How to change or create a retention period for NetBackup

Description

How to change or create a retention period for NetBackup.

Follow the steps below for changing or creating a retention period for NetBackup:

1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, expand NetBackup Management > Host Properties > Master Servers > (double-click on the primary/master server name) > Properties: Retention Periods.
2. Select a retention level that you want to redefine.
   • Note: Level 9 cannot be changed and remains at a setting of infinite.
3. The policy impact list now displays the names of all schedules that use the selected retention level. It also lists the policy to which each schedule belongs.
4. Type the new retention period in the Value box.
5. Select the units of measure (days, weeks, months, years, infinite, or expires immediately).
6. Click Impact Report
   • The policy impact list displays the schedules where the new retention period is less than the frequency period.
   • To prevent schedules from being listed, redefine the retention period for the schedules or change the retention or frequency for the schedule.
7. To discard your changes, click Cancel
8. To save your changes and update the configuration, click one of the following:
   • Apply: Saves the changes and leaves the dialog box open to make further changes.
   • OK: Saves the changes since Apply was last clicked. OK also closes the dialog box.
9. To Save the Changes, click OK.

Note, on redefining retention periods:

By default, NetBackup stores each backup on a volume that already contains backups at the same retention level. However, NetBackup does not check the retention period that is defined for that level. When the retention period for a level is redefined, it can result in backups with different retention periods being stored on the same volume. For example, if the retention period for level 3 is changed from 1 month to 6 months, NetBackup stores future level 3 backups on the same volumes. That is, the backups are placed on the volumes with the level 3 backups that have a retention period of one month.

No problem exists if the new and the old retention periods are of about the same value. However, before a major change is made to a retention period, suspend the volumes that were previously used for that retention level.

To suspend the volumes, use the following steps:

1. Use the NetBackup Media List report to determine which volumes are currently at the level to be suspended
2. Use the bpmedia command to suspend the volume

To display or change the retention value, the bpretlevel command can be used at the command line.

bpretlevel [-s | -l | -L | -U] [-M master_server,...]

bpretlevel {-r levelperiod} | -d [-M master_server,...]

For further details on the commands above, please see the NetBackup™ Commands Reference Guide for your version.

Note: The directory path to the above commands is as follows...

UNIX/Linux: /usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd

Windows: install_path\NetBackup\bin\admincmd

Applies To

All current versions of NetBackup