Weekly retention on CopyJob

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,
I'd like to know how to configure a Weekly Copy job.
We've some Backup jobs that run a FULL on the weekend, and nothing during the week. Then they make a copy on the second site.
One of them has a FULL backup of 3.5 TB, and its last Copy lasted 28 H.

I know that CopyJob management is different from Backup management, but I'd like to know if it's possible to do what we want.

At the moment the CopyJob is set up as follows.
2 "restore points do keep" (unless it doesn't allow me) and 3 "Weekly backup". Job disabled during the week, via Schedule.
On the Storage we've 3 files Full and 2 files Incremental (last files), but we'd like to have only 3 Full.

The long duration of the CopyJob, if I understand well, is due to the fact that there isn't a FULL Copy but an Incremental.
As a result, the FULL is recreated, so that it follows the Retention set.

Instead we'd like to copy a FULL, so that there is less processing possible, and a minor commitment on the part of the Storage.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Kind regards

[PetrM]

Hello,

I think you could disable the job and create ad-hoc full backups periodically. On the other hand, I don't see any downsides in your current configuration. Backup copy sends only actual data blocks to the target repository during incremental run, as a result you have less data to transfer between sites. Moreover, incremental backups do not require as much free space as full backups do.

Thanks!

[GianlucaCroci]

I had seen the page you gave me.

But how can I configure an active Full in a Copy Job?
because reading I should use "Read the entire restore point ..", but I can only use it if I configure at least one or more weekly / monthly / ... and I can't leave everything at zero.
The right would be to have 2 "Weekly backups" but then "Restore points to keep" at 0, because having 2 I get a retention of 4 weekends, of which the last two are Incremental.

It could also be fine, but this means that every weekend it generates a FULL anyway, which I don't want, because it overloads the Storage.

Perhaps there is no possibility of a solution ...

[nitramd]

Hello Gianluca.

I believe I have a solution for you but I want to make sure that I understand what you are asking for.

You have several backup jobs that run on weekends only.
You want these backup jobs to only create Active Full backups.
Once a weekend backup job has completed, you want to use a backup copy job to copy the Active Full backup to a second site.

Are all of these statements correct?

[PetrM]

If I understood correctly, the purpose is to have 2 Weekly full backups only. I've managed to do it in my lab by running backup copy job with the following configuration:
1. Copy interval ("Copy every" option) is set to 7 days
2. Retention policy is set to 2 restore points
3. GFS policy is configured to keep just one weekly backup
4. The checkbox "Read the entire restore point instead of synthesizing it from increments" is selected

Thanks!

[GianlucaCroci]

Thanks a lot.
I understand and I try this solution.
I'll tell you the result, but I think that will be good

Thanks so much

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,
@Petr - I've modified the CopyJob as you said.
Job "Immediate Copy (Mirroring)", 2 "Restore points to keep", 1 "Weekly backup", and no other special options.

Now in the Storage I've 2 Full (02.01.2021 and 09.01.2021) and 1 incremental (16.01.2021).
Going to the Storage, in the CopyJob folder, I see that all 3 files have been modified on 16.01.2021.

Maybe it's better to wait another RUN, so next week?

Thanks a lot

[PetrM]

Hello,

Did you set copy interval ("Copy every") to 7 days? Did you select the checkbox "Read the entire restore point instead of synthesizing it from increments"?

Could you please also clarify why do you want to have 2 fulls only and how does this "extra" increment affect your backup strategy?

Thanks!

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,
on the "Job" tab, I've selected "Immediate copy" as "Copy mode", but I've "Enabled" only the Saturday on the Schedule" tab.
On the Target" tab I can't select "Read the entire restore point instead …" because it's a "Immediate copy" Job.

my original situation was

At the moment the CopyJob is set up as follows.
2 "restore points do keep" (unless it doesn't allow me) and 3 "Weekly backup". Job disabled during the week, via Schedule.
On the Storage we've 3 files Full and 2 files Incremental (last files), but we'd like to have only 3 Full.

but now I've only 2 "Restore points" and 1 Weekly. Maybe due to the previous configuration that I now have this situation?

It's not a big problem, I'd just like to understand how the "Copy Job" reasons with Retention.
Thanks

[PetrM]

You should use periodic copy job with exactly the same configuration as described in the post above if you want to have 2 fulls only. On the other hand, your current configuration would be fine if your backup strategy requirements were met.

Thanks!