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Manage backup policies for NAS shares

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About backup policies for NAS shares

Backup policies are rules that define the type of data to back up and the schedule for automatic backups. You can create a backup policy and apply it to one or more backup sets. After you configure the NAS shares for backup, the data from the shares is backed up according to the schedule set in the backup policy. 

A backup policy for a NAS share defines the following:

  • Files and folders included or excluded from backup.
  • When a backup job is triggered.
  • Schedule of backup from a NAS share.
  • Bandwidth to be used by the NAS proxy to back up the share.
  • Retention period of historical snapshots.

Note: Phoenix creates a default backup policy for your setup. The default backup policy is configured to back up all file types. You can assign the default backup policy to one or more backup sets. You can also update or delete this backup policy.

Best practices for creating a backup policy

  • You can create as many backup policies as you want, depending on the number of NAS shares on your NAS device and the frequency at which data changes on the NAS shares. For example, for NAS shares that change frequently, you can create a backup policy, and define a schedule for a weekly backup for a longer duration, along with short-burst backups every second day.
  • Druva recommends that you create separate policies for SMB and NFS shares.
  • The backup policy defines the backup schedules of NAS shares. The schedule that you set must be according to the volume and frequency of data change on the NAS shares. The schedule must also take into account the availability of bandwidth for data transmission to Phoenix cloud. If you expect a large dataset during backups, you can schedule backups to run during off-peak hours (such as weekends or after a workday). 
  • You can consider the criticality of data and the frequency at which the data changes and is restored while configuring the retention policy. The important factors to consider while configuring retention are:
    • Legal requirements
    • Storage costs
    • Type of data 

Note: The backup schedule that you define in a backup policy also depends on your organization's policies. 

Add a backup policy

This section provides instructions to create a backup policy for NAS shares.

Before adding a backup policy for NAS shares, ensure you have read:

To add a backup policy

Step 1: Provide general information

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console. 
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the organization containing the NAS devices.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies.
  4. Click Create New Backup Policy> NAS.
  5. On the Create New Backup Policy page, provide the following details under the Summary tab:

    NewNASPolicy.png
    Field Description
    Name The name of the backup policy that you want to create.
    Description A short description of the backup policy. 
  6. Click Next to define the backup schedule.

Step 2: Define a backup schedule

  1. Under the Backup Schedule tab, provide the following information:

    BackupSchedule.png
     
    Field Description

    Start at

    The time when you want the backups to start.

    Duration      

     

    The time interval after which you want the backup operations to stop.

    For example, if you set Start at to 9 AM and you set the duration to 2 hours, backups from your server start at 9 AM and stop at 11 AM, even if they do not complete.

    Max Bandwidth (Mbps)

     

    The maximum bandwidth that the NAS proxy can consume while backing up data to Phoenix. 

    For scheduled backup, the job will consume the assigned bandwidth. However, for manually triggered backup, the job will consume the available bandwidth on your network.
    Repeat on The days on which you want backups to repeat.
    Delete a schedule The delete  icon only appears if you have added more than one schedules defined. If you have only one schedule defined, you cannot delete it.

    Add More

    To create multiple schedules, click Add More as many times as the number of schedules that you want to create.

    Ignore backup duration for first backup

    The option to ignore the specified backup duration for the first backup job.

    You can disable this option to enforce backup duration for the first backup job.

    Automatic Retry

    The option to define the automatic retrial options for backup. For more information, see  Backup retry.

    Note: If you do not want to define the automatic retrial options, clear the Automatic Retry check box.

    Max number of retries

    In an active schedule window, the maximum number of retry attempts for a job. By default, the field is set to 2 attempts.

    Wait interval before each retry

    The wait interval between each retry. The default setting is 10 minutes. 

    Enable Smart Scan

    Smart scan optimizes the scanning duration for backup. You can enable or disable the Smart scan option for the selected backup schedule.

    When you enable smart scan, you can use the following options to optimize scan duration:

    • Skip ACL scan for unmodified files: Scanning Access Control Lists consumes a lot of time. Enable this option to skip ACL scanning for files that are not modified.
    • Only scan files created/modified in the last <number of> months: If files are not modified for a long period, enable this option to let Phoenix skip the unmodified files. You can choose: 
      • 3, 6, 9, or 12 months as the time period of unmodified or created files. One month here is an equivalent of 30 days. For example, if you select 3 months, Phoenix skips scanning files and folders that were not modified or created in the last 90 days.
    • Full backup schedule: Even if you enable smart scan, you can still run a full scan. You can choose to run a full scan every 12 weeks or less. We recommend that you run a full scan every 4 weeks. In addition, specify the preferred day, time, duration and bandwidth.

    See also, FAQs on Phoenix for NAS shares.

    Note:
    • The Skip ACL scan for unmodified files option is not applicable for Linux servers. 
    • Smart Scan is is support only for SMB shares.
    • First backup after a change in the content specified in the backup policy will be a full scan. The subsequent scans will be as per configuration. ​​​​

  2. Click Next to define the retention details.

Step 3: Define retention

Retention sets the rules for retaining your backed-up snapshots within storage. The configuration values define the duration for which you want to retain your historic snapshots.

