I agree with Rene, have them archive it !

     just make some management classes like
        1yrarch, 5yrarch, whateveryrarch
     set the archive copygroup's retention period to keep the data for the
     indicated period of time and HAVE THE CLIENT PUSH THEIR FILES with an
     archive /somefs/somedirpath/* -archmc=1yrarch
     (or multiple archive statements)
     leave your assigned default management class just as it is...
     with the special archive management classes, make the backup copygroup
     either nonexistant or just like your default.

     later,
            Dwight



______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Please Help - Backup retention
Author:  guy.sheppard (guy_sheppard AT UK.CU DOT COM) at unix,mime
Date:    1/25/99 8:49 AM


To:         I1017261@IBMMAIL   IBMMAIL -I1017261 *ibmmail.I1017261
Dear All,

 No responses yet - Please help

  The current retention requirements I'm working to are keep backups for 28
days - Simple enough.

 The business now require daily backups kept for 14 days (In this case they are
Oracle DataBase dumps) We're not using EBU, RMAN or SQL Backtrack.

 Month end for 1 year

 QTR end for 1 year

 Tax year-end for 5 years

 Financial year end for 5 years

 etc etc etc.....

 My understanding is that ADSM can be made to do this by defining differing
Management classes. However, in order to attach those management classes to
each of the differing backups; I'd have to have multiple options files and keep
manually switching them depending on the requrements.

 Please advise if I'm talking rubbish !!!

 Thanks, Guy.