Couple of Questions Regarding Media Sets and Data Retention

[fhsaatech]

Hi,

I created a number of jobs using the default “Media Rotation” policy included with Backup Exec 2010R2. The jobs are backing up a Domain Controller, Exchange Server, and Windows file server. All backups are being stored on a local internal hard disk.

My question is regarding Media Sets… I’m not quite sure I fully understand them.

My goal is the following

1. 3 copies of the “Grandfather” monthly backup kept for a month.
2. 4 copies of the “Father” weekly backups.
3. 3 copies of the “Son” daily differential backup.

So… I modified the “default daily incremental” template to do differential backups (and renamed it).

But,  when I go under “Device and Media”, the media set is set to “Keep Data Infinitely – Do Not Allow Overwrite”, and “When this job begins” is set to “Append to media, overwrite if no appendable media is available”

To me, this sounds like it’s going to fill up the disk until it runs out of space.

So, do I need to create new Media Sets? Possibly:

1. Keep for 7 days
2. Keep for 4 weeks (this apparently already exists)
3. Keep for 3 months?

How do I need to configure this to get what I’m looking for? Any help is appreciated!

[Kiran_Bandi · Accepted solution]

With  job starting as overwrite only and media overwrite protection level as FULL use the below settings.

1) OPP 6 days AP NONE.

2) OPP 27 days, AP NONE

3) OPP 3 Months, AP NONE.

For each job one bkf file will get created and the oldest one will get overwritten from the starting of second cycle. First cycle in the sense 1) 6 jobs 2) 4 Jobs 3) 3 Jobs

So at any given point of time (After the completion of one cycle) you will have six bkf files with your daily media set, 4 bkf files with your weekly media set and 3 bkf files with your monthly media set. So, your concern about space will be solved.

If you want to start the job as Append to media, overwrtite if no appendable media found you can use same OPP and AP settings. But change media overwrite protection level to NONE.

Also you can choose media overwrite option as Overwrite recyclable media contained in the target media set before overwriting scratch media

Tools--> Options --> under settings media management.

Hope this piece of information helps...

Regards...

[fhsaatech]

Thanks Kiran,

That really helped out!