About frequency-based cleaning
Frequency-based cleaning occurs when the accumulated mount time exceeds the time you specify for the cleaning frequency. NetBackup updates the mount time for the drive each time a tape is unmounted.
The cleaning frequency is configured when a drive is added to NetBackup. Change the cleaning frequency by changing the drive properties or by using the Media and Device Management Device Monitor in the NetBackup Administration Console.
If the following conditions are met, drive cleaning occurs when the accumulated mount time exceeds the time specified for the cleaning frequency:
The drive is in a robotic library that supports drive cleaning.
A cleaning tape is configured and available for the robotic library.
The cleaning tape has cleanings remaining.
NetBackup cleans the drive immediately after a tape is unmounted. Drive cleaning does not unmount a drive in the middle of an active backup. The mount time is reset after the drive is cleaned. The cleaning frequency value remains the same.
A cleaning can occur within a backup if the backup spans tapes. For example, if cleaning is due after the first tape is full, NetBackup cleans the drive before it mounts the next tape.
Media can remain in a drive for extended periods. It does not affect the cleaning frequency because NetBackup increments the mount time only when NetBackup assigns the media to a process.
Frequency-based cleaning is not supported for drives in the ACS or the TLH libraries that are under API robotic control. The robotic library software controls the drive cleaning. To manage drive cleaning for these robots, use the robot vendor interfaces.