Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots

mmodi — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:39:10 GMT

I was proposing the use of Snap Creator to centrally trigger SnapDrive backups on all hosts and was hoping to get some help with managing retention on primary -

When using External Snapshots it seems like Snap Creator does not manage retention (neither primary nor secondary)
Protection Manager on the other hand understands the backup version on primary but only manages retention on Secondary i.e. Backup node.
If neither SCF nor OCUM is managing primary retention, am I looking at a custom script for SnapDrive based retention?
- Obviously, the use case is typically managed by a SnapManager but in this case we are leveraging SnapDrive directly.

Re: Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots

mmodi — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 02:54:52 GMT

Thanks John Spinks

I have taken your advice using Snapshot create command (without External_snap) and Snap Creator is now handling the primary retention policy. Also, realized that I don’t require using external snapshot in this case as SnapDrive created snapshot integrates with Protection Manager dataset using SCF anyway.

########## Checking Protection Manager dataset mm-dfm ##########

[2014-04-01 12:47:26,916] DEBUG: <dataset-modify>

<edit-lock-id>1392800517</edit-lock-id>

<dataset-name>mm-dfm</dataset-name>

<is-application-data>true</is-application-data>

<application-info>

<is-application-managing-primary-backup-retention>true</is-application-managing-primary-backup-retention>

</application-info>

</dataset-modify>

########## Running Snapshot copy Delete on Primary ##########

[2014-04-01 12:50:40,465] INFO: STORAGE-02013: Removing Snapshot copy [backup-daily_20140401120349] on volume [testvol]

[2014-04-01 12:50:40,465] DEBUG: <snapshot-delete>

<snapshot>backup-daily_20140401120349</snapshot>

<volume>testvol</volume>

</snapshot-delete>

[2014-04-01 12:50:40,465] INFO: STORAGE-02014: Removing Snapshot copy [backup-daily_20140401120349] on volume [testvol] finished successfully.

[2014-04-01 12:50:40,470] INFO: Application not defined. Skipping cleanup task

topic Re: Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots in Data Protection

Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots

Re: Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots