DPM with a new database, and then repeat steps 3 to 5.

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Why is DPM not displaying my tapes properly?

Make sure you always perform the Unlock library door operation before, and Lock library door after you load media into a Firestreamer tape library. To resolve the issue, follow the steps below.

  1. Check the Current State view of the Firestreamer Snap-in to see if the current media layout is what you are expecting to see in DPM.
  2. In DPM, perform the Unlock library door operation, then Lock library door.
  3. In DPM, perform a detailed inventory of the library.
  4. If the problem persists, restart your computer and repeat steps 1 to 3.
  5. If the problem persists, then the DPM database may have been corrupted. Restore the DPM database from a backup copy, and then repeat steps 1 to 3.
  6. If the problem persists, or if a backup copy of the DPM database is not available, uninstall then reinstall DPM with a new database, and then repeat steps 1 to 3.

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How can I get rid of the offline tape libraries (drives) displayed in DPM?

DPM continues to display offline tape libraries and drives if they are still assigned to protection groups. To resolve the issue, follow the steps below.

  1. In DPM, check the settings of each protection group to make sure it does not use an offline tape library or drive.
  2. Restart the computer.
  3. In DPM, perform the Rescan operation.

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