If you delete backups and transaction logs that are not the oldest backups in your backup list, the oldest backups are no longer available for up-to-the-minute restore. Ensure that you do not break the continuity of transaction logs between the previous backup and the present time.
When you delete backups of a particular backup management group, limiting the backup deletion allows you retain the ability to use the older backups in an up-to-the-minute restore operation.
To limit the backup deletion, use the "Retain up-to-the-minute restore ability for older backups in other backup management groups" option in the Advanced Options dialog box. Selecting this option consumes more space on your storage system for the transaction logs that are not deleted, and it is selected by default.
If all backups have the same management group designation, there is no effect if you clear the option. SnapManager deletes the SnapInfo directory transaction logs according to the Delete backups setting, and ignores the Retain up-to-the-minute restore ability option.
By default, SnapManager backs up selected database files and all associated transaction logs, so that up-to-the-minute restores are possible from all backups. If you do not need to perform an up-to-the-minute restore operation from the older backups, delete the transaction logs to free space on the storage system that contains the backups. The "Retain up-to-the-minute restore ability for older backups in other backup management groups" option is automatically selected the next time you start SnapManager.
To avoid breaking the continuity of transaction logs, you can enable the "Retain up-to-the-minute restore ability for older backups in other backup management groups" option.