Creating a retention rule
You can create a retention rule to ensure that active backup data for specified clients is kept as a retention set for long-term storage. A retention rule specifies how often data is collected, and how long that data is kept.
About this task
A retention rule defines a schedule for collecting active client backup data for long-term retention. The schedule determines how often the server takes a snapshot of active backup data for one or more clients. The snapshot is called a retention set and is the collection of backup data objects that were active when the retention set was created.
You can configure a retention rule for in-place retention, retention to tape, or retention to cloud.
With in-place retention, the retention sets that are created by the retention rule are kept in primary storage. The backup data objects in the retention set are tracked in the server inventory, and are retained according to the retention set's expiration date. The retention set's expiration date 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 retention set.
With retention to tape, the retention sets are first created as in-place retention sets in primary storage, but are 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, you must 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.
- The retention rule name.
- Whether the rule is active or inactive. When a retention rule is inactive, retention sets are not created automatically at scheduled intervals.
- The server on which the retention rule is defined.
- The retention rule frequency, which determines how often a retention set is created by the retention rule. This property is designed to help you meet requirements for collecting data on a recurring basis. For example, financial records might have to be collected regularly at quarterly or year-end fiscal boundaries.
- The start time for creating retention sets from this retention rule.
- The retention period, which determines the expiration date for retention sets that are created by this rule. When a retention set is created by this rule, the retention set's expiration date depends on its creation date and the retention period.
- Whether the retention sets that are created from this rule are kept in primary storage or saved to a retention storage pool. A retention storage pool can represent a supported cloud object storage environment or a collection of tape devices of the same type. If you do not specify a retention storage pool, then retention sets are kept as in-place retention sets in primary storage. If you specify a retention storage pool that represents tape devices, you can also specify whether volume stacking is used. Volume stacking allows retention sets that are created by this retention rule to share tape volumes with other retention sets. Use volume stacking to make more efficient use of tape capacity. Do not use volume stacking if each retention set that is created from this retention rule must be separated from other data on its own tape volumes.
- The clients whose active backup data is to be retained. The clients can be backup-archive clients, IBM® Storage Protect for Virtual Environments virtual machines, Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange Server, or Data Protection for Microsoft SQL Server clients. Instead of including data from all client file spaces, you can identify a subset of file spaces. You can specify name patterns with wildcard characters to match multiple clients, virtual machines, or client file spaces. The entities that match the pattern are determined when the retention set is created. For example, you can specify a pattern to match your organization's naming conventions for virtual machines. As new virtual machines that match the pattern are added, they are automatically included in new retention sets. The virtual machines that are included in a retention set are determined when the retention set is created.
Procedure
To create a retention rule, complete the following steps:
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You can create a retention rule from scratch, or you can create a retention rule by copying an existing retention rule and updating it.
Tip: If you are creating a retention rule that is similar to an existing one, copying and updating the existing rule can simplify configuration. For example, if you are creating identical retention rules across a number of servers, you can copy an existing retention rule for one server and update only the server field.
Option Instructions Create a retention rule from scratch On the Retention Rules page, click 
Create Rule.Create a retention rule by copying a retention rule and editing it. - On the Retention Rules page, select the retention rule that you want to use as a template for the new retention rule.
- Click Create Rule From.
Results
If the retention rule does not specify a retention storage pool, then the retention set is an in-place retention set. The backup data objects remain in primary storage and cannot be deleted until the retention set's expiration date. Movement of the data between primary storage pools is not restricted; only the deletion of data is restricted.
If the retention rule specifies a retention pool, the retention set is initially created in place in primary storage. Later, the retention-copy storage rule that is associated with the retention storage pool runs to copy retention set data to retention storage pool. The retention-copy storage rule runs daily. If the retention set is not fully copied to tape or cloud storage during its processing window, the copying is resumed the next time the retention-copy storage rule runs.