Catalog: search possibilities for old images or non-existing clients

[X2]

Hi,

I was trying to search for images related to a client which is no longer backed up (policy and client are still in NBU). When searching using client (admin console GUI), I found some images ranging from 2006 - 2009 (10yr retention policy). I also noticed that the images were from two different policies and one of them is not in NBU anymore.

Searching using the existing policy brings up images for that client (only one client in policy) using that policy. However, when I try to edit the policy name to the (non-existing) policy and do a search; the result is INF - Status = found no images or media matching the selection criteria.

So my question is: does the policy and client have to be present in NBU to be able to search? The Help says "type a policy name in the box or select one from the scroll-down list" - no indication that the policy/client needs to exist in NBU.

Also, am I correct that partial policy/client names are not allowed in the search?

Thanks in advance for your expert suggestions.

[Nicolai]

No - Policies are only for backups.

They are not need for searching or restoring.

When searching, you need  to be rather specific especialy when it comes to policy names.

Try using host names alone and narrow down date/time range.

[X2]

I used the hostname only and that is how I found out that there were images for it from different policies - one of which does not exist anymore.

I was doing the search and testing in order to know if I can remove the policy and client from NetBackup (server decommissioned, etc) and still be able to recover the images if required.

[Nicolai]

No Problem - You can remove unused policies.

Policies are only for executing backup - not restoring old backups.

[RonCaplinger]

Nicolai is 100% correct.  You can delete the client from a NetBackup policy, or even remove the entire policy and all of the clients, and you will still be able to access the backup images and restore any data from them. 

From a logic standpoint, however, if you don't keep track of the client names you are removing, you or your successors may not remember those client names years from now and that might make it more difficult to locate the data for restore.

If your company uses any sort of enterprise change control system, or even just a Help Desk ticketing system, I would recommend using them to document the client removals.  It might help to be able to search through that old information to find the name of a client an when exactly it was in use in your organization.