What is “secondary storage” ??
If I use an EMC storage, such as EMC VMAX array as a destination to save the backed up data, is this EMC storage array “secondary storage”?
In very simple terms, primary storage is where your active data is, and secondary storage is a separate storage location where you send backup / archive data.
So long as the single EMC VMAX array isn't both the source and destination of your backups, it would be considered secondary storage.
If I set storage policy’s retention to be 7days/1 cycle, as well as enable the “Enable Data Aging” feature, in or after 8th day, will the backed up data be erased from the EMC storage?
Data Aging will only occur once both conditions (7 Days / 1 Cycle) have been met. This means that a new Cycle must have started, and all jobs within the previous Cycle must have met the 7 Day retention requirement.
A Cycle includes a Full backup and all of its dependent (Incremental / Transaction Log / Differential) backups. A new Cycle is started with the completion of the subsequent Full backup.
Day 1 - Full <- Cycle 1 Started
Day 2 - Incremental
Day 3 - Incremental
Day 4 - Incremental
Day 5 - Incremental
Day 6 - Incremental
Day 7 - Incremental
Day 8 - Full <- Cycle 2 Started
On Day 8 the 1 Cycle retention requirement is met. On Day 15 the 7 Days retention requirement is met (The Day 7 Incremental has been retained for 7 Days), and the entire Cycle is Aged.
