You can automatically delete older Snapshot copies by specifying the "Delete Oldest Backups In Excess Of" option in the SnapManager backup facility. This is the recommended method for managing the number of Snapshot copies stored. For more information, see Automatic deletion of the oldest backups in a management group.
You can also explicitly select the backup sets that you want to delete. For more information, see the following topics:
SnapManager provides three ways for you to explicitly delete backup Snapshot copies.
Each of the explicit deletion methods enables you to view detailed information about your selection before you proceed with the operation.
You can delete multiple backups for a specified group of databases by choosing which backup Snapshot copies you want to delete and whether you want to also delete LUN Snapshot copies created during the restore (if applicable).
An explicit deletion of multiple backups is specified using the following parameters.
To delete backups for a particular database set and backup management group, complete the following steps.
| 1 |
In the SnapManager main window, go to the menu bar and select Action > Delete Backup. ResultThe Delete Backups dialog box appears. The Delete backups option is selected by default, and the Backups to Delete panel displays options pertaining to deleting backup Snapshot copies. 
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| 2 |
In the database tree, select the databases for which you want to delete backup Snapshot copies. |
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| 3 |
The Backup Component option narrows the scope of the deletion by specifying the type of backup components to be deleted. This option is set to Backup Data Sets by default, but you can narrow this selection to transaction log backups only or to SnapInfo Snapshot copies only. |
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| 4 |
The Management Group option further narrows the scope of the deletion by specifying the backup management group to be deleted. This option is set to Standard by default, but you can change it to Daily, Weekly, or All. |
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| 5 |
If you want to retain up-to-the-minute restore ability for older backups in other backup management groups, leave that option selected.
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| 6 |
By default, only backups containing all of the selected databases will be deleted. You can override this behavior--for this particular backup deletion operation only--by using the Advanced button. |
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Delete only backups containing all of the selected databases |
Go to Step 9. | |
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Delete backups containing any one or more of the selected databases |
Go to Step 7. | |
| 7 |
Result |
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| 8 |
Click OK to apply your change and close the dialog box. Note |
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| 9 | ||
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Select the Delete All Snapshots Created During Restore option. | ||
| 10 |
You can delete the selected restore Snapshot copies immediately, or you can first view the list of restore Snapshot copies that are targeted for deletion. |
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View the list of restore Snapshot copies that would be deleted |
Go to Step 11. | |
ResultThe restore Snapshot copies identified by your selections are deleted. When the deletion is complete, a status message is displayed. You have completed this procedure. | ||
| 11 |
ResultThe Delete Backup Data Set Preview dialog box appears. After a moment, the dialog box displays a count and list of the restore Snapshot copies identified for deletion. |
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| 12 |
Based on the list displayed in the Delete Backup Data Set Preview dialog box, you can cancel the delete operation or proceed with the delete operation. |
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You can delete a specific full database backup set selected in the SnapManager Restore tab.
To select a full database backup for explicit deletion, select the backup set in the SnapManager Restore tab.
To delete a specific full database backup, complete the following steps.
You can delete a specific transaction log backup selected in the SnapManager Restore tab.
Note
NetApp recommends that you do not delete a transaction log backup, because doing so will prevent you from performing an up-to-the-minute restore of the database using that backup set.
To select a transaction log backup for explicit deletion, select the log backup in the SnapManager Restore tab.
To delete a specific full database backup, complete the following steps.
If you attempt to delete a backup and SnapManager displays an error message stating that the Snapshot copy is busy and cannot be deleted, you have a backup that was taken of a LUN backed by another Snapshot copy.
A Snapshot copy is in a busy state if there are any LUNs backed by data in that Snapshot copy. The Snapshot copy contains data that is used by the LUN. These LUNs can exist either in the active file system or in some other Snapshot copy. For more information about how a Snapshot copy becomes busy, see the Block Access Management Guide for your version of Data ONTAP.
If you initiate a backup when a LUN backed by Snapshot copy exists, the result is a Snapshot copy that cannot be deleted; if you do attempt to delete the Snapshot copy, the following events occur:
There are two ways to determine whether you have a busy Snapshot copy:
snap list usage VolumeName BusySnapshotName
The full description of the preceding command syntax is described in the Command Reference for your version of Data ONTAP.
Delete the more recently taken backup; then delete the older backup. For more information about deleting a busy Snapshot copy, see the Block Access Management Guide for your version of Data ONTAP.
Avoid performing SnapManager backups while you have any LUNs backed by Snapshot copies.
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Part No. 215-01752_A0
File: bkptask8.htm
Last updated: 01-Sep-2006 07:41:15
