TapeTrack Documentation

Because there is more to tape management than you ever realized

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planning:introduction [2017/06/12 10:31] – [Your current media inventory] jthatcherplanning:introduction [2025/01/21 22:07] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-====== TapeTrack Implementation Planning Guide ======+====== Implementation and Planning Guide ======
  
 +Let me start this section by saying nobody ever knows how complex their existing tape management processes are until they start implementing TapeTrack.
  
 +There are many factors that result in this realization, but above all, is the fact that prior to the TapeTrack implementation, the majority of management processes are manual, and unmanaged, and have been created with no consideration of ever formalizing the process.
  
 +Inevitably, the five biggest challenges that any TapeTrack user has to overcome are:
  
 +  - [[planning:existing_processes|The lack of understanding of existing processes]].
 +  - [[planning:complex_processes|Existing processes that are unnecessarily complex and based on unsound logic]].
 +  - [[planning:warnings_and_oversight|Implementing software that will warn of mistakes that previously went unnoticed]].
 +  - [[planning:inconsistent_use|Not realizing that Tape Management is an ongoing process and using TapeTrack inconsistently]].
 +  - [[planning:tapetrack_design|The design of TapeTrack, which shows tapes in all locations, not just one]].
  
 +<note important>Understanding each of these challenges in detail is a good investment in the future success of your TapeTrack deployment.</note>
 +====== Implementation Phases ======
  
-===== Your corporate topography =====+When implementing TapeTrack, it is important to take into account how the product will be implemented, and who this implementation will affect.
  
-The first step is to understand how all backup environments, either local or enterprise, can be easily implemented and used across the corporate structure, and then just as easily forgotten about, along with any knowledge or ownership. Although you may be targeting the current implementation of TapeTrack at specific backup infrastructures, be aware that it will be ideally placed to incorporate and manage any additional backup media, legacy or otherwise, to mitigate risk of data loss or compliance issues. +The following implementation phases are based upon the knowledge we have gained over the past 20 years as we have implemented TapeTrack. It goes without saying that this knowledge is based almost exclusively on mistakes that have been made in previous implementations.
  
-With this in mind it would be best practice to map out all the locations in the corporate structure that will, and could possibly be used for media management.  This may include global locations, regional offices, and even broken down to individual buildings on a campus.  If the initial implementation will be just part of a global enterprise, consider how best to identify the current organization and consider the implications if that were to be scaled or multiplied.+While it is completely up to you how you implement TapeTrack, these suggested phases are what we would recommend as best practice for implementing the product. 
 +===== Identifying Stakeholders =====
  
-You would be advised to carefully consider individual buildings, rooms, data centers and tape libraries in addition to individual geographical locations and off-site vaults and then consider the movement of the media between these locations. This will determine how you create the [[objects:customer|Customer-ID]], and therefore how you will see hierarchy in the Customer window in TapeTrack, which will be derived from every location you store or manage your media, and the relationship and movement that media has to any of those locations.  +When implementing TapeTrack, it is important to first identify those who have an interest in the tape management process as these people may be required to cooperate with the implementation, provide some assistance, or sign off on the implementation. 
 +==== Business Data Owners ==== 
 +It is rare for the business data owners to show an interest in the implementation of TapeTrack. Depending on the arrangements that are in place, the data owners may be needed to fund the implementation, or sign off on any changes that arise as a result from the implementation, but in general involving the data owners in the implementation is generally done only as a courtesy. 
 +==== Operations ==== 
 +Operations staff will almost always be key participants in the TapeTrack implementation and day-to-day usage. These staff will be involved in:
  
