If a file is initially backed up by ADSM and never changes or is
deleted, it will remain stored as the active backup copy forever.  If
the file changes once after it is initially backed up, what will
happens depends on how you have set up your backup copy group.  The
parameters are VEREXISTS (how many Active/Inactive versions of the file
do you want to keep track of) and RETEXTRA (how long do you want to
keep versions once they become inactive).  You can set either of these
to NOLIMIT so that you could keep any indefinite number of versions for
an indefinite time.  If you haven't changed your backup copy group from
the defaults VEREXISTS=2 and RETEXTRA=30. So, if you changed it once
after it was initially backed up, that first version which would become
inactive would remain around for 30 days after it became inactive.  It
would then go away. But, if the file changed again before that 30 day
period ended, that initial inactive file would go away at that time,
because your VEREXISTS is set to 2.

Elvin Peterson
epeterso AT scj DOT com
414-260-3366