Retention Sets

View status and configuration information for retention sets. Retention sets are collections of client backup data, which are kept to satisfy long-term data retention requirements.

Retention sets are created in place in primary storage and can be copied to tape or cloud object storage.

With in-place retention, the retention set consists only of database references to the original backup data objects in primary storage. A backup data object might be in multiple in-place retention sets, but all retention sets reference the original backup data object. The backup data objects are retained according to the retention set's expiration date, which is independent of policy set specifications. A backup data object might be eligible for deletion based on its backup policy, but expiration processing does not delete the data object if it is part of an unexpired in-place retention set.

With retention to tape, the retention set is first created as an in-place retention set in primary storage, but is later copied to tape. With retention to cloud, retention sets are first created as in-place retention sets in primary storage, but are later copied to cloud object storage. Until a data object in the retention set is copied, it cannot be deleted in primary storage even if it is eligible for deletion based on backup policies. However, after the backup data object is copied, it can be deleted from primary storage according to backup policies. For this reason, do not consider the retention set on tape or in cloud storage to be a secondary copy. After a retention set is copied to tape or cloud storage, the tape or cloud copy is the primary copy of the retention set.

A retention set can also be added to one or more retention holds. A retention hold is a collection of retention sets that are preserved regardless of their expiration dates. Retention holds are designed for situations in which data in retention sets must be kept indefinitely. When a retention set is in a retention hold, it cannot be deleted until the retention set is explicitly released from the retention hold.

The Retention Sets page shows the overall status of retention sets for all servers that are managed by the Operations Center. For a retention hold, a version of this table is also available on the Retention Sets tab of the retention hold's Details notebook. On the Retention Sets tab of the Details notebook, this table shows the overall status of retention sets that are contained in the retention hold.

The following actions and information are available:

Add To New Hold / Add To Hold

Use these actions to create a retention hold or to add retention sets to an existing retention hold. When a retention set is added to a retention hold, its data objects cannot be deleted, regardless of its expiration date, until it is explicitly released from the hold. When you create a retention hold, you must specify at least one retention set to be preserved. Later, you can add more retention sets to the hold. Because the data in a retention set might be relevant to other data-preservation efforts, you can add a retention set to multiple retention holds as required.

Move Media

Use this action to change the Media State property for all of the selected retention set's tape volumes. The Media State property helps you track the volumes as they are moved from location to location. If a retention set must be restored, you can use this tracking information to locate the tape volumes that contain the retention set data. Before you make Media State property changes by using the Operations Center, determine whether your organization uses scripts to automate move-media actions and, if so, what actions are scripted. You must understand your organization's schedules and scripts to ensure that you do not interfere with the regular actions that they automate.

Release

This action is available only on the Retention Sets tab of the Details notebook for a retention hold. This action is not available on the Retention Sets page. Use this action to release selected retention sets from a retention hold. You can release retention sets from a retention hold when they no longer must be preserved. When a retention set is released from the hold, and if the retention set is not in another hold, the retention set reverts to being retained according to its own expiration date. If the retention set is past its expiration date, it is deleted the next time expiration processing runs. If you do not want a retention set that is past its expiration date to be deleted, you can update the retention set's expiration date before you release the retention set.

Interrupt

Use this action to temporarily stop copying the selected retention set. This action interrupts the underlying retention job, which copies the retention set, and stops all of its child processes. Use this action to resolve problems or to take other necessary actions for the retention job. For example, a retention job to copy a retention set to tape storage requires tape devices and tape volumes. You might interrupt the job if a tape device requires maintenance, or if a new scratch volume needs to be made available.

Remember: An interrupted retention job remains interrupted until you explicitly resume it. After you resolve any problems, use the Resume action to resume the job.

Resume

Use this action to resume an interrupted retention job. Interrupted jobs typically require some administrator intervention before they are resumed. Determine why the job was interrupted and resolve any problems before you resume the job. Jobs can be interrupted by an administrator, or the server might interrupt the job based on error conditions. For example, if a child process of the retention job completes with an error condition, the job is interrupted.

Resuming an interrupted retention job places that job in the sleeping state. The job remains in the sleeping state until the next processing window of the retention storage pool's associated retention-copy storage rule. The next time the retention-copy storage rule begins processing, the storage rule restarts the job.

Terminate

Use this action to permanently end a retention job. You cannot restart a terminated job, so the retention set cannot be fully copied to tape. Use this action only if you are unable to resolve an issue that prevents the job from completing successfully. If there is an issue that you think you can resolve, use the Interrupt action instead. The Interrupt action suspends the job so you can resolve the problem before you restart the job by using the Resume action.

Delete

Use this action to delete a retention set. During expiration processing, the data objects in the retention set are deleted unless they are still retained by a different retention set. For in-place retention sets, data objects are also not deleted if they are protected by policy set specifications.

Update Expiration Date

Use this action to update a retention set's expiration date when data-retention requirements change.

Creation Date / Created By

Retention sets can be created automatically at regular intervals by active retention rules, or an administrator can explicitly create a one-time retention set.

For retention sets that were automatically created by an active retention rule, the Created By column shows the name of the retention rule. Because multiple retention sets are created by the same retention rule, the Creation Date and Created By columns together uniquely identify each retention set.

For one-time retention sets, the Created By column shows the name that was specified when the administrator created the retention set.

Status

The status of the retention set. The following states can be shown for the retention set.