-In addition please consider the movement of media if they are shared between potential [[objects:customer|Customer-IDs]].  It is best practice to have all the movements for any specific volumes, contained under a single [[objects:customer|Customer-ID]].  The good news is that due to the nature of TapeTrack, unlike larger less flexible media management products, you are able to easily customize repositories and migrate media from customer to customer should the need arise.+  * Entering and removing tapes from robotic libraries. 
 +  * Slotting tapes in racking systems. 
 +  * Scratch tape management. 
 +  * Scanning tapes in and out of the system. 
 +  * Working with third-parties such as offsite vendors to transfer custody of each tape. 
 +  * Actioning any alerts issued by TapeTrack. 
 +==== Backup Administrators ====
  
-Be aware of common bad practice when managing media movements such as moving media between multiple libraries or sites as scratch media as the same media barcodes will be appearing on multiple backup infrastructures.+When integrating TapeTrack with backup software and robotic tape library equipment the cooperation and assistance of the backup administrators is usually necessary. Backup Administrators will be responsible for:
  
-==== Global sites ====+  * Ensuring tape management processes align with backup requirements. 
 +  * Installing TapeTrack software. 
 +  * Setting up backup software and library integration. 
 +==== Auditors ====
  
-It is very important to consider the higher level components in the structure of the organisation, even if there are not initially part of the TapeTrack implementation.  Starting with the global sites, consider the hierarchy of how these will be further split into regional locations and business units with their specific media management and movement requirements. +Auditors are often involved in setting the high-level requirements for a TapeTrack implementation and for later validating the efficacy of the implementation, but it is rare for auditors to be involved during the planning for, or implementation of TapeTrack.  
-==== Business units ====+===== Identifying Tape Management Objectives =====
  
-These would be an element or segment of a company representing a specific business location or function requiring specific media management, and could be anything from a geographical location to a building, or a self-contained section of a building used as individual business premises, and requiring specific media management.+When implementing TapeTrack, each company have their own objectives. It is however important that these objectives be identified before any other activities begin.
  
-Here it would be best to consider how these need to be identified should they need to be separated or have any detailed reporting at a later stage, particularly if media is business unit specific, or if gets moved between them. +At a high level, our suggested objectives are:
  
 +  * To create a completed inventory record of every tape asset owned by the enterprise.
 +  * To create a consistent tape management process across the enterprise, or where that is not appropriate, a common framework to formalize the different management processes that might exist in each region.
 +  * To create a chain-of-custody record of each activity related to each and every tape.
 +  * To automate as many tape management processes as possible by leveraging the features of TapeTrack, and by integrating with third-party software products and library hardware.
 +  * To better organize tape libraries that are in racks and shelving units.
 +  * To implement reporting processes to comply with regulatory requirements. 
 +===== Obtaining Consensus =====
  
-==== Remote sites ====+It is rare for all backup stakeholders to be all behind the implementation of TapeTrack. Sometimes the drive to implement the product comes from Operations, and other times it comes from the backup administrators. While it might not be possible to gain a complete agreement from all interested parties regarding how TapeTrack is implemented, it is important that all interested parties come to some sort of understanding about what will be implemented.
  
-Depending on the movement of media, these may be considered as repositories under a Customer ID, or an individual Customer ID in their own right depending on media handling operations.+Examples of the kind of disagreements that might arise are:
  
-An example being that if tapes only moved to and from a regional office to a at a remote site, with a library, and a rack and/or store, these could be considered as a single repository, or repositories depending on the level of visibility and control required.  This would then sit under the Customer ID, which could be the regional office.  Alternatively, this may just be an off-site storage location, and not a vendor controlled vault, which could be setup as an off-site Repository ID.+  * The level of integration and automation that is implemented. 
 +  * Who is responsible for supporting TapeTrack. 
 +  * What level of alerting is enabled within TapeTrack.
  
-==== Translating Your Organisation into TapeTrack ====+<note tip>Create a document that outlines what you will setup and deploy TapeTrack, ensure each stake-holder receives a copy, and ask for feedback before moving towards implementation.</note> 
 +===== Mapping the Existing Environment =====
  
-See the examples below of how best the corporate topography and operations may be represented in TapeTrack:+It is rare for any enterprise that is implementing TapeTrack to start with a complete understanding of the existing tape management requirements and processes.
  
