Keep data for a month or two

[joealbergo]

I would like to use this job to backup each day of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.

I would like to keep the backup information for at least a month or two without losing it, can someone explain to me the next step here?

[pkh]

What you need to do is go to the Media tab, create a media and set the OPP to whatever period that you want your data to be protected.  You would then target this media set in your job.

[Kiran_Bandi]

Which type of storage you are using? Tape or Disks? 

Do note that backup jobs and media set configurations differ between disk and tape targets.

...and do you have any specific requirement like for example: one week data to one tape, which decides the AP of media set.

[pkh]

Do note that backup jobs and media set configurations differ between disk and tape targets.

This is not true in all cases.  Most of the time you can just switch media.

[Kiran_Bandi]

Most of the time you can just switch media.

Sorry PKH, I couldn't understand this. Switching medai between B2D and tape drive??

[pkh]

You are saying "backup jobs and media set configurations differ between disk and tape targets".  I am saying that most of the time you can switch the job from targeting disk to targeting disk media and vice-versa without changing any other job setting.

[joealbergo]

Kiran,

I appreciate your questions - let me describe to you the best I can, the answers to those questions.

1. Alright for now I am using Removable Media "an external hard drive" -

2. As far as requirements, I would like to keep data for each day for a month, Mon-Fri.

3. I am not sure what AP of Media Set means.

My goal would be to have a daily backup mon-fri run, I'd like to keep the data for a month. I figure I have enough space. I would like to utilize the tape back up. However I am taking it one step at a time, first the removable drive - then the tape will come later.

Thank you everyone in advance.

[joealbergo]

PKH,

So I could take a job that goes to removable media and actually send it to tape as well?

I will worry about this another time.

For now, I'd like to utilize a 5 day business week and backup all data that's on the job we perfected and have a copy for each day. Also hold on to this data for a month? or What should be the maximum time I would need it? 2 weeks?

You please offer opinions and advice for how long to keep the media, I appreciate everything.

[pkh]

If you want to keep your data for a month, create a media set with OPP = 1 month and AP = 1 hour and use this media set in your job.  This will protect your data for a month.  You would have to manage your storage to ensure that there is sufficient space for your backups.

Since you are using disk media, you should always specify overwrite in your job.  There is no advantage to append to disk media.

When you do convert to tapes, you can use the media set created above, but the short AP would mean that you cannot append to the tapes.  If you want to append to tape then create another media set with OPP = 1 month and set the AP long enough so that your jobs can append to the tapes.

You should familiarise yourself with the data management section of the Admin Guide which is available in the BE installation directory.

P.S. We use a lot of acronyms in this forum to save on typing.  If you are not sure what they stand for, check the Glossary discussion which I have created.  It is pinned to the top of the forum.

[Kiran_Bandi]

Also hold on to this data for a month? or What should be the maximum time I would need it? 2 weeks?

What type of backup job it is? FULL, Incr/Diff?  If it is Incr/Diff, then how frequently do you run Full backups define the minimum required retention for incr/diff backups.

With Weekly Full on Weekends and Incr on Weekdays -  I am using 4 Weeks Retention for Fulls and 2 Weeks Retention for Daily Incrs. (Can be changed to 1 Week also, i am with 2 Weeks as we have a requirement of restoring var log of servers for any specifc date from last 2 weeks.) If you have any such specific requirement that also decides your retention.

This BLOG might help in configuring B2D Jobs: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/faq-how-configure-media-setsb2d-jobs-and-backup-exec-p...

Thanks!

[joealbergo]

I have been extremely busy with the network and some trouble a user was experiencing on their computers. I have not had time to come back and read and try these settings or comprehend this advice. I will try soon and offer my feed back because this is taking a bit more effort to understand.

Thank you so much everyone, give me a moment to read this and try to understand what I must do next. I will keep you updated.

[joealbergo]

I have not had time to implement any of these settings or make efforts into utilizing these configuration options, although I am very thankful for the help from each of you and will soon get back into making advanced changes so that I can make my back-up more useful.

I am experiencing an issue again with my software and will open a thread and hope you can all help me once more.

These issues have arrived without any changes being made to Symantec but most likely to my server.