OverWrite backups older than 7 days old (Disk based storage)

[DaveWill]

Hi Guys,

I am using BackUp Exec 2012 SP 1A, and have half of my jobs go to Digital tape and half go to a 3 TB Buffalo TeraStation which is conencted via iSCSI.  

The backups to the disk storage run fine BUT I need to know how to get them to overwrite!  I do a full backup each friday night and then incrementals right through the week each week day but every 7 days I want to overwrite the previous full backup and the incremental which is 7 days old but cannot see a way to do it.  At the rate I am going I will of used every last megabyte of storage on the NAS and be out of space soon!

Any ideas?

[AmolB]

Configure disk backups to overwrite instead of appending.

In BE console, click on the BE button -> Configuration & settings -> Media management ->

select " Use recycable media before using scratch media"

[SuperBrain]

Backup Exec 2012 uses an intelligent retention technique called Data Lifecycle Management. 

You need to go to the backup job properties - Edit the Backup job - go to Storage under Backup Options

You will see an option called Keep for set this to 1 week

Automated data lifecycle management for disk and cloud storage

Backup Exec uses data lifecycle management to automatically expire backup sets on disk and cloud storage. Backup Exec reclaims the storage space when the amount of time that you specify when you create the backup job expires. If backup sets are dependent on other backup sets, then Backup Exec does not expire the data until all expiration dates are reached. You do not need to manage media when you keep backup data on disk or cloud storage.

[David_Palmersto]

Not to be a party crasher on this, but I'm on hold right now for emergency down support because my B2D folder of 16tb is about ready to fill up entirely (again) with over 9tb of EXPIRED FILES!

My observations:

The BE2012 SP1a+ DLM process has flaws which cause it to operate erratically, sometimes removing expired media regularly, sometimes not.  Right now, I'm in the NOT situation and won't last over the weekend unless something changes quickly...

For your situation, take a close look at the Audit Log (BE Button, Configuration and Settings, Audit Log) for the category "Backup Set Retention" with the User Name "Data Lifecycle Management" - if you see entries here showing "Deleted Expired Image: xxxx", then DLM is working on your system at least somewhat.

Log a support call if you do NOT see any entries in that category.

If there are backup sets being deleted, but the drive is still filling up, check your Data Retention settings for all backups (full, incremental, differential) going to the device to make sure that your settings allow BE to prune the sets through DLM.

If you still think that things should be being deleted and are not, goto the Storage, Storage Device Name, Backup Sets listing (this listing is NOT sortable, the oldest backup is at the bottom) and select a few of the backup sets you'd like to remove and delete them.  (Do NOT select very many at one time because the BE Management Service will crash - just restart the BE Management service if it does).

As you are deleting the sets, pay attention to the Dependencies listed in the Dependencies window as that may give you a good reason why your sets are not being pruned.

Post again if I've been confusing..

I sure hope to get past this situation soon...

[DaveWill]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies VERY informative indeed.

DavidP mentioned "For your situation, take a close look at the Audit Log (BE Button, Configuration and Settings, Audit Log) for the category "Backup Set Retention" with the User Name "Data Lifecycle Management" - if you see entries here showing "Deleted Expired Image: xxxx", then DLM is working on your system at least somewhat." so I took a look and indeed SOME expired images are being deleted but when I also went into "Storage, Storage Device Name, Backup Sets" and found there were a lot of backup sets with Expirationd dates that have long since past that have not been auto deleted.

I have now deleted some of the olrder backup sets to reclaim some space back on my NAS