A user explanation of how to configure backup schemes:
A user explanation of how to configure backup schemes:
The selection/acceptance of the default values by the user for backup scheme value is a major cause of user problems with the disk getting full. The default values for 2015 schemes have been improved but custom values still offer a better solution with much fewer issues. Custom Automatic Cleanup settings can eliminate the need for user deletion of tib files.
With the proper selection of options, a custom backup scheme can be configured for automatic cleanup of oldest chains so "disk full" error message can be avoided. Read my link AGH-1 for a brief beginning. Links GH11-GH12-GH13 are examples of suggested schemes which perform automatic deletion of old backups created by this specific task. THE BACKUP TYPE "CUSTOM" MUST BE SELECTED FROM THE "DROP DOWN WINDOW SELECTION TYPE OF BACKUPS AS PER EXAMPLES GH11-GH12-GH13. Failure to select the custom type can cause the backup scheme not to function/auto delete as expected.
Many users mis-understand when the auto deletion will occur. Your retention quota is the number of chains you configure the custom scheme to retain. Automatic deletion will not occur until your retention quota is exceeded by 1 more than your retention quota. The extra backup which exceeded the quota will always be the next full backup regardless whether created manually or via schedule. This also means that you must provide extra storage space for the 1 more than quota.
AGH-1. 64640: Do's & Don'ts--Hints to help prevent issues with your TIB backup files creation. New
GH12. Create Custom Incremental Backup Scheme. 6 Inc, Keep 4 chains. The 6-4 is an example only with user choice for whatever number of chains to be retained best fits the individual needs.
One user mistake frequently made is have too many incremental backups with not enough frequent full backups. Too many incremental's increases user risk in not being able to restore a recent backup. Read link GH25.
GH25. Understanding differences between Inc and Dif for Safety. Differential are safer but requires more storage space. Safer because only full plus any single diff file is needed for restoration.
GH58. Difference between Partition Mode & Select Disk Mode backups.
Disk Mode backups are the preferred as it contains everything on the disk including any non-lettered partitions. In version 2015, the "disk mode or disk image" backup is named "Entire PC."
The process by which a backup and cleanup occurs (as I understand them) is as follows.
Step 1 is to create a successful backup. If successful, it moves into Cleanup mode. If not successful, the backup program stops and moves into ERROR mode until error is resolved by the user.
Step 2-Cleanup mode: Seconds following each successful backup, cleanup/retention rules are checked.
After retention rules are exceeded, deletion of oldest chain occurs.
Example Rules for "Older than X days":
When is oldest completed chain older than X days?
Chain length is sum of Full plus any incremental or differential files created before the next Full.
For example: Full after 6 inc, chain length=7 files. Chain is complete following backup #7 (i.e. last inc)
Deletion does not occur until after the retention rules are exceeded which will be after Backup #7 is older than 7 days.
Or,
if using the retention numbers of "store no more than 2 recent chains" instead of "Older than x days"
Deletion does not occur until after the retention rules are exceeded which will be after backup #7 is older than 7 days, or, if daily, this deletion will occur immediately following backup #15.
Restart here
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Examples of how to interpret existing tasks:
An example of two different backup tasks which will apply to either FULL plus INCREMENTAL, or FULL plus DIFFERENTIAL backups. These are examples only and not recommended number of backups.
Stop using the existing tasks and start two new tasks. Set the new tasks with the correct settings and then do not edit or make any further changes. Each scheme is to be a custom scheme as per example.
Use GH-12 as your example but with the your tib file retention number setting.
Your specifications were:
Backup scheme/task #1 example is Custom/Incremental, New full after 06 incremental, store no more than 4 chains. This is daily.
Backup scheme/task #2 example is Custom/Incremental, new full after 13 incremental, store no more than 3 chains. This is daily.
Backup Task/Scheme #1:
Backup chain retention you can expect from this custom scheme example: full + 6 incremental--keep 4 chains
Chain length is 7 files (full plus 6 inc), Keep 4 chains of 7 or 28 files total max keep.
The goal of retaining 4 chains will be first exceeded following the completion of Full B5 (backup #29) with the resulting deletion of oldest chain b1 of 7 files.
As backups continue, the deletion process will next re-occur when the limit of 4 chains is next exceeded after successful completion of full b6 (backup #36),
with auto deletion re-occurring after each successful FULL backup.
Backup Task/scheme #2:
Backup chain retention you can expect from this custom scheme example: full + 13 incremental--keep 3 chains
Chain length is 14 files (full plus 13 inc), Keep 3 chains of 14 or 42 files total max keep.
The goal of retaining 3 chains will be first exceeded following the completion of Full B4 (backup #43) with the resulting deletion of oldest chain b1 of 14 files.
As backups continue, the deletion process will next re-occur when the limit of 3 chains is next exceeded after successful completion of full B5 (backup #57),
with auto deletion re-occurring after each successful FULL backup.
If the preceding number of keeps is not what you had intended, you will need to adjust the task scheme numbers using the procedures outlined in my explanations above.
Below is a grouping of user postings of issues about disk full causes as well as user question about backup deletion. Each of these postings have tidbits of information which can help the user to understand the cause and prevention of these issues in their own configurations.
PL65. 74168: Automatic cleanup not working?
PL66.28503: Full Backup / Custom option / Automatic Cleanup is failing to cleanup after itself.
PL67. 70546: Automatic Cleanup Settings Not Saved
PL68. 72116: Full, incremental, differential
PL70. 71576: Clean up not working
PL71. 74810: Backup Scheme
PL72. 70851: Backup Plan that manages storage by itself?
PL73. 70546: Automatic Cleanup Settings Not Saved
PL74. 74000: Delete Back Up Versions Manually
PL75. 71210: how to manually delete backups from external drive
PL76. 72092: Is it safe to delete any increment backups after initial as long as you have most recent?
PL77. 73484: How do you delete backup sets?>
PL78. 72152: How to delete backups
PL79. 75419: Deleting Increments
PL80. 61316: Video: Create Differentials with Full Backup Once a Week with Cleanup76844: backup does not start automatically
PL82. Backup or Task Renaming