VRLpete Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 HI, I could use some advise in relation to deleting files from Retrospect Backups. I am running Retrospect 8.1.0 for Windows - Single Server version. I am backing up to removable hard disks. I have been tasked with removing specific files from our backups due to a requirement from a customer. Reading through the documentation, it seems that maybe the Transfer Backup Sets/Snapshots option may be the way to go but I am unclear on several things. When excluding files/paths during the Transfer process, is it only a reference to the stored files that is removed, or is the item(s) removed from disk too? So does this process reduce the size of the backup/snapshot(s)? Can the source and destinations be the same, assuming there is enough room on the backup media - the reason I ask it that I do not want to purchase additional media until I have to. Once the snapshot/backup has been transferred minus any files selected, are the original backups/snapshots deleted/marked as obsolete - what's the process here? Is the Transfer process the best and/or only way of achieving what's required here, or is there another way of doing this? Can the 'deleted' files be recovered by rebuilding the backup/snapshots? Thank you in advance for any help and suggestions, it's much appreciated. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennart_T Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 It would be easier to remove snapshots than files. In the case of snapshots, you just "forget" them and then perform a "groom" to remove the actual data. (Assuming, of course, a disk media set.) 1) I think the answers are "yes" and "yes". 2) I'm pretty sure the answer is "no". 3) You need two separate backup sets. You can "forget" the original backup set and re-use the media. 4) See above about removing snapshots. 5) No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRLpete Posted November 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Thanks for the prompt reply Lennart.... Just to clarify, removing snapshots is easier than files....so it would be a case of identifying each snapshot that contains the files that require deletion and then forget them, following up with a 'groom', which involves a 'transfer' to another Backup Set, have I got that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scillonian Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 When you forget a snapshot, any files from that snapshot that are not referenced in any other snapshot(s) in the backup set are removed from the backup set media when a groom is run. A groom only removes redundant files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennart_T Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Thanks for the prompt reply Lennart.... Just to clarify, removing snapshots is easier than files....so it would be a case of identifying each snapshot that contains the files that require deletion and then forget them, following up with a 'groom', which involves a 'transfer' to another Backup Set, have I got that right? Removing a snapshot might remove files you want to keep. Removing a snapshot and grooming does NOT involve a transfer. It removes the associated files from the one (and only) backup set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRLpete Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Thanks Scillonian & Lennart, Final question...hopefully. Where you state that when removing a snapshot could remove files that I need to keep....am I right in assuming that since these files would no longer be referenced in the backup at all, assuming they still existed on the system, then they would be added to the backup on the next run, is that correct? So the risk is that files that no longer reside on the system would be removed from the backup when the snapshot(s) removed and therefore all reference to them would be lost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennart_T Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Where you state that when removing a snapshot could remove files that I need to keep....am I right in assuming that since these files would no longer be referenced in the backup at all, assuming they still existed on the system, then they would be added to the backup on the next run, is that correct? So the risk is that files that no longer reside on the system would be removed from the backup when the snapshot(s) removed and therefore all reference to them would be lost? Yes and yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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