> Documentation > Data Management > Define Storage and Retention for Backups Using Storage Policies > Storage Policy

Creating a Storage Policy

Storage policies act as a channel for backup and restore operations. The chief function of a storage policy is to map data from its original location to physical storage. When you create a storage policy, you can create the storage policy for a disk library, a cloud library, or a tape library.

Prerequisites

A library must be configured on the CommServe before creating a storage policy.

Creating a Storage Policy for a Disk Library or a Cloud Library

  1. From the CommCell Browser, expand Policies.

  2. Right-click Storage Policies, and then click New Storage Policy.

    The Create Storage Policy Wizard page appears.

  3. In the What will this storage policy be used for page, select the appropriate storage policy type, and click Next.

    • Data Protection and Archiving - Select this option to protect standard iDataAgents data (that is to protect production data within an environment).

    • CommServe Disaster Recovery Backup - Select this option to protect CommServe metadata database.

  4. In the Enter the storage policy name page, specify the appropriate information, and click Next.

    1. In the Storage Policy Name box, type a name for the storage policy.

    2. (Optional) Select the Incremental Storage Policy check box, and then select a appropriate storage policy from the list.

      The selected storage policy will be used to run an incremental backups.

    3. (Optional) Select the Provide the OnCommand Unified Manager Server Information check box, to access the OnCommand Unified Manager Server information.

      OnCommand Unified Manager is NetApp database management software required for NetApp Snap Vault or Snap Mirror operations. See OnCommand Unified Manager for more information.

  5. In the Do you want to Use Global Deduplication Policy? page, select either one of the following, and click Next.

    This page appears only when you have a global deduplication policy configured in the CommCell Browser. See Global Deduplication Policy for more information.

    • If you have global deduplication policy, and you want to assign this storage policy to a global deduplication policy, then click Yes.

      To use source-side deduplication on the storage policy, select the Enable Client Side Deduplication check box.

    • If you do not want to use a global deduplication policy, then click No.

  6. In the Select a Global Deduplication policy to this storage policy page, select global deduplication policy from the Use Existing Global Deduplication Policy list, and then click Next to skip to step 13.

    This page appears when you select Yes in the Do you want to Use Global Deduplication Policy page.

  7. In the Select a default library for this primary copy page, select the name of a library from the Library list, and then click Next.

  8. In the Select a MediaAgent for this copy page, select the name of a MediaAgent from the MediaAgent list, and then click Next.

    This allows you to specify which MediaAgent will be used to write to the library.

  9. In the Enter the streams and retention criteria for this policy page, specify appropriate settings and click Next.

    1. In the Device Stream box, specify the number of streams to perform backup or restore operations for all the subclients that will use this storage policy.

    2. Under iDataAgent Backup data area, specify the amount of time and number of full backup cycles that you want to retain the data that is backed up (for file system agents) through this storage policy.

      Note: Archiving agents keep at least 1 cycle when 0 is selected.

  10. In the Advanced settings for the primary copy page, select the Software Encryption (Type: BlowFish, Key Length:128) option to encrypt data in the primary copy.

    Note

    When the Always enable encryption on new copies option is enabled in Media Management Configuration: Service Configuration tab, software encryption (using Blowfish with Key Length 128) is enabled in the primary copy, even if the encryption setting is not selected explicitly during the storage policy creation process.

    If necessary, you can modify the encryption settings from the Copy Properties - Advanced tabafter the storage policy is created.

  11. In the Do you want to enable Deduplication for the primary copy page, specify appropriate settings, and then click Next.

    1. Select the Yes check box, to enable deduplication.

    2. Select the Enable use of Partitioned Deduplication Database check box, to host the deduplication database (DDB) on multiple MediaAgents.

    3. Select the Enable Client Side Deduplication check box, to enable Source Side deduplication. See Source Side Deduplication for more information.

      To use MediaAgent Side deduplication, clear Enable Client Side Deduplication check box.

  12. In the Enter the location to store the Deduplication Database page, specify the following, and then click Next.

    1. From the Number of Partitions list, type or select number of partitions for the DDB.

      You can specify a maximum of four partitions for the DDB. In this example, we have specified two partitions for the DDB.

    2. Under MediaAgent And Partition Path column, click Choose Path.

      The Partition Path dialog box appears.

    3. From the MediaAgent list, select the name of the MediaAgent that is used to host the DDB.

    4. In the Partition Path box, enter the file path where you want to locate the DDB.

      Note

      When you host the DDB on different MediaAgents, make sure all of the MediaAgents are online and are on 64-bit computers. See Deduplication System Requirements for more information on Partitioned DDB software requirements.

      The DDB must be located in a folder and not directly under the root of a disk volume.

      Do not host the DDB under the software installation directory (that is <Software_Installation_Path>\Base folder).

