What are backup plans
A backup plan is a set of configurations used to protect a server through the Cloud Backup service.
A backup plan defines the main data protection settings, such as backup frequency and the data retention period (
retention).
Two types of backup plans are available in Commvault Command Center:
- preconfigured plans - already available in the system and ready to use;
- custom plans (derived plans) - created from a preconfigured plan and modified according to your needs.
Preconfigured backup plans
The system provides several preconfigured backup plans, available in Commvault Command Center under
Manage >
Plans.
Plans are identified by names that follow a standard naming convention, for example:
ret30_sf_7gg_inc_1gg (30-day retention, synthetic full backup every 7 days, daily incremental backup).
This naming convention allows you to quickly identify their characteristics:
- ret - indicates the data retention period;
- sf - indicates the frequency of synthetic full backups;
- inc - indicates the frequency of incremental backups.
The
RPO (Recovery Point Objective) depends on how frequently backups are performed and indicates the maximum time that may elapse between data creation and its backup. In the event of a failure, it therefore represents the maximum amount of data you could lose.
How to choose a backup plan
Choosing a backup plan is an essential step in determining how a server will be protected.
A backup plan is not selected independently but is assigned when configuring the server or later by changing its settings.
To choose the most suitable plan for your needs, consider:
- how long you need to retain data;
- how frequently backups are performed;
- how much data loss is acceptable in the event of a problem (RPO).
In general:
- if you only need a limited backup history, you can use a plan with a short retention period;
- if you need to retain data for longer, a plan with a longer retention period is preferable;
- if you want to minimize data loss, choose a plan with a lower RPO.
You can use one of the preconfigured backup plans or create a custom plan if the available plans do not meet your needs.
Why create a custom backup plan
Preconfigured backup plans cover most server protection needs.
In some cases, you may have specific requirements that are not met by the available plans. In these situations, you can create a custom backup plan based on an existing one.
A custom (derived) plan allows you to adapt the settings of a preconfigured plan to the characteristics of the server you want to protect, for example when:
- you need different data retention periods from those available;
- you need to define a specific backup frequency;
- you want to apply different configurations to servers with different requirements.
Once created, a custom plan can be assigned to servers just like any other backup plan.
How to create a custom backup plan
- Access Commvault Command Center;
- from the menu, select Manage > Plans;
- in the plans section, select Create plan and choose Backup;
- in step 1 General, select Use existing base plan;
- enter a name for the new plan;
- select the backup plan to use as a base (e.g. ret3_sf_3gg_inc_1gg) and select NEXT;
- in step 2 Storage policy, leave the default settings unchanged and select NEXT;
- in step 3 Schedule policy, disable inheritance of the base plan settings;
- using the pencil icon, modify the scheduling settings according to your needs and select NEXT;
- in step 4 Backup content, disable inheritance of the base plan settings;
- using the pencil icon, modify the content to be protected and select SUBMIT;
- once created, the custom backup plan will be available under Manage > Plans, together with the preconfigured plans.
How to delete a backup (deleting a job)
In Commvault, you cannot directly delete backups associated with a server or a job. To remove backup data, you must manage the backup set associated with the backup plan.
To delete backups, you must create a new backup set and set it as the default, then delete the previous one.
For the complete procedure, see
How to delete a backup set and free up space.
How to delete a backup set and free up space
This procedure is useful when you want to free up space by deleting backup data that is no longer needed. Before proceeding, make sure that the data contained in the backup set is no longer required for any restore operations.
Deleting a backup set allows you to remove the associated backup data and free up the space used by the Cloud Backup service.
This operation deletes the data contained in the selected backup set and cannot be undone.
To delete a backup set:
- access Commvault Command Center;
- from the menu, select Protect > Files;
- select the name of the server on which the backup is configured;
- on the server page, select the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner;
- select Add backup set;
- create a new backup set:
- enter a name;
- select the backup plan;
- enable Mark this as default backupset;
- confirm by selecting SAVE;
- go to the Subclients section;
- from the drop-down menu, select the backup set you want to delete;
- select Delete backup set;
- confirm the operation by entering DELETE and selecting DELETE.
After the operation:
- the data contained in the deleted backup set is removed;
- the occupied storage space is freed up;
- the server continues to be protected through the new backup set set as the default.