5 1 0:Deleting Backups

Overview

A backup chain in SEP sesam consists of full, differential, and incremental backups, organized in a sequential order, with each backup depending on other backups in the chain. During restore, SEP sesam starts from the full backup and applies the necessary differential and incremental backups to reconstruct the data at a specific point in time.

Deleting a backup can have a significant impact on the backup chain. Subsequent backups in the chain depend on previous backups for integrity and recoverability. If a backup is deleted, the dependencies of subsequent backups may be disrupted. For example, removing a full backup renders dependent differential and incremental backups incomplete and unable to accurately restore data. This can make the entire backup chain unusable.

When deleting a backup, any dependent backups that would become unusable for restore are also removed. By deleting redundant and unusable backups, SEP sesam ensures that only relevant and usable backups are retained, freeing up storage space and optimizing storage capacity usage.

Deleting backups can also affect retention policies and data availability. SEP sesam enables defining retention times for savesets, determining how long they should be retained. Deleting a backup prematurely may violate these retention policies, potentially leading to compliance issues or loss of data that is needed for long-term archiving or legal purposes.

Deletion options

To address the complexities of backup deletion, SEP sesam provides three options for deleting data:

• Deleting a saveset
• Deleting a backup
• Deleting a backup chain

Deleting a saveset or backup in SEP sesam also removes redundant and unusable savesets or backups from storage to optimize space utilization.

Before deleting a saveset or backup, SEP sesam checks if any dependent backups will become unusable for restore. A list of any dependent backups that will also be deleted is displayed for review, ensuring that no important backups are inadvertently deleted.

Deleting a saveset

When you delete a saveset, only the specific saveset is deleted, any existing copies of that saveset (migrations and replications) are retained. The copies of the saveset remain intact, allowing for redundancy and data availability even after the original saveset is deleted. This maintains integrity and continuity of backup chains.

If you delete a saveset that is the only copy of a specific backup in the chain, it breaks the continuity of the backup chain. Any subsequent backups that rely on the deleted saveset become incomplete and unusable for restore. As a result, the subsequent backups dependent on the deleted saveset are also deleted.

To delete a saveset, perform the following steps:

1. Access the Delete Saveset dialog in one of the following ways:
• Main Selection -> Job State -> Backups: Double-click the backup task to open the Backup Results window. In the tab Info 1 select a saveset in the list and then click Delete Saveset.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Data Stores: Double-click the data store to open the Datastore Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Saveset -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Media Pools: Select and expand the media pool to display the list of media in the media pool. Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Saveset -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Tapes -> Media: Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Saveset -> Delete.




2. Review the list of savesets selected for deletion to verify that no unintended savesets will be deleted.
3. Optionally, select the Delay deletion until next purge option. This setting modifies the EOL of the selected savesets to remove their protection, but does not immediately delete them. Instead, deletion is performed during the next purge of the data store.
4. Click Yes to confirm deletion.

Deleting a backup

When you delete a backup, all copies of the selected backup (migrations and replications) and any subsequent incremental and differential backups that depend on it are deleted. This removes all associated backups derived from the selected backup, including any incremental or differential backups performed since the selected backup. However, backups, on which the selected backup is based, will be retained.

To delete a backup, perform the following steps:

1. Access the Delete Backup dialog in one of the following ways:
• Main Selection -> Job State -> Backups: Double-click the backup task to open the Backup Results window. In the tab Info 1 click Delete Backup.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Data Stores: Double-click the data store to open the Datastore Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Media Pools: Select and expand the media pool to display the list of media in the media pool. Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Tapes -> Media: Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.




2. Review the list of savesets selected for deletion to verify that no unintended savesets will be deleted.
3. Optionally, select the Delay deletion until next purge option. This setting modifies the EOL of the selected savesets to remove their protection, but does not immediately delete them. Instead, deletion is performed during the next purge of the data store.
4. Click Yes to confirm deletion.

Deleting a backup chain

When you delete a backup chain, the entire backup chain, all related data and its copies are deleted from storage. This removes all backups in the backup chain, starting from the initial FULL backup, and any subsequent differential and incremental backups that form the chain. Additionally, any copies of these backups, migrations and replications stored on different data carriers, are also removed.

To delete a backup chain, perform the following steps:

1. Access the Delete Backup dialog in one of the following ways:
• Main Selection -> Job State -> Backups: Double-click the backup task to open the Backup Results window. In the tab Info 1 click Delete Backup.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Data Stores: Double-click the data store to open the Datastore Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Media Pools: Select and expand the media pool to display the list of media in the media pool. Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.
• Main Selection -> Components -> Tapes -> Media: Double-click the medium to open the Media Properties window. In the tab Savesets right-click the backup task and then click Backup -> Delete.




2. Select the Delete the complete backup chain option.
3. Review the list of savesets selected for deletion to verify that no unintended savesets will be deleted.
4. Optionally, select the Delay deletion until next purge option. This setting modifies the EOL of the selected savesets to remove their protection, but does not immediately delete them. Instead, deletion is performed during the next purge of the data store.
5. Click Yes to confirm deletion.

See also

Backup Chain Dependencies – Automatic Retention (EOL) Management – Changing Retention (EOL) – Tape Management – Standard Backup Procedure

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