      For Linux, make sure to host the DDB on LVM volumes. This helps with the DDB Backups using LVM software snapshots.

      For better performance, host each deduplication database on different physical drives.

    5. In the Partition Path dialog box, click OK.

      The added MediaAgent and partition path will appear under the MediaAgent And Partition Path column.

    6. Repeat the above steps for each partition.

  13. In the Specify the location to store the Deduplication Database page, specify the following, and then click Next.

    1. In the Name box, type a name for the deduplication database.

    2. From the MediaAgent list, select the MediaAgent that will be used to host the deduplication database.

    3. In the Location box, enter the file path where you want to locate the DDB.

      The DDB must be located in a folder and not directly under the root of a disk volume.

  14. In the Select/Add the OnCommand Unified Manager page, specify the OnCommand Unified Manager Server information, and then click Next.

    This page appears only when you select the Provide the OnCommand Unified Manager Server Information check box in step 4.

    • If a OnCommand Unified Manager server exists, select server name from the Select list.

    • If you want to add a new OnCommand Unified Manager Server, click Add and provide the OnCommand Unified Manager server information.

  15. In the Review your selections page, click Finish.

Creating a Storage Policy for a Tape Library

  1. From the CommCell Browser, expand Policies.

  2. Right-click Storage Policies, and then click New Storage Policy.

    The Create Storage Policy Wizard page appears.

  3. In the What will this storage policy be used for page, select the appropriate storage policy type, and click Next.

    • Data Protection and Archiving - Select this option to protect standard iDataAgents data (that is to protect production data within an environment).

    • CommServe Disaster Recovery Backup - Select this option to protect CommServe metadata database.

  4. In the Enter the storage policy name page, specify the appropriate information, and click Next.

    1. In the Storage Policy Name box, type a name for the storage policy.

    2. (Optional) Select the Incremental Storage Policy check box, and then select a appropriate storage policy from the list.

      The selected storage policy will be used to run an incremental backups.

    3. (Optional) Select the Provide the OnCommand Unified Manager Server Information check box, to access the OnCommand Unified Manager Server information.

      OnCommand Unified Manager is NetApp database management software required for NetApp Snap Vault or Snap Mirror operations. See OnCommand Unified Manager for more information.

  5. In the Do you want to Use Global Deduplication Policy? page, select either one of the following, and click Next.

    This page appears only when you have a global deduplication policy configured in the CommCell Browser. See Global Deduplication Policy for more information.

    • If you have global deduplication policy, and you want to assign this storage policy to a global deduplication policy, then click Yes.

      To use source-side deduplication on the storage policy, select the Enable Client Side Deduplication check box.

    • If you do not want to use a global deduplication policy, then click No.

  6. In the Select a Global Deduplication policy to this storage policy page, select global deduplication policy from the Use Existing Global Deduplication Policy list, and then click Next to skip to step 12.

    This page appears when you select Yes in the Do you want to Use Global Deduplication Policy page.

  7. In the Select a default library for this primary copy page, select the name of a tape library from the Library list, and then click Next.

  8. In the Select a default MediaAgent and drive pool for the primary copy page, select the appropriate settings, and then click Next.

    1. From the MediaAgent list, select the name of a MediaAgent.

    2. From the Drive Pool list, select the drive pool.

  9. In the Which scratch pool will you use for the primary copy page, select the scratch pool from the Scratch Pool list.

  10. In the Enter the streams and retention criteria for this policy page, specify appropriate settings and click Next.

    1. In the Device Stream box, specify the number of streams to perform backup or restore operations for all the subclients that will use this storage policy.

    2. Under iDataAgent Backup data section, specify the amount of time and number of full backup cycles that you want to retain the data that is backed up (for file system agents) through this storage policy.

      Note: Archiving agents keep at least 1 cycle when 0 is selected.

  11. In the Advanced settings for the primary copy page, select the Hardware Compression option, and the appropriate Encryption Settings for the primary copy and then click Next.

    Note

    If the Primary Copies Encryption for Standalone Copies and Global Copies option available on the Encryption tab of the System dialog box is selected, then the software encryption (using Blowfish with Key Length 128) is enabled on the primary copy, even if the encryption setting is not explicitly selected during the storage policy creation process.

    If necessary, you can modify the encryption settings from the Copy Properties - Advanced tab after the storage policy is created.

  12. In the Select/Add the OnCommand Unified Manager page, specify the OnCommand Unified Manager Server information, and then click Next.

    This page appears only when you select the Provide the OnCommand Unified Manager Server Information check box in step 4.

    • If a OnCommand Unified Manager server exists, select server name from the Select list.

    • If you want to add a new OnCommand Unified Manager Server, click Add and provide the OnCommand Unified Manager server information.

  13. In the Review your selections page, click Finish.

    The storage policy appears in the CommCell Browser.

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