A backup copy is a snapshot of the data from the storage array that is stored on a different media.
The advantage of having an additional copy of the snapshot data that is stored outside of the storage array is that, if the storage array becomes unavailable because of a hardware failure or a disaster, then the snapshot is still available on a different media.
Note
When you select a native engine for snapshots, run an inline backup copy operation.
How Backup Copy Operations Work
The primary snapshot copy contains the metadata information that is associated with the snapshot backups. Backup copy operations copy the data from the primary snapshot to the media that is associated with the primary copy.
Note
If primary snapshot copy is configured with the spool copy option (that is, a copy with no retention rules), then the snapshots are automatically deleted when the backup copy operation finishes.
Options for Backup Copy Operations
You can configure the backup copy operation to run automatically, or manually, as follows:
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Inline backup copy: The backup copy operation runs during the IntelliSnap backup operation.
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Offline backup copy: The backup copy operation runs independently of the IntelliSnap backup operation.
You can run the backup copy operation at the subclient level and at the storage policy level.
At either level, when you run the backup copy operation, a backup copy workflow is initiated and manages the backup copy operations. If you run the backup copy operation at subclient level, then the backup copy workflow manages the backup copy operations of the snapshots on that particular subclient. If you run the backup copy operation at storage policy level, then the backup copy workflow manages the backup copy operations of the snapshots on all subclients that are associated with the storage policy.
Starting with Version 11 Service Pack 9, you can run multiple backup copy operations from the storage policy level in parallel. The benefit of having parallel backup copy operations at storage level is that you can run backup copies of snapshot jobs of subclients that have new snapshots, if old snapshots are already copied with the previous backup copy workflow, while other subclients are still running the backup copy operations of the previous backup copy workflow.
Related Topics
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You can associate CommCell entities with a storage policy copy at different granular levels. For more information, see Assigning CommCell Entities to a Storage Policy Copy.
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You can view and edit the associations of the client computer groups, clients, agents, backup sets and subclients whose backup data should be copied to this storage policy copy. For more information, see Copy Properties - Associations.