These options are effective when the backup destination is a tape device.
Use a separate tape set for each single machine
The preset is: Disabled.
Tapes within one pool can be grouped into so-called tape sets.
If you leave this option disabled, data from different machines will be backed up on all tapes belonging to a pool. If the option is enabled, backups of each machine will be stored on a separate tape set.
The option applies to backing up to a storage node.
Enable file recovery from disk backups stored on tapes
The preset is: Enabled.
If this check box is selected, at each backup, the software creates supplementary files on a hard disk of the machine where the tape device is attached. File recovery from disk backups is possible as long as these supplementary files are intact. The files are deleted automatically when the tape storing the respective backups is erased, removed or overwritten.
The supplementary files' locations are as follows:
The space occupied by these supplementary files depends on the number of files in the respective backup. For a full backup of a disk containing approximately 20,000 files (the typical workstation disk backup), the supplementary files occupy around 150 MB. A full backup of a server containing 250,000 files may produce around 700 MB of supplementary files. So if you are certain that you will not need to recover individual files, you can clear the check box to save the disk space.
If the supplementary files were not created during backup, or have been deleted, you still can create them by rescanning the tapes where the backup is stored. This does not apply to backups created by Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 Update 0 (build 17318) and earlier.
Eject tapes after successful backups
The preset is: Disabled.
When this check box is selected, the software will eject tapes after any successful backup. If, according to the backup plan, other operations follow the backup (such as the backup validation or replication to another location), the tape will be ejected after completion of these operations.
Move a tape back to the slot after using
The preset is: Enabled.
If you disable this option, a tape will remain in the drive after an operation with the tape is completed.
If both this option and the Eject tapes after successful backups option are enabled, the tape will be ejected.
Always use a free tape
By default, the software tries to write a backup onto a tape containing backups of the same backup chain or archive. If not found, the software searches for a tape of the same tape set. (Tape sets can be determined by tape pools, by the Use a separate tape set for each single machine option or by the Grandfather-Father-Son or Tower of Hanoi backup schemes.) If a tape of the same tape set is not found, the software will try to use a free tape.
You can force using a free tape by changing the following settings.
The preset is: Disabled.
When this option is enabled, each full backup will be written onto a free tape.
The preset is: Disabled.
When this option is enabled, each differential backup will be written onto a free tape. In addition, each full backup will be written onto a free tape. The For each full backup check box becomes selected and disabled.
The preset is: Disabled.
When this option is enabled, each incremental backup will be written onto a free tape. In addition, each full backup and each incremental backup will be written onto a free tape. The For each full backup and For each differential backup check boxes become selected and disabled.
Overwrite a tape in the drive when creating a full backup
The preset is: Disabled.
The option applies only to stand-alone tape drives. When this option is enabled, a tape inserted into a drive will be overwritten every time a full backup is created.