-=== Example 1 ===+Before starting a TapeTrack implementation it should map out the following:
  
-Here an organization may have just one site, Site #A, in one country or province.  At this site there may be x2 different backup infrastructures that share the same media room, for storage and media exchanges, and share the same off-site vault account.  +  - Which sites are using tape and require tracking from TapeTrack. 
 +  - How tapes are currently being managed at each site that uses tapes. 
 +  - What backup software is being used in each environment that uses tapes. 
 +  - Who is responsible for tape management in each location. 
 +  - Are there any third-parties handling the tapes, such as offsite vendors or outsourced tape operations.
  
-{{::exsimpleorg1.png}}+<note tip>Consider drawing a map of your current tape environment in Video or Google Draw so that you can better visualize your tape management topography and workflow.</note> 
 +===== Identifying Key Staff =====
  
-{{::simpleorg-2bkupinf1osvsmall2.png}}+Identifying key staff who will be responsible for the implementation and day-to-day operation of TapeTrack is critical.
  
-This could be translated into TapeTrack as a single Customer ID, with LTO and T10K media that would have a minimum of x3 Repository ID's per Media ID, as shown below.+These key staff may include those who are directly responsible for implementing and using the product, but they may also be staff who have no direct involvement with TapeTrack. 
 +===== Creating a Project Plan =====
  
-{{::ttsimpleorg-2bkupinf1osv.png}}+It is recommended that a formal project plan be created for the implementation. 
  
-Alternatively, this could be translated into TapeTrack using the off-site vault location or account number, should it be a vendor off-site vault.  +<note tip>GazillaByte can provide a template implementation plan upon request.</note> 
  
-{{::ttsimpleorg-2bkupinf1osv-cxxa.png}}+===== Planning for Objections =====
  
-However, although these x2 configurations look near identical, there are x2 important differences:+It is inevitable that you will receive some level of push-back from one or more employees when TapeTrack is deployed. 
  
