Backup Copy Job Question

[estraw]

I'm trying to get backup copy jobs set up in our environment to get copies of our backups offsite. The idea is that we keep weekly backups offsite for a year. I'm trying to configure the copy jobs so as little data is being copied as possible, but it doesn't look like I can have it just do weekly backup copies. I see the "restore points to keep" box and then when you check the box for archival purposes I can select a number of weekly backups. Is that separate from the restore points to keep box? If I have "restore points to keep" set to 1 and "weekly backups" set to 52, will it keep 52?

[foggy]

Yes, it's different. The number of restore points to keep relates to the regular backup copy job chain (and, btw, cannot be less than 2) - it is the first full backup (VBK) and subsequent incremental points (VIB) that you have with the specified frequency ('copy every' interval). The GFS restore points are always fulls (VBK) and have independent retention and schedule, so feel free to set it to the required 52 weeklies. In any case, backup copy will copy only changes and synthesize GFS points on the target repository.

[estraw]

Ok that makes sense. So there is no way to only have weeklys? There will always be the regular backup copy jobs that can't be less than 2?

Also, side question, our backup jobs are all set to reverse incremental. I think I read somewhere that forward incremental is a better way to go when using backup copies as well?

[foggy]

Ok that makes sense. So there is no way to only have weeklys? There will always be the regular backup copy jobs that can't be less than 2?

Correct.

Also, side question, our backup jobs are all set to reverse incremental. I think I read somewhere that forward incremental is a better way to go when using backup copies as well?

In terms of performance, forward incremental is indeed better.