I can't decide what you mean by "the last n >=1 versions" (versions of files or versions of backups?).
Yes, with m=30 you could set a volume retention time of 31 days. If you also set a volume use duration of 7 days, then you would have 2 volumes. However, I would not use n=1 because you risk losing your only backup due to media failure or if your backup is delayed for a few days due to vacation. Yes, deleted files will be unrecoverable after 31 days (or probably 60 days because the previous backup will in fact be retained until the volume is needed for the next backup). I've not found any evidence that Retrospect keeps n copies of deleted files forever. The 2 descriptions of "Staged Backup Strategy" in https://www.retrospect.com/uk/documentation/user_guide/win/management say that you have a "10 day rolling window" for quick local restores and the description of "Grooming Options for Disk Backup Sets" talks about backups for each source, not individual files. __Martin >>>>> On Mon, 3 Sep 2018 21:57:38 +0100, Chris Wilkinson said: > > My recollection is that Retrospect retains the last n >=1 versions for disk > based backup. > > On the last point, to keep 1 latest copy (n=1), I could run a full job every > m=30 days and set a volume retention time of 31 days? > > If a file were deleted or lost for whatever reason, then wouldn’t it be > pruned out after 31 days and then be unrecoverable? > > The manual pages suggested seem to describe a scheme that will retain files > for up to 6 months. There wasn’t a requirement to retain for any longer. > > Regards > Chris Wilkinson > > > On 3 Sep 2018, at 11:29, Martin Simmons <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Does Retrospect actually retain the last version of every file indefinitely? > > Or does it retain the last version of every backup indefinitely? I suspect > > it > > is the latter. > > > > The difference is that you cannot restore a deleted file after the last > > backup > > that contained it has been deleted. > > > > It is easy to configure Bacula to keep the last n copies of each Bacula job. > > You just need to run a job with level=full every m days and set the > > retention > > periods to at least n times m. See > > http://www.bacula.org/9.2.x-manuals/en/main/Automated_Disk_Backup.html for > > example. > > > > __Martin > > > > > > > >>>>>> On Sun, 2 Sep 2018 14:51:18 +0100, Chris Wilkinson said: > >> > >> Many thanks to all. > >> > >> I previously used Retrospect and this had a facility to set the number of > >> versions to be retained 1+. Earlier versions would be removed through a > >> scheduled "groom" job where storage space would be reclaimed. This meant > >> that there would always be exactly 1+ versions retained indefinitely. > >> > >> It doesn't appear that that behaviour can be replicated in Bacula, the > >> nearest being to retain everything always. > >> > >> Regards > >> Chris Wilkinson > >> > >> On Wed, 29 Aug 2018, 1:52 p.m. Dan Langille, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >>>> On Aug 28, 2018, at 2:54 AM, Chris Wilkinson <[email protected]> > >>> wrote: > >>>> > >>>> One of my requirements for backups is that the last version of every > >>> file should remain in the backup storage indefinitely or at least for a > >>> long time. > >>>> > >>>> Could I achieve this by writing "File Retention = 10 years" in the pool > >>> or client definition? > >>> > >>> Yes. But you'll also need Volume and Job retention also set to 10 years if > >>> you want to easily restore that data. > >>> > >>> This will keep all records, not just the latest. > >>> > >>> Yes, this will use more database records, but my view is that this is a > >>> cheap price to pay. > >>> > >>> Also, as mentioned by others, does this requirement mean that a file > >>> deleted 6 years ago needs to be kept for another 4 years? > >>> > >>> You'll need to clarify that 10 years meets the "indefinitely" requirement. > >>> > >>> Given the originally stated requirements, it seems your only solution is > >>> not to ever recycle volumes or allow the Catalog to be pruned. > >>> > >>>> My concern is that, if this is possible, then it would stop automatic > >>> volume truncation and recycling and eventually result in out of space > >>> storage errors. > >>> > >>> Yes, you need to have enough storage. > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> Dan Langille - BSDCan / PGCon > >>> [email protected] > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Bacula-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-users
