Configure the backup retention policy
Overview
The backup retention policy defines the duration when inSync retains the backup data in storage. You can restore this data later. To ensure that backup data is available for restore, you must define a retention policy for your inSync setup. After every backup, inSync saves a snapshot of the backup data to a storage. A snapshot is a point-in-time image of backup folders. It represents the state of the backup folders at the time of backup. The number of snapshots retained in a storage depends on the number of backups completed and the retention policy. After the retention policy expires, the backed-up snapshots within the storage are auto-deleted.
Note: You can configure the backup retention policy through profiles. You cannot do this on an individual user level.
inSync supports three types of backup:
- Backup: This is the backup that occurs according to the backup interval that you specified or any regular backup operation from a user device.
- Weekly backup: This is the oldest successful backup of the week. inSync considers Sunday as the first day of the week.
- Monthly backup: This is the oldest successful weekly backup of the calendar month. inSync follows the Gregorian calendar.
inSync follows the Grandfather-father-son rotation policy for its hierarchical backup strategy. The backups are treated as son. The oldest successful backup of the week graduates to the father status (weekly backup). The oldest weekly backup of the month graduates to the grandfather status (monthly backup).
Define the backup retention policy for devices
To define the backup retention policy for devices
- On the inSync Management Console, click Profiles.
- Click the link of the profile for which you want to define a backup retention policy.
- Click Devices tab, click Schedule & Retention > Edit. The Edit Device Backup Configuration window appears.
- Under the Data Retention for Devices area provide the appropriate information for each field.
| Field | Action |
|---|---|
| Retain all backups for |
Based on the type of data you are backing up and storage requirements, you can choose to enter a duration in days for which you want to retain all the daily backups. At the end of the backup period, inSync will delete the data from the storage. Example: If you specify that you want to retain all backups for 5 days and inSync completed the backup operation on January 6, 2019, it will delete the backup data from the storage on January 11, 2019. |
| Retain weekly backups for |
Based on the type of data you are backing up and storage requirements, you can choose to enter a duration in weeks for which you want to retain all the weekly backups. At the end of the backup period, inSync will delete the data from the storage. Example: If you type 5, inSync will automatically retain all the weekly snapshots for 5 weeks.
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| Retain monthly backups for |
Based on the type of data you are backing up and storage requirements, you can choose to enter a duration in months for which you want to retain all the monthly backups. At the end of the backup period, inSync will delete the data from the storage. Example: If you type 3, inSync will automatically retain all the monthly snapshots for 3 months.
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- Click Save.
Define the backup retention policy for Cloud Apps
To define the backup retention policy for Cloud Apps:
- On the inSync Management Console menu bar, click Profiles.
- Click the profile name for which you want to define a backup retention policy.
- Click Cloud Apps > Schedule & Retention > Edit. The Edit Cloud Apps Configuration window appears.
- Click Schedule & Retention.
- Under the Data Retention for Cloud Apps area provide the appropriate information for each field.
| Field | Action |
|---|---|
| Schedule & Retention: Data Retention for Files | |
| Retain daily data backups for |
Type the number of days that you want to retain all the backups. Example: If you type 7, inSync will automatically retain all snapshots for 7 days. |
| Retain weekly data backups for |
Type the number of weeks that you want to retain all the weekly backups. Example: If you type 5, inSync will automatically retain all the weekly snapshots for 5 weeks. |
| Retain monthly data backups for |
Type the number of months that you want to retain all the monthly backups. Example: If you type 3, inSync will automatically retain all the monthly snapshots for 3 months. |
| Schedule & Retention: Data Retention for Emails | |
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Apply Files Data Retention settings for emails |
Select this option if you wish to apply the files' data retention settings for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online and Gmail snapshots. inSync retains the email backed-up snapshots within the storage as per the configured daily, weekly, and monthly retention period settings for files. For example, if you specify that you want to retain all backups for 5 days and inSync completed the backup operation on January 6, 2019. inSync retains the email backed-up snapshots till January 11, 2019.
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Delete Emails older than
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Select and type the number of months up to which you want inSync to retain all backed up emails within Exchange Online and Gmail snapshots. For example, if you type 6, inSync will retain all emails across all snapshots whose sent or received timestamp is less than 6 months old. By default, inSync retains emails for 84 months. Emails are retained based on the email’s event date and timestamp. The maximum retention period that you can specify is 250 months and the minimum is 1 month. Type zero (0) for unlimited retention of emails.
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- Click Save.
Note: Data retention settings for files and emails do not apply in the following scenarios:
- If the users associated with the SaaS Apps profile are put on Legal Hold.
If the retention settings for Files for the SaaS Apps profile has unlimited retention settings for daily, weekly, and monthly frequencies. i.e. The Retention Settings for Files for the SaaS Apps profile is set to Zero.