GFS Policy: Questions and Answers
Q: Why should I use the GFS policy?
A: Using a GFS policy is optional, but it can be beneficial if your business requires regular full backup copies. Over time, backups accumulate on storage, which can significantly increase storage usage and costs. A GFS policy helps optimize storage consumption and reduce expenses while still allowing you to retain backups for extended periods.
Q: I already have a configured GFS policy and I want to change its settings. What happens to the restore points that are already marked by the GFS policy?
A: Nothing. Restore points that were previously marked as GFS restore points will be kept on backup storage according to the GFS settings that were actual at the moment the GFS policy was applied. Once you modify the GFS policy settings, they will be applied to subsequent backups.
Q: If I enable the GFS policy, would it create new separate backups?
A: No. Backups are created according to the schedule you specify, and then the GFS policy is applied. However, keep in mind that the GFS policy applies only to backups that are created after the policy is enabled in the backup plan settings.
Q: What happens to my previous backups after I apply the GFS policy?
A: Nothing. They are subject to purge according to the regular retention policy settings.
Q: What if I need to delete GFS restore points?
A: You can delete them manually on the Backup Storage tab.
Q: I applied the GFS policy some time ago and now see two yearly backups in a row on the Backup Storage tab. Why?
A: This indicates that you configured the GFS policy so that the month specified for the yearly backup follows immediately after the current period ends. This is normal GFS policy behavior. If required, modify your GFS settings, but keep in mind that restore points that were already selected for GFS will not be changed.
Q: I noticed some incremental restore points disappeared in the GFS-marked generation. Why?
A: Once the GFS policy is applied, the generation is kept on backup storage (including full and incremental restore points). As soon as the specified regular retention policy ends, the incremental restore points that follow the first successful one will be truncated in the generation. This means that you noticed the situation after the regular retention policy had already been applied.
Q: What happens if I force a full backup after the GFS policy was applied?
A: Any full backup, if successful, will also become subject to the GFS policy and may be selected by the GFS keeping period assignment mechanism.
Q: I selected the Do not Purge (Keep backup forever) option in the retention policy settings. How will the GFS policy work in this case?
A: It will work: successful restore points will be marked according to specified GFS settings, but no restore points will be purged.
Q: I have configured the GFS policy with a weekly keeping period of 2 weeks. Two months have passed, and the backup is still not deleted. Why?
A: This means that your regular retention policy settings have a long purge delay. It is not recommended to set the Keep backup for: value longer than GFS keeping periods. Edit the retention policy settings in the corresponding backup plan.
Q: I have configured the GFS policy and left the backup plan running on schedule. Several backups have been executed, but I do not see any GFS restore points. Why?
A: This means that you have no successful restore points. The GFS policy is applied to successful restore points only. Check your backup plan for errors. You can do it on the History tab.
Q: I do not use the GUI. Is it possible to enable the GFS policy for my backups?
A: Sure it is! Use the GFS parameters in the CLI command for adding or editing a backup plan to enable and customize the GFS policy. To learn more about how to do it, refer to the Configuring GFS Using Command Line Interface chapter