Question about Images on Disk

[robertoaxity]

Hello  guys,

I have a doubt if this is normal or if the images on disk are being copied twice.

Example, in my productive disk pool if I filter the images by catalog in the netbackup console, it appears:

- primary copy : 12520 images
- Copy 1 : 12515 images

Is it normal to have these 2 quantities of images in primary copy and copy 1? or should they only appear in primary copy?

thank you very much

[davidmoline · Accepted solution]

Hi @robertoaxity 

Without knowing more about the environment and how you process backups this is most likely fine. Some background to explain:

1. In NetBackup you can have multiple copies of backups - each copy is assigned a copy number. 
2. With the use of SLP's (and manual duplication) each copy may have a different retention setting.
3. The primary copy is typically copy 1, but if this copy expires, then another copy will become the primary copy (eg copy 2). The primary copy can also be assigned to an arbitary copy number. 
4. The primary copy is used by default for restores (on the command line you can change which copy you restore frrom, in the GUI the copy used will be the primary copy).

So the count of primary copies may not equal the count of copy 1. There is no reason why it needs to be the same.

Cheers
David

[StefanosM]

It is normal. When you take a backup, always copy the primary copy.
You can check it using the columns "copy number" and "primary copy" for both queries.

If you have multiple copies, then you can select which copy will be the primary.
The primary copy is used to restore.

[robertoaxity]

Thanks for your help @davidmoline and @StefanosM.

Regards