L.S.
We use Netbackup since 2005 and performed backups until 2009 with infinite retention.
In 2009 (when we started using LTO3-tapes) we implemented another retention scheme (with 3 months, 12 months and infinite retention) that ultimately results in only the first full backup of each year having infinite retention.
The period from 2005 until 2009 represents a substantial amount of LTO2-tapes (at our external storage location) as well as many entries in the Catalog database.
The data has been requested only once since that period,
therefor we want to free up physical space in the cabinets at the external storage location and decrease the size of the catalog database.
So it is agreed to keep only those sets of tapes representing the 1st full backup of 2005 up to and including 2009, and to do away with the other LTO2-tapes.
Having listed those tapes (to be done away with),
I guess the next step would be to expire them in sequence with the command:
bpexpdate -m XXXXXX -d 0 –force
followed by
vmdelete -m XXXXXX
Is this sufficient to make the Catalog Database shrink, or does it need to be purged additionally somehow ?
If the mentioned steps are not correct, please say so !
Thanks in advance !
Kind regards,
Jaap Hartog