Policies

Use Policies to create and specify the backup policies which define the rules for backing up a specific group of one or more clients. For example, the backup policy specifies when automatic backups will occur for the clients and when users can perform their own backups. The administrator can define any number of backup policies, each of which can apply to one or more clients. A NetBackup client must be covered by at least one backup policy and can be covered by more than one.

The properties of a backup policy include the following:

• General attributes that define the:
• Priority of backups for this policy relative to backups for other policies.
• Storage unit to use for backups of clients covered by this policy.
• Volume pool to use for backups performed according to this policy. A volume pool is a set of volumes that the administrator can assign to specific backup policies or schedules. For example, it is possible to have one volume pool for weekly backups and another for quarterly backups.
• List of client computers covered by the policy.
• List of files to include in automatic backups of the clients. The backup selection list does not affect user backups because the user selects the files.
• Schedules that control when backups and archives can occur for the clients.

As mentioned above, each backup policy has its own set of schedules. These schedules control when automatic backups start and also when users can start a backup or archive. Each schedule is unique with attributes that include:

• Type of schedule. Specify schedules for automatic full or incremental backups or user backups or archives. There are also schedule types that apply only when separately-priced options are installed (for example, a backup schedule for Microsoft Exchange or Oracle databases).
• Backup window. For automatic full or incremental backup schedules, this is the time period when NetBackup can start automatic backups of clients covered by this policy. For user schedules, this is the time period when users can start a backup or archive of their own client.
• Frequency. How often automatic and calendar-based backups should occur and which dates should be excluded from the schedule (dates when backups should not occur).
• Retention. How long NetBackup keeps the data that is backed up by this schedule.
• Storage unit. The storage unit for the data that is backed up by this schedule. This setting, if used, overrides the storage unit specified at the backup policy level.
• Volume pool. The volume pool to use when saving data backed up by this schedule. This setting, if used, overrides the volume pool specified at the backup policy level.

The administrator can also manually start a backup schedule for an automatic full or incremental backup. Manual backups are useful if, for example, a client system is down and misses its scheduled backup. See Managing Backup Policies.