Deleting backup data

If your administrator has given you authority, you can delete individual backup copies from the IBM Spectrum Protect server without deleting the entire file space.

About this task

For example, you might need to delete sensitive data that was backed up (intentionally or unintentionally), and now needs to be removed from the server. Or you might need to delete files that were backed up, but were later found to contain viruses. To determine if you have the authority to delete individual backup copies from the IBM Spectrum Protect server without deleting the entire file space, select File > Connection Information from the backup-archive client GUI or web client main menu. Your authority status is provided in the Delete Backup Files field.

Important: When you delete backup files, you cannot restore them. Verify that the backup files are no longer needed before you delete them. The client prompts whether you want to continue with the delete. If you specify yes, the specified backup files are immediately deleted and removed from IBM Spectrum Protect server storage.

Procedure

To delete backup copies using the backup-archive client GUI or web client:

Select Utilities > Delete Backup Data from the menu. The Backup Delete window appears.
Expand the Directory tree by clicking the plus sign (+) or folder icon next to the object you want to expand.
Click the selection boxes next to objects that you want to delete.
Select an item from the drop-down list near the top of the Backup Delete window to specify the type of backup delete to perform. You can delete active backup versions, inactive backup versions, or all objects that you have selected in the tree.
Click Delete to begin deleting the selected items.

Results

Note:

If you specify Delete Active Objects or Delete Inactive Objects, only the files are considered for removal.
If you specify Delete Active Objects or Delete Inactive Objects and select a directory that contains no files for removal, the following message is displayed during the delete backup operation:
```
ANS5030E No objects on server match query.
```
The last parent inactive directory is removed based on retention policy settings on the server.
A directory is deleted only if you select Delete All Objects.
To delete file spaces, click Utilities > Delete Filespaces from the main window.
To delete backup copies using the command-line client, use the delete backup command.