Legato Networker Label Issue

Hi,

We have a tape that was written using Legato Networker V6.1 containing
information from a Tru64 UNIX system.

It appears that during a tape re-label operation in the jukebox, this
tape was accidently re-labeled with a bunch of tapes that we wanted to
re-label.

We have looked at the Legato documentation, and they state a tape is
essentially re-initialised when a label operation is run on a tape,
and therefore the data on that tape is no longer readable.

Does anyone know if this is the case, or if there are any work-arounds
to this, where we will be able to gain access to the savesets that are
on the tape?

We know that the index + saveset information for the tape has now been
wiped out of the Networker "database", and so if we could somehow
re-introduce the information back in, and gain access to the data, it
would be a lifesaver.

Anyone have any idea if this can be done?

Many thanks.

Tony

Tony Alldis wrote:
It appears that during a tape re-label operation in the jukebox, this
tape was accidently re-labeled with a bunch of tapes that we wanted to
re-label.

We have looked at the Legato documentation, and they state a tape is
essentially re-initialised when a label operation is run on a tape,
and therefore the data on that tape is no longer readable.

You haven't mentioned what sort of tape you're using, but generally the
issue here isn't with Networker, it's with the tape hardware. When you
label a tape you write to the start of the tape, and then drive will then
follow the label with an "end of data" marker. Even though your existing
data will still be there after the end of data marker (other than the
area over-written with the label obviously) there is no way to get past
this marker with a standard drive.

There are companies who will be able to recover the remaining data - at a
generally significant cost - but even then it will depend on the layout of
the savesets on the tape as to whether you will be able to recover the
data back into Networker using scanner.

Scott.

(Tony Alldis) wrote in
om:
It appears that during a tape re-label operation in the jukebox, this
tape was accidently re-labeled with a bunch of tapes that we wanted to
re-label.

Which writes new data to the beginning of the tape and marks it as unused.

We have looked at the Legato documentation, and they state a tape is
essentially re-initialised when a label operation is run on a tape,
and therefore the data on that tape is no longer readable.

Does anyone know if this is the case, or if there are any work-arounds
to this, where we will be able to gain access to the savesets that are
on the tape?

None - send the tape to a recovery company.

We know that the index + saveset information for the tape has now been
wiped out of the Networker "database", and so if we could somehow
re-introduce the information back in, and gain access to the data, it
would be a lifesaver.

You could get the index off an earlier index backup, but it wouldn't give
you access to your data.


--
/Jesper Monsted