You can manually define and set retentions through this tab.
There are three predefined retentions. You can change them as necessary, but they are useful when you create a retention scheme for the first time. You can create more retentions (up to ten in total, including these three).
The predefined (default) retentions are as follows:
Retention
Name Days Online Copies Online Days Archived
Daily 7 7 OFF
Weekly 31 5 OFF
Monthly 365 12 OFF
Days Online is the number of days a safeset is kept on the Vault before expiring.
Copies Online indicates how many copies of the backup safeset are stored online.
Days Archived indicates if and how long the data will be stored offline.
Note that Days Online and Copies Online work together. Both conditions need to be met before any backups are deleted.
For example, if both Days Online and Copies Online are 7, there can never be less than 7 backups. If Days Online goes over 7, there will still be 7 copies. If Copies Online goes below 7, there will still be 7 days’ worth. It must be over 7 days with more than 7 copies before any are expired.
Creating a New Retention
To create a new retention for the Agent:
1. On the Retentions tab, click New. The Retention Wizard opens. 2. On the Welcome screen, click Next.
3. On the Retention Name screen, enter a name for the retention. Retention names can be up to 32 alphanumeric characters in length. No spaces are allowed. Names are not case-sensitive. Underscores (_) and hyphens (-) may be used.
4. If desired, enter a number from 1 to 9999 in the days box. This number defines the number of days a safeset is to be kept on the Vault Server before expiring. Once the expiry date is reached, a safeset is
automatically deleted.
5. If desired, enter a number from 1 to 999 in the copies box. This number defines the minimum number of copies of a particular safeset (as defined by a Job) that will be maintained online. It functions in a first in, first out manner. Once the number of copies is exceeded, the oldest copy will automatically expire or be deleted. This process occurs until the actual number of copies matches the definition. This setting does not apply to archived data.
6. If desired, enter a number from 365 to 9999 in the box for the number of days to archive. This number defines the number of days a safeset will be maintained on removable media at the Vault before it expires and is deleted.
7. On the Finish screen, click Finish.
To save the retention, you must click OK on the Retentions tab before you leave the tab.
Editing a Retention
To manually edit a retention for the Agent:
1. On the Retentions tab, select a retention by clicking on its line. 2. Click Edit. This opens the Retention screen.
3. In the Retention name field, you can change the name of the retention. Retention names can be up to 32 alphanumeric characters in length. No spaces are allowed. Names are not case-sensitive. Underscores (_) and
4. In the Settings pane, the number of days and the number of copies can be modified. The number of days can be from 1 to 9999 and the number of copies can be from 1 to 999.
5. In the Archive pane, choose whether you want to archive your data. Data can be archived from 365 to 9999 days. If you would like to archive data, discuss this with your service provider.
Note: Changing a retention definition affects only the retention settings and its application to future (yet to be created) safesets.
You may also want to create a new retention. A retention is defined through the Retention Wizard. Activate this wizard by clicking New on the Retentions tab.
Open File Tab
Agents 6.70 and later use VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Services) by default for open file management. The following descriptions of Open Transaction Manager (OTM) and Open File Manager (OFM) products apply to Agents 6.61 and earlier. OTM can still be used with older Jobs, or in a custom manner, but it is not used by default.
For Agents 6.6x and earlier, if you have installed OTM or OFM, you can configure it through the Open File tab.
For Agents 6.6x and earlier
You can install OTM after an initial Agent installation. Run the installation again, and choose Modify to add or remove specified software components. Select to install the OTM feature.
Under Product, select the Open File product from the menu, depending on which one you have installed:
• None or OTM • None or OFM
Note: You cannot run both OTM and OFM together. OFM features:
• Typically used on large servers
• Separate installation; configured through its own GUI • Has dynamic cache and its own log files
• Displays its cache as a file; can select drives to cache; can release cache before end of backup
• Can run concurrent, multiple backups OTM features:
• Typically used on small to medium-sized servers • Configured and installed through the Agent
• Uses a single cache with preallocated maximum size; caches all drives • Logs to the Agent backup log
• Only allows one backup at a time • Releases cached data at end of backup
Note: For OFM versions 9.1 and later, you must use the OFM Manager GUI (Configuration > Properties) to explicitly exclude directories and subdirectories. This is found within the OFM GUI under System > (Server name) > Properties > Files tab > (browse to the Agent installation directory) > Files to be ignored by OFM – (select checkbox: Include Subdirectories). OFM versions earlier than 9.1 will automatically exclude any directories that cannot be open during a backup. From the settings that follow, you will be able to select all of them for OTM, but only Abort Processing Options (and possibly License Key) for OFM.
License key
Enter your license information (supplied by your service provider or authorized reseller) in the License key field. If you installed OTM with the Agent, you will have a 30-day trial license.
You can click Validate Key to check that your license will work. If the license does not validate, review the information and make any necessary changes.
Cache file size
The cache file size is related to how many unique writes occur to the Vault during the backup. As a rough guideline, for every write there are ten reads. As such, for 100 MB read during one hour, a 10 MB cache is sufficient.
There is a maximum limit on the size of the cache file. Depending on the OS used, it may be up to 4 or 7 GB. If you exceed the maximum size, you will get an error: “OTM failed to start up” and “insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service” in the Agent log file, and the backup will fail. Reduce the cache file size and retry the backup.
Cache file location
Use this parameter to specify the placement of the cache file.
Use Agent Product Directory: If this option is selected, a cache file is created where the CentralControl software is installed.
Use OTM Auto Placement: If selected, the OTM software places the cache file on a non-OTM drive, provided one is available with enough disk space. If no non- OTM drives exist, or there is not enough space, the first OTM drive with enough space is used. If the drive is the same drive in which the temp directory resides, the file will be placed in the temp directory; otherwise, it is created at the root of the drive.
Note: You may use one of these two choices, or you can enter another path name. For instance, you may want to direct the cache to the fastest disk drive, with the most space. If your choice is invalid for any reason (such as space limitation on the disk or an invalid path name), OTM will not start. There will be a message in the log. Whether the backup will continue depends on what you have entered for Abort processing options.
Quiescent wait period
The Quiescent Wait Period is the minimum period of idle disk activity (no writes) that OTM requires before its cache file is created and the Virtual drives are mapped. The default setting is 5 seconds.
No activity timeout
The No Activity Timeout is a period of time that OTM will wait to attain the Quiescent Wait Period. After the set period of inactivity has passed, the software logs and continues, or logs and halts the program as specified.
Abort processing options
Abort processing options pertain to open-file processing errors, such as
synchronization problems. You can select Log And Continue or Log And Halt. Log And Continue will log any error (such as not being able to achieve the quiescent wait period to create a snapshot of an open file) and continue with the Job.