Working with retention rules : Configuring a retention rule
 
Configuring a retention rule
The Retention Rule Wizard will guide you through the process for creating a retention rule. Once a retention rule is defined, it can be assigned to a backup set.
When a retention rule is enforced on a backup set, the DS-Client software will apply options within the rule that retain the most data. Data that meets at least one of the specified Keep options will be retained even if it meets a Delete option. Data that does not meet any Keep options will definitely be deleted.
You do not need to select and specify every option within a retention rule.
The Archive options (if selected) apply only to data that is retained. For more information about BLM, see “Backup Lifecycle Management (BLM)”.
To create or edit a retention rule
1. In the DS-User screen, click the Retention Rules tab.
• To create a new retention rule, right-click and select New Retention Rule.
• To modify an existing rule, right-click it and select Edit Retention Rule.
The Choose Retention Settings screen appears.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Choose Retention Settings"
2. In this screen, select the options you want to define for the retention rule.
The screens that follow depends on the selections made in this screen. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
NOTE:  To explain the different screens, the following instructions assume that you have selected every available option in this screen.
3. Click Next.
The Delete Options screen appears.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Delete Options"
For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
4. To proceed further, select at least one deletion option.
5. Click Next.
The Time-based Retention screen appears.
NOTE:  When creating a retention rule for a Microsoft SQL Server database backup based on the Transaction Log Only database backup policy, you must specify a value of 0 in the Keep most recent generations box, select the Keep all generations for the last check box, and specify a time period. For all other backup set kinds, you must specify a value of 1 or higher in the Keep most recent generations box.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Time Retention Options"
a) To add a time-based option, click Add.
The New Time Retention Option screen appears. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
F1 Help: "New Time Retention Option"
b) Enter the required details, click OK, and then click Next.
The Archive Old Data to BLM screen appears. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Archive Old Data to BLM Options"
6. To add an Archive option, click Add.
The New BLM Archive Rule screen appears.
F1 Help: "BLM Archive Rule"
a) Select the qualifying parameters for the files to be pushed to BLM.
• Archive files older than: This defines the age of the files. Online files older than the specified number of days will be ‘pushed’ to BLM.
• Archive rule applies to: You can select All Files, select a file filter rule from the drop-down list, or add a new filter rule and select it. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen(s).
F1 Help: "File Filtering Rule"
F1 Help: "File Filtering Option"
NOTE:  Try to keep any rules as simple as possible.
7. Click Next.
The Local Storage Retention (multiple generations) screen appears. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Local Storage Retention Options"
8. Click Next.
The Choose the name for this retention rule screen appears. For details on these options, see the online help for the screen.
F1 Help: "Retention Rule Wizard - Choose a name"
9. Enter a name, carefully review the Summary, and click Back to correct any options.
10. Click Finish.