Interrupted

This state applies only to retention sets that are copied to tape or cloud storage. The underlying retention job is interrupted and must be resumed by an administrator. Typically some intervention on behalf of the job is required before the administrator resumes the job. Jobs can be interrupted by an administrator, or the server might interrupt the job based on error conditions. For example, a retention job to copy a retention set to tape storage requires tape devices and tape volumes. An administrator might interrupt a job to upgrade a tape device. After the new device is configured, the administrator can resume the job. The server interrupts a job if any of processes that are managed by the job exit with an error. A process might exit with a timeout error, for example, if the process was unable to write to tape. The error might be due to a problem with the tape device, a lack of tape volumes, or a network connectivity problem.

To determine why the retention job was interrupted, you can view messages that the server generated about the retention set in the activity log. These messages are displayed in the Activity Log tab of the retention set's Details notebook. To open the Details notebook, right-click the retention set and select More > Details.

Remember: An interrupted retention job remains interrupted until you explicitly resume it. After you resolve any problems, use the Resume action to resume the job.

Sleeping

This state applies only to retention sets that are copied to the tape or cloud storage. The underlying retention job is sleeping until the next processing window of the retention storage pool's associated retention-copy storage rule. The next time the retention-copy storage rule begins processing, the storage rule restarts the job.

Copying

This state applies only to retention sets that are copied to the tape or cloud storage. The underlying retention job, which copies retention set data from primary storage to the retention storage pool, is running. The retention job runs only during the processing window of the retention storage pool's associated retention-copy storage rule. The Size column shows the progress of the copy operation.

Completed

The retention set was created. The retention job completed without errors.

For in-place retention sets, this state indicates that the retention set was created in the server database only. The backup data objects that make up the retention set were not moved or copied from primary storage, but are now tracked in the server inventory. The backup data objects cannot be deleted until the retention set's expiration date. Although the data objects cannot be deleted, movement of the data objects between primary storage pools is not restricted.

For retention sets that are copied to tape or cloud storage, this state indicates that the entire retention set was copied from primary storage to tape or cloud storage. Now that the copying is complete, be aware that the original data objects in primary storage are kept in primary storage according to backup policies only. Only the retention set data on tape or in cloud storage is retained until the retention set's expiration date.

Incomplete

The state applies only to retention sets that are copied to tape or cloud storage. The underlying retention job, which copies retention set data from primary storage to the retention storage pool, was terminated. The retention set was not fully copied. The retention job cannot be restarted.

Expiring

The retention set is expiring within the next 30 days. When the expiration date of the retention set is reached, the retention set is deleted unless it is in a retention hold. To prevent the retention set from being deleted, you can update its expiration data or you can add it to a retention hold.

Expired

A retention set is expired when its expiration date is reached and expiration processing is completes. If the retention set is on tape or in cloud storage, expiration processing deletes the retention set. For in-place retention sets, expiration processing deletes the data objects in the retention set unless they are still retained according to policy set specifications or by a different retention set.

Deleted

When a retention set is deleted, the data objects that were in the retention set are no longer protected from expiration. If the retention set is on tape or in cloud storage, expiration processing deletes the retention set. For in-place retention sets, expiration processing deletes the data objects in the retention set unless they are still retained according to policy set specifications or by a different retention set.

By default, expired or deleted retention sets are shown in the Operations Center for 30 days after they expired or were deleted. This default is based on the default activity log retention period, and might be longer or shorter if the activity log retention period was changed.

Size

The total size of the client files that are included in the retention set. This measurement is the total size of the original client files that were backed up. For in-place retention sets, the size is not a measurement of physical space in server storage because it does not include any space savings from deduplication or compression. This measurement includes all files that are protected by this retention set, even if files are also protected by policy set specifications or by other retention sets. For retention sets that are copied to tape or cloud storage, the copy operation reverses any compression or deduplication to create hydrated copies of the original client files. For this reason, the size measurement corresponds to the size of the retention set on tape or in cloud storage.

Expiration Date

When the retention set is created, its expiration date is based on the retention period that was specified by the retention rule or by the administrator who created the retention set. All backup data objects in the retention set are protected from deletion until the expiration date is reached, unless the retention set is in a retention hold. After the expiration date is reached, and if the retention set is not in a retention hold, expiration processing deletes the retention set. The retention set's backup data objects are deleted unless they are protected by policy set specifications or are part of another retention set.

Note: A retention set might reach its expiration date, but its Status is not Expired until expiration processing completes.

To reset the expiration date, right-click the retention set and select More > Update Expiration Date.

Holds

If the retention set is in a retention hold, the name of the retention hold that contains this retention set. If the retention set is in multiple retention holds, the number of retention holds that contain this retention set. Click the hold name or the number that is displayed in this column to view more information about the retention hold or retention holds.

Clients

The number of clients whose active data was collected into the retention set. To view a list of the clients, click the number that is displayed in this column.

Retention Pool

A retention storage pool can represent a supported cloud object storage environment or a collection of tape devices of the same type. Tape device types are 3592 tape devices, LTO tape devices, or StorageTek drives. If a retention pool is specified, the retention set that is created is copied to this retention storage pool to be written to tape or cloud storage. A retention storage pool has an associated retention-copy storage rule, which is automatically created when you define the pool. The retention-copy storage rule runs once each day to copy retained data from primary storage to the retention storage pool. Retention sets are first created in place in primary storage, but are copied to the retention pool when its associated storage rule runs. After the copy process creates the retention set on tape or in cloud storage, the original backup objects are kept in primary storage according to backup policies only. Only the retention set data on tape or in cloud storage is retained until the retention set's expiration date.

If no retention storage pool is specified, the retention set is an in-place retention set that is kept in primary storage.

Volumes

The number of tape volumes that contain data for the retention set.