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Best practices for setting up Dell VTL Container or NetVault Backup native virtual tape library (nVTL)

Disk-space reclamation

The blanking of used media in NetVault Backup VTLs created on the DR Series appliance

share will not reclaim physical disk space. To reclaim this space, you must use the

nvmakemedia utility to create a clean, identical “.media” ﬁle, in name and size, to replace the

old media ﬁle. Before this is done, all drives must be unloaded and the Open Door command

must be issued via the NetVault Backup WebUI in the Manage Devices > Tape Library

Management page. After all the applicable media have been cleaned, the Close Door option

can issued. Verify that all media appear correctly on the Manage Devices page. The recovered

space will be reﬂected after the next clean cycle completes. For more information on disk-

space reclamation with a DR Series appliance, refer to the Dell NetVault Backup Command

Line Interface Reference Guide at

http://documents.software.dell.com/NetVault%20Backup/10.0/Command%20Line%20

Interface%20Re ference%20Guide/

Disk-space availability

Due to the nature of deduplication and various factors surrounding compression yield and

disk-space utilization, you must avoid running out of physical disk space. Failing to do so will

result in erroneous behaviour with the backup software.