Copy Properties (Retention)

Use this dialog box to select the retention rules by which you want to retain the data that was backed up using this storage policy.

Enable Data Aging

Allows the data from this copy to be pruned during a data aging operation as long as the retention rules of this copy have been met. If this option is not selected, the data from this copy will not be pruned and will be retained for an infinite amount of time.

If you disable data aging for this storage policy copy, the current retention rules selected will be saved; they can only be changed when data aging is re-enabled.

Enable Managed Disk Space for disk data

Allows the free disk space on the disk media of this copy to be considered before the data on the copy is aged. If there is adequate space on the media, the data will not be aged even if the defined retention rules of this copy have been met. If this option is not selected, data on the copy will be aged regardless of the available disk space. When this option is enabled, the retention criteria on disk mount paths is based on the parameters established in the Thresholds for Managed Disk Space section in the Mount Paths tab of the disk Library Properties dialog box.

For more information on Managed Disk Space for disk data, see Thresholds for Managed Disk Space.

Managed disk space for disk library prunes the data once the threshold capacity is reached. If the data needs to be preserved for longer period of time, then use Extended Retention Rules settings on the Storage Policy Copy. See Extended Retention Rules for more information.

Do not retain intermediate incrementals and differentials before a new differential

Specifies that intermediate incremental and differential copies preceding a new differential will not be retained. This is useful to minimize wasted disk space.

This option will honor the days retention rule set on the copy for incremental or differential jobs. If the differential job is run, then incremental or differential jobs before last differential in a cycle are aged once the day's retention criteria is met.

Spool Copy (No Retention)

Sets the retention rule on a primary copy to 0 days and 0 cycles.

Retain Snaps by Number of Jobs

Specifies the number of SnapProtect backup jobs to be retained. When the total number of jobs goes above the specified retention number, the remaining jobs are pruned. Default is 24 jobs. This feature is supported for SnapProtect operations performed using the NetApp storage array. Note that the Spool Copy settings for retention are not honored in this configuration for NAS.

Basic Retention Rules for All Backups

The amount of time that you want to retain the data that is backed up via this storage policy copy, and the number of full backup cycles that you want to retain the data that is backed up via this storage policy copy. Select from the following options:

Infinite
Specifies that data will be retained for an infinite amount of time.
Retain for
n days

Specifies the length of the retention period.
Advanced
Click to set the number of retention cycles.
n cycles
Specifies the number of retention cycles (not applicable for agents that do not have cycles, such as DataArchiver). Default is 1 cycle.

Basic Retention Rules for Data/Compliance Archiver Data

The amount of time that you want to retain the data that is archived via this storage policy copy. Select from the following options:

Infinite
Retains the data for an infinite amount of time.
Retain for
n days

Allows you to set the length of the retention period.

Extended Retention Rules for Full Backups

For Infinite or n Days Keep:

All Fulls
All full backups.
Weekly Full
The first or last full backup of every week (each week starts on Friday).
Monthly Full
The first or last full backup of every month (each month starts on the first of the month).
Quarterly Full
The first or last full backup of every quarter (each quarter starts on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1).
Half Yearly Full
The first or last full backup of every half year (each half year starts January 1, and July 1).

Yearly Full

The first or last full backup of each year (each year starts on January 1).

Each selection must be in ascending order by the number of days and the selected rule type. The Basic Retention Rule must be set before Extended Retention Rules can be selected. Setting start times for the monthly and yearly extended rules do not have any impact on quarterly and half yearly rules.

Grace Days
Specifies the number of days preceding the full backup job designated to be retained according to the extended retention rule. If the full backup job designated to be retained fails, and the rule is defined with grace days, an alternate backup may be retained per the defined rule.
Select the jobs from previous tier

Specifies that a full backup job that is designated to be retained can fall within the previous tier's timetable. For example, if two rules are defined as weekly and monthly, this option will allow the job retained for the monthly tier to be selected from the timetable of the weekly tier. Note this feature is only enabled when there are two rules defined for extended retention.

For Weekly Full Rule the Week starts on:

Allows you to select the day of the week for which the weekly extended retention rule will start.

For Monthly Full Rule the Month starts on:

Allows you to select a particular day of the month for which the monthly extended retention rule will start. The default start time is the first of the month.

For all rules keep the:

First full backup of time period
If selected, the first full backup of each extended retention rule will be retained.
Last full backup of time period
If selected, the last full backup of each extended retention rule will be retained, providing there are no remaining full backup schedules for the same subclient during that time period.