Understanding item-level retention

When configuring a backup scheduler, you must specify the maximum time a backup can be held in your repository. If you set an item-level retention of "x" months, it ensures that the backup held in your repository only holds information about all changes made in the preceding "x" months.

Item-level retention is calculated based on the date and time when the WorkDrive files were modified.

When you configure a new backup scheduler and set an item-level retention of "x" months, here is what happens:

• When the backup job begins, RecoveryManager Plus will analyze the metadata of all your WorkDrive files.
• The item-level retention starting point is set to the current date and time.
• The last modification date of each file is identified.
• The age of the file is calculated by comparing the last modified date and time with the current date and time.
• The age is then compared with the value that you’ve set as the maximum item-level retention.
• If the age of an item exceeds the specified interval, the file will not be backed up into the repository.
• If the age is less than the specified item-level retention, the file will be backed up.

For example, assume a backup scheduler was created on January 1, 2024 to perform a backup every Sunday at 12:00 AM. The item-level retention is set to one year. The first time that the scheduler will run is on January 1, 2024 at 12am. January 1, 2023 will be set as the starting point of the item-level retention. All WorkDrive files that have their last modified entry from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 will be backed up as the age of the modified file will be less than the maximum item-level retention. Any file that has a last modified date earlier than January 1, 2023 will not be backed up.

Files whose age exceeds the item-level retention will be removed from the backup repository on a daily basis.