-  * The first configuration, which is excellent for showing the volume location in relation to the owning site, is not best suited to having the same volumes transported to any additional sites, which would be configured as Customer ID's, which may be added later.   +These objections can include:
-  * The second configuration, although excellent for including further sites serviced by this off-site vault account, as it would be the off-site vault represented by the Customer ID, it would not be best suited to the same volumes being transported to any additional off-site vault account if required later on. +
- +
-=== Example 2 === +
- +
-Here we have an organization with x2 sites or business units, Site #1 and Site #2, which could be in a single town,  city, country or province.  At each site there are x4 different backup infrastructures, where x2 allow for cross site backups.  There are also local media rooms, for storage and media exchanges, but have multiple off-site vaults, but share x2 of them for the cross site media.  +
- +
-As media may be transported from the shared off-site vaults to either site for the cross-site backups, best practice may be to configure the off-site vaults as the Customer ID instead of the sites. +
- +
-{{::excomplexorg1.png}} +
- +
-{{::complexsharedvaultsmall.png}} +
- +
-This could be translated into TapeTrack as a x4 Customer ID's representing the x4 off-site vaults, with LTO and T10K media that would still have a minimum of x3 Repository ID's per Media ID, as shown below. +
- +
-{{::ttcomplexcid-vault.png}} +
- +
-This would provide the best practice for maintaining your media inventory allowing media to move between sites but having a common off-site vault.  +
- +
- +
- +
- +
-===== Your current Tape Management Processes ===== +
- +
-Your current tape/media management process should include the following: +
- +
-  * Stock management for the purchase and storage of new media +
-  * Scratch media management so you are aware of what tapes can be reused  +
-  * Identifying tapes to be vaulted and sent off-site +
-  * Identify faulty tapes to identify potential data loss +
-  * Ejection confirmation and/or Picking list confirmation +
-  * Media exchange with any party such as an off-site vendor +
-  * Routine media audits and certification for all media locations +
-  * Daily media movement verification's and alerting +
-  * Barcode management to avoid duplication in any one environment +
-  * Regular process review or gap analysis  +
-  * Media destruction process for regulatory compliance +
-  * Legal hold process to identify and safeguard digital media  +
- +
-Some of these items may be include in the media handling process for events such as the daily vault and off-siting of media.  It is best practice to identify stages in the manual handling process where media may need to be identified or verified which can be captured and recorded by TapeTrack so it has an audit trail.  Be aware that any locations where media may be temporarily stored or held as part of the daily movements could be considered as a repository, or a least a check box on a media handling or movement process.   +
- +
-For example TapeTrack can be used to audit, and in some places automate, the verification of media at each step of the media handling process, depending on the level auditing that is required.  Below is a typical list of verification steps, aside from the backup software inventory and in no particular order, required to mitigate the risk of losing any media. +
- +
-  * Check that the vault has run, media ejected ready to be removed from the library. +
-  * Check for media residing in the library or device media access port after eject. +
-  * Check of media received in a secure media room, or scanned to a rack. +
-  * Check of media scanned into or out from a closed containers. +
-  * Check of media scanned out for transportation to off-site vault. +
-  * Check that media has been received at the off-site vault. +
-  * Check of recalled media that has left the off-site vault. +
-  * Check inventory of media in all libraries. +
-  * Check inventory of media in all off-site vaults. +
-  * Check inventory of media in all racks, secure rooms and store rooms. +
- +
- +
-==== Your current media inventory ==== +
- +
-For a complete overview and control of your media, your inventory should include, but not be limited to, the following elements, which can be imported into TapeTrack so as to enable compliant auditing and the ability for reporting and forecasting :  +
- +
-  * Media purchased but in the store room or not called to site from the supplier. +
-  * Scratch media availability in the store room and in the library. +
-  * Media in libraries including details of last write date, next move date, and expiry date etc.. +
-  * Media on legal hold including details of legal hold start and finish dates, data owner, and any further legal order details. +
-  * Media destroyed or to be destroyed with the destruction date, vendor destruction reference, authorisation details etc.. +
- +
- +
-Be aware of common bad practice when managing media inventories and movements such as :  +
- +
-  * Using multiple identities for a single tape. +
-  * Relying on handwritten labels and not using barcodes. +
-  * Failing to identify the potential for duplicate, or triplicate barcodes when consolidating multiple or legacy backup infrastructures into a specific site or off-site vendor account. +
-  * Moving media between multiple libraries or sites as scratch media will have the same media barcodes appearing on multiple backup infrastructures.   +
-  * Relying solely on the off-site vendors inventory as this will cause problems when media is added and used in the backup environment but never sent to the off-site vendor. +
-  * Not keeping the history of removed or destroyed media, or not isolating details of destroyed media from the active media inventory which can result in reconciliation issues. +
-  * Reliance of spreadsheets, as procedures may be misinterpreted, and incorrect locales may impact the management of move dates and expiry dates, with risk of incorrect media being overwritten and destroyed..  +
