Primary Snapshot Retention when using External_Snapshots

[mmodi]

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.

[mmodi · Accepted solution]

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