NDMP multivolume backup jobs unable to write to available tape. (4046026)

Date: 28-01-2008
Netvault version all
OS version: all
Plugin version: all
Application version: n/a

Description:
Multiple volume NDMP backups will not run due to not apparently not being able to access the tape.

Symptoms:
The following or similar messages are seen behind the 'media request diagnosed' in the log:

NetVault01: Device NetApp:mc0 (HP MSL6000 Series): DRIVE 1:NetApp: Locked by another task
NetVault01: Device NetApp:mc0 (HP MSL6000 Series): AD0002L1: Media locked by another task
AD0013L1: Wrong group
AD0013L1: Media is not empty

Cause:
The cause of this is often that in the target tab of the NDMP job the parameter 'ensure backup is first on media' parameter is set.
If this is the subjobs for each volume in the multi-volume job attempt to be the first to write to the tape causing the above conflict.

Solution/workaround/procedure:
The solution is either not to use the 'ensure backup is first on media' parameter or to create separate jobs for each separate volume. If 2 volumes need to written together to the same tape you could set them to run at the same time to the same tape but have the 'ensure backup is first on media' parameter set only on the job for the first volume. The second would then wait till this has completed before writing