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Question

Creating Extended Retention

  • March 10, 2025
  • 1 reply
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A
Bit
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Hi Team,

Please I need help with the following question.

Currently in our Commvault environment, we backup VMs and databases hosted on the Nutanix HCI platform. We have several clusters, prod cluster, database cluster, dev clutser and backup cluster, the backup cluster was configured as an object storage for the storage of our backup data. It has buckets configured for the different clusters being backed up. For each cluster, there is a primary and secondary library. We currently run daily incrementals, weekly fulls on Fridays, montly fulls and yearly fulls.

We have aux copy job configured to copy data from the primary library to the secondary library. Extended retention was configured on both the primary and seconday library, for the primary(basic retention = 14days, 1 cycle, extended retention = weekly full for 30days, monthy full for 365days and yearly full for 1095days), while on the secondary (basic retention of 30days, extended retention = weekly full for 90days, monthly full for 730days, yearly fulls for 1825days)

We recently had storage utilization issues on our object storage and now have to review the retention policies. Please what's your advice on our current setup in terms of retention? Are we not contributing to the storag exhaustion on the object storage due to the retention policies configured?. Is it better to just have basic retention on the primary storage and configure the extended retention on the secondary storage.

Also, for the secondary copy, what data gets copied from the primary storage for the basic retention on the secondary storage?

 

We also have new retention requirements for some clients currently being backed up. We want to retain weekly fulls for 6weeks and monthly fulls for 10years. Please what's the best approach to go about this considering our current architecture. Would I have to create a separated storage policy for these clients and configure these new retention requirements? Also, how do i spread the retention across the two storage (primary and secondary)?

 

I'm also thinking of suggesting an archival solution for the archival purpose as the current storage size on our object storage cannot hold the volume of data that will be generated for that 10year retention needed.

1 reply

A
Vaulter
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Hello ​@Abiodun 

I will start my answer with a huge Asterix. I am not a solution architect and any advice should be taken as a grain of salt.  This question also could be asked to Professional Services as they are going to be the best to answer this question in the context of your environment. 

Question 1: Please what's your advice on our current setup in terms of retention?

If your business requirements have been met, then it has been setup fine. Based on your details the business needs the following
Primary:
Daily backups with 14 days retention
Weekly fulls with 30 days retention
Monthly Fulls with 1 year retention
Year Full with 1095 days retention

Secondary: 
Daily backups with 30 days retention
Weekly fulls with 90 days retention
Monthly Fulls with 720 days retention
Year Full with 1825 days retention
 

Question 2: Are we not contributing to the storage exhaustion on the object storage due to the retention policies configured?

You have such long retention and this will cause storage growth. Cannot get around this fundamental rule. Make sure you are using space reclamation: 
https://documentation.commvault.com/2024e/expert/running_space_reclamation_operations_on_cloud_storage.html

Question 3: Is it better to just have basic retention on the primary storage and configure the extended retention on the secondary storage.

There is no “better” or “not better”. It is simply based on your business requirements. 

Question 4: for the secondary copy, what data gets copied from the primary storage for the basic retention on the secondary storage?

A secondary copy of data has no dependency on the primary at all for recovery to make sure you are covered in the event the primary is gone. Due to this, everything that is needed for recovery is copied. so in short.. all of it haha. 

Question 5: Would I have to create a separated storage policy for these clients and configure these new retention requirements?

Yes

I hope this has helped but it is a difficult question to answer without the context of your environment and lots of follow up questions. I would recommend engaging your accounts team to work with PS if a solution that is signed off is required. 

Kind regards

Albert Williams

The best way to learn anything, is to question everything
Damian Andre
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