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How can I prevent backup images from expiring?

skyblue
Level 3
Hi,

There is a legal requirement in my organization, because of which I need to prevent any existing backup images and future backup images from expiring for an idenfinite period.
I have considered using bpexpdate and/or freezing the tapes, but it involves to much manual work. And because I don't know for how long I have to keep the images, changing the expiry date or freezing the media don't seem to be feasible options.

Is there a way in NetBackup 5.1 to prevent the image cleanup process from running?
I am looking for some bp.conf entry or a touch file.

Thanks,
Deepak
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

quebek
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified
hello
I think You are looking for NOexpire touch file ;)
The NOexpire touch file is set in the following locations:

For UNIX:
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/NOexpire

For Windows:
VERITAS\NetBackup\Bin\NOexpire

More information can be found in the seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/281842.htm
Let me quote one chapter:
"Disaster recovery testing and job scheduling
The following techniques may help in your disaster recovery testing.
■ Prevent the expiration of empty media.
a Go to the following directory:
UNIX
cd /usr/openv/netbackup/bin
Windows
install_path\NetBackup\bin
b Enter the following:
mkdir bpsched.d
cd bpsched.d
echo 0 > CHECK_EXPIRED_MEDIA_INTERVAL
■ Prevent the expiration of images
a Go to the following directory:
UNIX
cd /usr/openv/netbackup
Windows
cd install_path\NetBackup
b Enter the following:
UNIX
touch NOexpire
Windows
echo 0 > NOexpire
■ Prevent backups from starting by shutting down bprd (NetBackup Request
Manager). This will suspend scheduling of new jobs by nbpem. To shut down
bprd, you can use the Activity Monitor in the NetBackup Administration
Console.
Restart bprd to resume scheduling."

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5

Seth_Bokelman
Level 5
Certified
I think a script for bpexpdate is your best option, you just need a list of all the media IDs, and a script to step through them all.  It'll take some programming, but shouldn't take THAT much manual labor..

quebek
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified
hello
I think You are looking for NOexpire touch file ;)
The NOexpire touch file is set in the following locations:

For UNIX:
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/NOexpire

For Windows:
VERITAS\NetBackup\Bin\NOexpire

More information can be found in the seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/281842.htm
Let me quote one chapter:
"Disaster recovery testing and job scheduling
The following techniques may help in your disaster recovery testing.
■ Prevent the expiration of empty media.
a Go to the following directory:
UNIX
cd /usr/openv/netbackup/bin
Windows
install_path\NetBackup\bin
b Enter the following:
mkdir bpsched.d
cd bpsched.d
echo 0 > CHECK_EXPIRED_MEDIA_INTERVAL
■ Prevent the expiration of images
a Go to the following directory:
UNIX
cd /usr/openv/netbackup
Windows
cd install_path\NetBackup
b Enter the following:
UNIX
touch NOexpire
Windows
echo 0 > NOexpire
■ Prevent backups from starting by shutting down bprd (NetBackup Request
Manager). This will suspend scheduling of new jobs by nbpem. To shut down
bprd, you can use the Activity Monitor in the NetBackup Administration
Console.
Restart bprd to resume scheduling."

Seth_Bokelman
Level 5
Certified
Wow, that's great, I had no idea that option existed. :)  You got my vote!

Nicolai
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP   

I had the same demand due to a legal hold - I choose to write a script to change the expiration date of the image in question and introduce a new schedule for the data bound by legal hold.

 Talk to the the legal department to hear what type of data is under legal hold. Saving everything from now on and the next many year will be expensive in media usage. If possible make legal fund media related expenses (it's there legal hold isn't it ).

Just my 0.02 $.

skyblue
Level 3
Thanks everyone.

I have created NOexpire file in /usr/openv/netbackup/bin.  I am testing it, whether it really works.
I the meantime I have asked the legal guys to be specific about the clients.

Thanks once again to quebek for showing me way out.