-  * Reliance on homegrown developed applications with risk from poor or no change control process, or reliance on a single employee. +
- +
-==== Your backup software ==== +
- +
-Depending on the level of visibility and control you want in the future, it is best to understand what platform, Windows, UNIX, etc., your backup software sits on, how you currently extract data for reporting and auditing, and how you could best integrate and automate tape movement and reporting. +
- +
-Prepare for what data may be required to report per volume, such as volume ID, expiry date, volume pool, etc..  This is particularly useful for making data consistent across all backup environments.  Be particularly aware of timezones and date formats in a global organization where any misinterpretations may impact the expiry and move dates.   +
- +
- +
-==== Your backup administrators ==== +
- +
-Backup administrators may or may not be required to manage backup media as per a dedicated media management team, but it can be vitally important they have a global view of the media.  This allows any business to be more efficient and proactive in handling media for data recovery, and may allow for alternative recovery media to be identified and recalled for use quicker than simply relying on expected media being available for data recovery.  +
- +
-When configuring access to TapeTrack it is always worth considering non media handling teams for having a read only view of appropriate Customers ID's, Media ID's, and Repository ID's. +
- +
- +
-==== Your operational staff ==== +
- +
-You should identify what operational staff will require access to TapeTrack, and consider what functions they need to perform.   +
- +
-Local tape handlers may only require access to one site, and then they may only need access to one specific set of media.  However there may be staff  that will perform physical audit duties across all media and all sites.   +
- +
-This access should be recorded and used to identify access groups that should be created in TapeTrack. +
- +
- +
-==== Your off-site vendor ==== +
- +
-Your off-site vendor will have an inventory and an audit trail of what media they have collected, stored and returned.  Be aware that regulation may only require the off-site vendors to retain 2 to 3 years of history, so it would be best practise to maintain historical records in some form for the life of the volumes. Records should be available for synchronisation with TapeTrack via a download from a web based interface at minimum.  If possible it is recommended that inventory and reconciliation data be retrieved via an electronic data interface, (EDI), so the process may be automated.  This is usually performed by SFTP to a vendors site, however with data security under more and more scrutiny it is worth enquiring if the have an application programming interface, (API), or can support an AS2 interface with the organisations systems.   +
- +
-Always remember that although the off-site vendor can supply a media inventory, this is not your organisations inventory and in some instances may only act a a guide to which media they have handled and stored.  TapeTrack should be your definitive inventory. +
-==== Your tape library hardware ==== +
- +
-Aspects of tape library hardware can be often overlooked with regard to media handling and inventory audit.  An inventory of the library through the backup software is normally performed upon the eject or load of tapes and is normally sufficient in most cases.  However, although rare, there can be occasions where tapes may be ejected to the cap or removed entirely outside of standard operational processes.  It can therefore be important to query the library at a more hardware level to retrieve an inventory of tape drives, the media access port, (CAP or MAP), and all storage slots, particularly if the library is partitioned or licensed for a specific number of slots.  +
- +
-Querying the library can be performed with such tools as Commvaults ArmTool or Symantec's Robtest, etc., this may also be possible via a library's web interface.  The resulting inventory may then be synchronized into TapeTrack to provide a more accurate inventory.  +
-====== Political Considerations ====== +
- +
-As with all all decisions that may invoke apparent change in working practice, there will be political considerations within the organisation.  This may stem from replacing an existing system which requires a larger overhead, or the implications of integration changes with 3rd party application and vendors.   +
- +
-With any implementation, it may not just be the infrastructure and working practice, but all stakeholders that have to be considered.  It would therefore be best practice to list all interested parties, both locally and globally, and make note of any points for discussion. +
- +
- +
-===== Who might push back ===== +
- +
-There may be push back from persons or departments include, but not limited to, those listed below. +
- +
-Managers and Financial Controllers who may :  +
-  * not understand the benefits to the media management process +
-  * already oversee another product in another region or country +
-  * be influenced by corporate departmental operations +
-  * be influenced by vendor interests +
-  * be focusing on disk or cloud based migrations +
- +
-Media Movements operators that may : +
-  * argue over the need to improve any media management system +
-  * fear potential change in the operational procedure +
- +
-Media Handlers that may : +
-  * Fear potential change in operational procedure +
- +
- +
- +
- +
-===== Who might struggle to learn TapeTrack =====+
  
 +  * Why did we have to change from our old system?
 +  * Why is maintaining the old system no longer part of my duties?
 +  * I did not attend the training and I don't know how the system works.
 +  * The system is not the same as our old system.
 +  * Why am I getting messages notifying me that I have made a mistake?
 +  * Scanning tapes in and out is too time consuming.
 +  * There are discrepancies between what the offsite vendor's system has and TapeTrack.
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