SLP Expiration date seems to be off

[LucSkywalker195]

I'm running Netbackup 7.5.0.6 and using SLP's to backup my primary copy 1 and duplicate copy 2 for offsite. Copy 1 has a retention of 1 year and Copy 2 has a retention of 2 months. When I look in BAR or bpimagelist the retention date is displayed from Copy 2. When I look at the image with bpimagelist -U -L -backupid <backup image id> I can see Copy 1 with correct date and Copy 2 with correct date. When Copy 2 expires will Netbackup properly display the retention date for Copy 1 for the given backupid? Has anyone else seen this behavior from Netbackup? I thought it was supposed to display the retention date from the primary copy -- Copy 1?

[mph999]

If I remember correctly ... A while back (6.5 probably) the date displayed before the copy was infinity ... then after the copy this changed to the retention of copy 1. Then I think this changed to always displaying the 'final' retention of copy 1. Of course, this logic might be slightly flawed if my tests had both copy1 and 2 with the same retention ... If things are as you say, then looks like it 'may' have changed again (if my tests used diff retentions). You will be seeing what everyone else at 7.5.0.6 - you're all running the same code.

[Marianne]

It seems that NBU sort of assumes that copy 2 will have the longer retention.

Most users have copy 1 on disk with short retention and copy 2 on tape with longer retention.

I remember a similar discussion here a while ago. Will dig a bit and post the link if I can find it....

[watsons]

As far as I understand, it always list the image details of final copy. 

I will test it out...[EDIT]

OK now I have run a simple test of SLP:

   backup (4 days),
   1st dup (2 days),
   2nd dup (2 hours)

Upon completion of all duplication, run the commands:

#bpimagelist -U -backupid test1_1383021171 | more

Backed Up         Expires       Files       KB  C  Sched Type   On Hold Index Status Policy

----------------  ---------- -------- --------  -  ------------ ------- ------------ ------------

10/29/2013 15:30  11/02/2013     4013    39236  N  Full Backup  0       0            TestUnix

==> showing the final copy!

# bpimagelist -L -backupid test1_1383021171 | grep "Expiration Time"

Expiration Time:   Tue Oct 29 16:32:53 2013 (1383024773)

 Expiration Time:  Sat Nov  2 15:32:53 2013 (1383366773)

 Expiration Time:  Thu Oct 31 15:32:53 2013 (1383193973)

 Expiration Time:  Tue Oct 29 16:32:53 2013 (1383024773)

==> -L will give you date for each copies. Let's see what happen 2 days later.. 

[LucSkywalker195]

I did a little test too only did weeks instead of days. I'll re-do it for days. Please do let me know how it turns out. Thanks for all your help!

[watsons · Accepted solution]

Sorry, was busy last few days I forgot to check this..

But on the day before Nov2, I did check and the expiration date using "-U" was showing 31/10/2013, and using "-L" shows me 2 copies with first copy expiring in Nov 2, second copy expiring in Oct 31. So we can say it's showing the expiration date of last copy made. 

IMHO, probably a good idea for Netbackup to display the longest expiration date out of all copies, instead of assuming the last copy will have longest retention period.

[LucSkywalker195]

My test proved that as well. Whew! Thanks for your help and responses!