Hi,

21.09.2008 17:38, Timo Neuvonen wrote:
>> I am just now starting to use Bacula. One of the features I used in another 
>> package was the ability to get rid of old backup data (I think y'all call 
>> that prune) based on how much disk space was left on the backup device 
>> (disk). Is this possible with Bacula?
>>
> Actually, pruning is removal of expired items from the catalog, the bacula 
> database. It does not delete old data yet.

I'd even say it is unlikely that deletion of actual data will be 
implemented in the core of Bacula soon.

But there are some scripts to be found in the list archives that deal 
with this task - basically, it's querying the catalog for volumes that 
are no longer needed, then ensuring there are no longer valid jobs in 
these volumes, and finally deleting the volume from disk and from the 
catalog. Alternatively, truncating the files should be possible, like 
with 'echo > /path/to/volume/storage/volumefile'.

> Assume you have 50 gigabytes disk partition allocated for backup data. You 
> can make, say, 10 pcs of 5-gigabyte baclula volumes on that partition. 
> Provided the retention times (how old data is considered expired) are set 
> reasonably, the catalog information may get pruned earlier, but the actual 
> data will be deleted only when you need to start using a "new" volume (this 
> is called recycling in bacula).
> 
> So, you can keep the old data as long as there is sufficient disk space 
> available. But I don't know how you could also keep the respective catalog 
> entries exactly until that time -it lives according to retention times that 
> are set in time units.

Just set the job and file retention times longer than the volume 
retention times - once a volume is recycled, all jobs related to it 
will automatically be purged.

Arno

> 
> --
> TiN 

-- 
Arno Lehmann
IT-Service Lehmann
Sandstr. 6, 49080 Osnabrück
www.its-lehmann.de

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