Retention Options for OnePass Client Computers

Retention options, which you define at the subclient level, determine when storage policy retention begins for archived or deleted items. You can retain items indefinitely, or you can begin retaining items after a delay. Before you run a synthetic backup, users can browse and restore items from the most recent backup cycle. Synthetic backup operations manage the application of subclient retention options.

Subclient retention settings determine when storage policy copy retention starts for archived or deleted items. Storage policy retention can start immediately or be delayed for a specific period of time. The following table summarizes the retention options available for OnePass subclients:

Retention Options	Users	Implications	Examples
Select the Archiver Retention checkbox.	Days-based retention users Cloud-based storage users Classic Archiver users Tape-based users	You cannot perform synthetic full backup operations. Between storage policy copy retention and archiver retention, the type of retention that retains items for the longest period takes precedence. Retention is only considered for copies that contain the Job. If you specify storage policy copy retention as x days and y cycles, then the Commvault software compares the x days to the number of days you specify for Archiver Retention and keeps the items for the longest number of days specified. If you select the Extend retention indefinitely option, only jobs within the storage policy copy that has longer retention time are retained indefinitely in the storage media.	Set the archiver retention to 25 days. There are 3 storage policy copies (A, B, and C). The retention of A, B, and C are as follows: A: 45 days 3 cycles B: 17 days 4 cycles C: 91 days 2 cycles Only copies A and B contain the backup job. Copy A has a longer retention time period than copy B and the subclient archiver retention options. Thus, the backup jobs wil be available for 45 days.
Select the Backup Retention checkbox.	File system users Laptop users	You can perform synthetic full backup operations and incremental backup operations. If you select the After deletion keep items indefinitely option then the deleted items are retained in the backup cycle indefintely.	The storage policy copy retention is 10 days and 2 cycles. The subclient retention is 30 days. The stub was deleted on January 10. You run the following backup operations: An incremental backup operation on January 11 A synthetic full backup operation on January 15 The 30 days for the deleted stub starts on January 11 when the incremental backup was performed. Thus, the deleted stub is retained in the most recent backup cycle until the next synthetic full backup operation after February 9. After the synthetic full backup operation, the file is dropped from the latest backup cycle and is still available for restore for 10 days and 2 cycles, as specified in the storage policy copy retention options.
Select the following checkboxes: Archiver Retention Backup Retention	Existing OnePass users	You can perform synthetic full backup operations and incremental backup operations. Synthetic full backups are allowed. The file is retained for the number of days specified in Archiver Retention. If the modified time of the file exceeds the number of days you specify in the Extend retention for n years, n days, and n months box, then depending on whether the file is deleted, the file is retained based on the backup retention criteria. If the file is not deleted, it stays in the storage media indefinitely. If the file is deleted, then it is available in the latest backup cycle for the number of days you specify in Backup Retention. After the backup retention time periods, the deleted file is retained as defined in the storage policy retention options.	Set the archiver retention to 1 year and 10 days. Set the backup retention to 3 years and 8 days. The file is initially retained for 1 year and 10 days after the file was modified. After the archiver retention period, the file, depending on whether the file is deleted, is retained based on the backup retention criteria. If the file is not deleted, it stays in the storage media indefinitely. If the file is deleted then the file is carried forward for 3 years and 8 days after which the deleted file is retained as defined in the storage policy retention options.

Retention Options

Users

Implications

Examples

Select the Archiver Retention checkbox.

Days-based retention users
Cloud-based storage users
Classic Archiver users
Tape-based users

You cannot perform synthetic full backup operations.
Between storage policy copy retention and archiver retention, the type of retention that retains items for the longest period takes precedence. Retention is only considered for copies that contain the Job.

If you specify storage policy copy retention as x days and y cycles, then the Commvault software compares the x days to the number of days you specify for Archiver Retention and keeps the items for the longest number of days specified.
If you select the Extend retention indefinitely option, only jobs within the storage policy copy that has longer retention time are retained indefinitely in the storage media.

Set the archiver retention to 25 days. There are 3 storage policy copies (A, B, and C). The retention of A, B, and C are as follows:

A: 45 days 3 cycles
B: 17 days 4 cycles
C: 91 days 2 cycles

Only copies A and B contain the backup job. Copy A has a longer retention time period than copy B and the subclient archiver retention options. Thus, the backup jobs wil be available for 45 days.

Select the Backup Retention checkbox.

File system users
Laptop users

You can perform synthetic full backup operations and incremental backup operations.
If you select the After deletion keep items indefinitely option then the deleted items are retained in the backup cycle indefintely.

The storage policy copy retention is 10 days and 2 cycles. The subclient retention is 30 days.

The stub was deleted on January 10. You run the following backup operations:

An incremental backup operation on January 11
A synthetic full backup operation on January 15

The 30 days for the deleted stub starts on January 11 when the incremental backup was performed. Thus, the deleted stub is retained in the most recent backup cycle until the next synthetic full backup operation after February 9. After the synthetic full backup operation, the file is dropped from the latest backup cycle and is still available for restore for 10 days and 2 cycles, as specified in the storage policy copy retention options.

Select the following checkboxes:

Archiver Retention
Backup Retention

Existing OnePass users

You can perform synthetic full backup operations and incremental backup operations.
Synthetic full backups are allowed. The file is retained for the number of days specified in Archiver Retention. If the modified time of the file exceeds the number of days you specify in the Extend retention for n years, n days, and n months box, then depending on whether the file is deleted, the file is retained based on the backup retention criteria.
If the file is not deleted, it stays in the storage media indefinitely. If the file is deleted, then it is available in the latest backup cycle for the number of days you specify in Backup Retention. After the backup retention time periods, the deleted file is retained as defined in the storage policy retention options.

Set the archiver retention to 1 year and 10 days. Set the backup retention to 3 years and 8 days.

The file is initially retained for 1 year and 10 days after the file was modified. After the archiver retention period, the file, depending on whether the file is deleted, is retained based on the backup retention criteria.

If the file is not deleted, it stays in the storage media indefinitely. If the file is deleted then the file is carried forward for 3 years and 8 days after which the deleted file is retained as defined in the storage policy retention options.