Deleting backups and backup copies

If necessary, you can manually delete backups, imported backup copies, and hot backup copies from the appliance. Deleting a full backup or backup copy also deletes any associated incrementals and differentials in the backup group. (For details, see Backup groups.)

Notes:   

• Backups and backup copies are logically deleted immediately and no longer display in the UI. They are physically deleted later by the appliance's purge process. Space reclaimed by removing backups and copies happens when the purge job completes.
• Deleting a single cold backup copy from the target media is not supported. Instead you must erase or prepare the target, which removes all backup copies stored on the media. For details, see one of the following:
– To prepare tapes for use with an autochanger device for tape autochanger targets.
– To initialize and erase cold backup copy media for all other cold backup copy targets, including tape drive devices that do not have an autochanger.

You can delete backups by using the Backup Browser or the Backup Catalog. The Backup Browser provides appliance-level search capability, advanced search options, and faster filtering performance. The Backup Catalog enables you to browse by asset only. With the Backup Browser you can quickly search for and delete all failed backups. This is much easier than looking for failures under each asset in the Backup Catalog.

To delete imported backups and backup copies, you must use the Backup Catalog.

See the following procedures for details:

Use this procedure to manually delete backups.

Notes:   

• Backups that have been placed on hold cannot be manually deleted. You must first remove the hold status. (See To unhold backups by using the Backup Browser for details.)
• Backup copies and imported backups cannot be viewed in the Backup Browser. To delete a backup copy or imported backup, use the Backup Catalog instead.
1 Log in to the backup appliance.
2 Select Recover > Backup Catalog and click Backup Browser.

3 Select the Appliance and Date Range of backups to search. Backups that ran during the date range display:

4 (Optional) Refine the search:
• Enter text in any column field to filter the display.
• Click an arrow to sort by column.
• Click the accordion icon to add or remove columns from the display. (Not all columns display by default.)
• For a description of each column, see Backup Browser column descriptions.
5 Check boxes to select the backups to delete. (To select all, check the box at the top of the column.)
6 Click Delete.

7 Review the backups that will be deleted. Click Delete Backups (or Cancel to exit without deleting).

Note:  Deleting a full backup or backup copy also deletes any associated incrementals and differentials in the backup group.

8 Backups are deleted.

Note:  Backups are physically deleted later by the appliance's purge process. Space reclaimed by removing backups happens when the purge job completes.

1 Log in to the backup appliance.
2 Select Recover > Backup Catalog.

Protected assets display. (Optional) Use the Filter Backups fields to filter the display. For details, see Backup Catalog tab.

3 Click to expand assets to view their backups and imported backup copies.
4 Check boxes to select the backups and imported backup copies to delete.
5 Click Delete.

6 Review the list of backups that will be deleted.
7 Click Confirm to delete the backups.

Backups are deleted and no longer display in the Backup Catalog. Note that the backups are logically deleted immediately and physically deleted later by the appliance's purge process. Space reclaimed by removing the backups happens when the purge job completes.

1 Log in to either the backup appliance or the backup copy target appliance.
2 Select Recover > Backup Catalog.
3 In the Filter Backups area to the right, select Backup Copy (Hot) in the Type list.

(Optional) Enter other filter options. For details, see Backup Catalog tab.

4 Click Filter.

• Assets with backup copies meeting the criteria you specified display in the Backup Catalog list. The source appliance where the backup originated displays in the Appliance column.
• If the appliance is being used as both a backup appliance and a backup copy target, the catalog lists the hot copies stored on this appliance and any backups that were copied from this appliance to another hot backup copy target. (The hot backup copy target could be another appliance or the Unitrends Cloud).
• (Optional) Hover over a backup copy icon to determine whether the copy resides on this appliance or on the remote backup copy target.

The description Backup Copy (Hot) on Target displays for copies that are stored on a remote target:

The description Backup Copy (Hot) displays for copies that are stored on the local appliance:

5 Expand assets to view backup copies. Check boxes to select the backup copies to delete.
6 Click Delete

7 Review the list of backup copies that will be deleted.
8 Click Confirm to delete the backup copies.

Backup copies are deleted and no longer display in the Backup Catalog on both the source and target appliances. Note that the copies are logically deleted immediately and physically deleted later by the system's purge process. Space reclaimed by removing the copies happens when the purge job completes.