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Job History vs Job Log vs Catalog Retention

LozBC
Level 4

Hi,

Just a quick query really.

I currently have the following options set:

Job History 90 Days

Job Logs 30 Days

Truncate catalogs Unticked

I am trying to understand the implication of making changes to these settings.

At the moment if I view a job history which is older than 30 days, it only has the Job History tab so I know the settings are working.

As far as I know the Job Log is basically a more indepth version of Job History. (Is this right?)

What I am trying to understand is the impact of the truncate catalogs option. (I am fully aware I can regenerate the catalog from source media BTW!)

I am currently backing up to tape. If I need to restore there are currently two ways I look for data to restore:

I select the correct tape where I can see the Backup Sets tab and view the backup sets contained on the tape. If I click a backup set I can then view its contents.

The reverse way using the server I want to restore to where I can then search etc. I am assuming the catalogs are what is being searched if I select search but if I also manually browse..

If I set the catalogs to truncate over say 90 days what exactly do I lose?

Does BE remove all references to what is on the tapes completely... as in no backup set and no contents, or is it just the contents that disappear?

 

3 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions

AmolB
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

The backup sets which are displayed in the restore window are fetched from the catalogs. If you

truncate 90 days old catalogs than in the restore window you will not see any backup sets which

are older than 90 days until you perform an invnetory and run a catalog job on the backups sets.

View solution in original post

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

When you truncate logs, it doesn't touch old logs...it does this going-forward.

Therefore, if you want to restore data from a tape that is 100 days old after doing this, you'd need to recatalog the tape, and then restore.

Old catalogs would have to be deleted manually if you are sure they are no longer required.

Thanks!

View solution in original post

AmolB
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

Irrespective of the catalogs, Tape will have information (backup sets) until its overwritten.

After truncating catalogs Backup Exec will display contents from the tape only after a successful

catalog job. Refer to the below forum thread for more information about truncating catalogs.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/be2012-what-happens-when-catalog-files-are-deletedtruncated

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

AmolB
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

The backup sets which are displayed in the restore window are fetched from the catalogs. If you

truncate 90 days old catalogs than in the restore window you will not see any backup sets which

are older than 90 days until you perform an invnetory and run a catalog job on the backups sets.

LozBC
Level 4

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

If I truncate 90 days old catalogs as you suggested and then look at a tape will that show any information at all then?

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

When you truncate logs, it doesn't touch old logs...it does this going-forward.

Therefore, if you want to restore data from a tape that is 100 days old after doing this, you'd need to recatalog the tape, and then restore.

Old catalogs would have to be deleted manually if you are sure they are no longer required.

Thanks!

AmolB
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

Irrespective of the catalogs, Tape will have information (backup sets) until its overwritten.

After truncating catalogs Backup Exec will display contents from the tape only after a successful

catalog job. Refer to the below forum thread for more information about truncating catalogs.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/be2012-what-happens-when-catalog-files-are-deletedtruncated