  1. Under the Retention tab, provide the following information.

    Default_retention_policy_NAS.PNG
     
    Field Description

    All snapshots for

    The duration for which you want to retain all snapshots.

    Weekly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain weekly snapshots.

    Monthly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain monthly snapshots.

    Yearly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain yearly snapshots.

Note: Ensure that you enter a value in at least one of the fields. Phoenix treats the values in the empty fields as zero.

  1. Click Next to define the pre and post script settings.

Copy a backup policy for NAS

To create multiple copies of a backup policy without having to create a backup policy each time, you can create a copy of an existing backup policy.

When you create a copy of a backup policy, the newly-created backup policy is identical to the policy that it was copied from. You can modify the properties of this backup policy according to your requirements.

To copy a NAS share backup policy

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console. 
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the required organization from the drop-down list.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies.
  4. Select a backup policy, and click Copy.
  5. On the Copy Backup Policy page, provide the following details:
  • New backup policy name: The name for the new backup policy.
  • Description: A short description for the profile.

Note: The Selected backup policy field displays the name of the backup policy that you selected to copy. 

  1. Click Copy. 

Edit backup policy name and description

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console. 
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the required organization from the drop-down list.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies. 
  4. Click the backup policy for which you want to edit the name and description.
  5. On the Summary tab, click Edit. The Edit Summary window appears.

    EditPolicyNameDescription.png
  6. Edit the policy name and description as required and click Save.

Update backup policy schedule

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console. 
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the required organization from the drop-down list.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies. 
  4. Click the backup policy for which you want to update the schedule.
  5. Under the Schedule section, click Edit.

    EditPolicySchedule.png
  6. On the Edit Backup Policy Schedule page, update the following:
    Field Description

    Start at

    The time when you want backups to start.

    Duration      

     

    The duration after which you want backup operations to stop.

    For example, if you set Start at to 9 AM and you set the duration to 2 hours, backups from your server start at 9 AM and stop at 11 AM, even if they do not complete.

    Max Bandwidth (Mbps)

     

    The maximum bandwidth that NAS proxy can consume while backing up data to Phoenix. 

    For scheduled backup, the job will consume the assigned bandwidth. However, for manually triggered backup, the job will consume the available bandwidth on your network.
    Repeat on The days on which you want backups to repeat.
    Delete a schedule The delete   icon only appears if you have added more than one schedules defined. If you have only one schedule defined, you cannot delete it.

    Add More

    To create multiple schedules, click Add More as many times as the number of schedules that you want to create.

    Ignore backup duration for first backup

    Ignores the specified backup duration for the first backup job.

    You can disable this option to enforce backup duration for the first backup job.

    Automatic Retry

     

    Enables Phoenix to automatically retry failed backup attempts. Automatic backup retries will occur only between the defined scheduled duration. 

    For more information, see  Backup retry.

    Max number of retries

    In an active schedule window, the maximum number of retry attempts for a job. By default, the field is set to 2 attempts.

    Wait interval before each retry

     

    The wait interval between each retry.

    Note: By default, the field is set to 10 minutes.
    Enable Smart Scan Smart scan optimizes the scanning duration for backup. You can enable or disable the Smart scan option for the selected backup schedule.

    When you enable smart scan, you can use the following options to optimize scan duration:

    Skip ACL scan for unmodified files
    Scanning Access Control Lists consumes a lot of time. Enable this option to skip ACL scanning for files that are not modified.  Only scan files created/modified in the last <number of> months
    If files are not modified for a long period, enable this option to let Phoenix skip the unmodified files. You can choose: 
    • 3, 6, 9, or 12 months as the time period of unmodified or created files. One month here is an equivalent of 30 days. For example, if you select 3 months, Phoenix skips scanning files and folders that were not modified or created in the last 90 days.
    Full backup schedule
    Even if you enable smart scan, you can still run a full scan. You can choose to run a full scan every 12 weeks or less. We recommend that you run a full scan every 4 weeks.In addition, specify the preferred day, time, duration and bandwidth.
    Note:
    • ACL scan is not applicable for Linux servers
    • Smart scan is not applicable for NTFS
    • If you change the backup content in the backup policy, all subsequent scans will be full scans

    See also, File Server FAQs.
  7. Click Save.

Update backup policy retention schedule

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console. 
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the required organization from the drop-down list.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies. 
  4. Click the backup policy for which you want to update the retention schedule.
  5. Under the Retention section, click Edit. The Edit Retention window appears.

    EditPolicyRetention.png
  6. On the Edit Retention window, update the following:
     
    Field Description

    All snapshots for

    The duration for which you want to retain all snapshots.

    Weekly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain weekly snapshots.

    Monthly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain monthly snapshots.

    Yearly revisions for

    The duration for which you want to retain yearly snapshots.
  7. Click Save. 

Remove a backup policy

If you are a cloud administrator, you can remove backup policies.

Procedure

  1. Log on to Phoenix Management Console.
  2. On the menu bar, click All Organizations, and select the required organization from the drop-down list.
  3. On the menu bar, click Manage > Backup Policies. 
  4. Click the backup policy that you want to remove.
  5. Click Remove Backup Policy.

Note: You cannot delete backup policies that you have assigned to multiple backup sets.