Configure Retention

Step 3: Configuring Retention

NetworkBackup Client provides a retention feature wherein you can retain multiple versions of the backup in the backup server. Retention is aimed at optimizing the storage utilization while adhering to your organization's backup policy. Retention can be configured for backed up files as well as deleted files. NetworkBackup Client retains the version files at the backup server based on two types of retention:

• Version-Based Retention
• Time-Based Retention

Version-Based Retention

Version Based Retention will retain multiple versions of your backup in the backup server based on the value you provide. For example, if you have selected to keep the last 5 version(s) of the backup data, then the latest 5 versions of the backup data will be maintained in the backup server. When the sixth version of the file is created, NetworkBackup Client will automatically delete the first version. The count '5' will be maintained at all times. This is the default retention type and the default value is '5'. Version count begins from '00' and runs up to '99'.

Time-Based Retention

When you select Time-Based Retention as your retention type, NetworkBackup Client will retain the version of your backup files in the backup server based on the age of version. The period varies from a day, week, month and year(default). The default count is for 5 years, which implies that until 5 years your version of the backup data will be retained in the backup server and will then be removed automatically. The maximum period that you can retain your files for is 10 years. You can further customize your retention based on two options provided:

• Any number of versions can be created within this retention period
• Restrict the maximum number of versions that can be created within this retention period to

Any number of versions can be created within this retention period

• When you select this option, NetworkBackup Client will retain all the versions of the backup data in the specified time frame. For example, if you have selected 5 years and select this option, all the versions that occur in these 5 years will be retained in your backup server. This is the default setting.

Restrict the maximum number of versions that can be created within this retention period to

• NetworkBackup Client will retain the version files based on the value you configure. For example, if you have selected value as '5' which is the default count, NetworkBackup Client will retain only the last five versions of your backup data.  Version count begins at '01' and runs until '99'.

Retention policy for deleted files[for Windows only]

• If the files that are configured for backup gets deleted at the client-side after a backup schedule, then the backed up data of those files will not be deleted in the backup server. It will be marked as 'Deleted' during the subsequent backup schedule.
• NetworkBackup Client provides you an option to retain the deleted files in the backup server.

Version-Based Retention

Retains the specified versions of the files that are deleted in the client machine. The specified version will be retained in the backup server and this is the default option. Retention count runs from '01' to '99' (default is 5)

Time-Based Retention

Time-Based Retention will retain the versions of a file for a specified period once the files are deleted in the client machine. The default retention count is for 5 years, which means NetworkBackup Client will retain the versions for 5 years. When you select years as criteria, you can only retain the versions up to 10 years.

Don't retain deleted files

If files are deleted in the client machine, all backed up versions of these files will be deleted from the server as well in the subsequent backup schedules. This is not recommended as you will lose your data permanently. Click Save once you have configured the required retention settings.

Add Backup Server

• If a server you want to schedule backups is not configured, add the server using the Add Backup Server option.
• Make sure Vembu BDR is installed in the Backup Server else you will get the message: "The server is not listening on the port '32004'. Make sure Vembu BDR is running in the server and that you have specified the right port number. Ensure that your NAT/firewall at your server is configured to allow incoming TCP traffic on the port."