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Manage backup policies for ONTAP volumes

Contributors amgrissino netapp-tonacki

You can use the default backup policies provided by NetApp to create your backups, or you can create custom policies. Policies govern the backup frequency, the time the backup is taken, and the number of backup files that are retained.

When you use the activation wizard to enable the backup and recovery service for your volumes, you can select from the default policies and any other policies that already exist in the working environment (Cloud Volumes ONTAP or on-premises ONTAP system). If you want to use a policy different than those existing policies, you can create the policy before or while you use the activation wizard.

To learn about the default backup policies provided, refer to Plan your protection journey.

BlueXP backup and recovery provides three types of backups of ONTAP data: Snapshots, replications, and backups to object storage. Their policies reside in different locations based on the architecture that you use and the type of backup:

Architecture Snapshot policy storage location Replication policy storage location Backup to object policy storage location

Fan-out

Primary

Secondary

Primary

Cascade

Primary

Secondary

Secondary

Create backup policies using the following tools depending on your environment, your preferences, and the protection type:

  • BlueXP UI

  • System Manager UI

  • ONTAP CLI

Tip When using System Manager, select Asynchronous as the policy type for replication policies, and select Asynchronous and Back up to cloud for backup to object policies.

View policies for a working environment

  1. In the BlueXP UI, select Volumes > Backup settings.

  2. From the Backup Settings page, select the working environment, select the Actions Actions icon icon, and select Policies management.

    The Policies management page appears.

    Policies management page

    Snapshot policies are displayed by default.

  3. To view other policies that exist in the working environment, select either Replication Policies or Backup Policies. If the existing policies can be used for your backup plans, you’re all set. If you need to have a policy with different characteristics, you can create new policies from this page.

Create policies

You can create policies that govern your Snapshot copies, replications and backups to object storage:

Create a Snapshot policy before initiating the Snapshot

Part of your 3-2-1 strategy involves creating a Snapshot copy of the volume on the primary storage system.

Part of the policy creation process involves identifying Snapshot and SnapMirror labels that denote the schedule and retention. You can use predefined labels or create your own.

Steps

  1. In the BlueXP UI, select Volumes > Backup settings.

  2. From the Backup Settings page, select the working environment, select the Actions Actions icon icon, and select Policies management.

    The Policies management page appears.

  3. In the Policies page, select Create policy > Create Snapshot policy.

  4. Specify the policy name.

  5. Select the Snapshot schedule or schedules. You can have a maximum of 5 labels. Or, create a schedule.

  6. If you choose to create a schedule:

    1. Select the frequency of hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.

    2. Specify the Snapshot labels denoting the schedule and retention.

    3. Enter when and how often the Snapshot will be taken.

    4. Retention: Enter the number of Snapshots to keep.

  7. Select Create.

Snapshot policy example using cascading architecture

This example creates a Snapshot policy with two clusters:

  1. Cluster 1:

    1. Select Cluster 1 on the policy page.

    2. Ignore the Replication and Backup to Object policy sections.

    3. Create the Snapshot policy.

  2. Cluster 2:

    1. Select Cluster 2 on the Policy page.

    2. Ignore the Snapshot policy section.

    3. Configure the Replication and Backup to object policies.

Create a replication policy before initiating the replication

Your 3-2-1 strategy might include replicating a volume on a different storage system. The replication policy resides on the secondary storage system.

Steps

  1. In the Policies page, select Create policy > Create replication policy.

  2. In the Policy Details section, specify the policy name.

  3. Specify the SnapMirror labels (maximum of 5) denoting the retention for each label.

  4. Specify the transfer schedule.

  5. Select Create.

Create a backup-to-object-storage policy before initiating the backup

Your 3-2-1 strategy might include backing up a volume to object storage.

This storage policy resides in different storage system locations depending on the backup architecture:

  • Fan-out: Primary storage system

  • Cascading: Secondary storage system

Steps

  1. In the Policy management page, select Create policy > Create backup policy.

  2. In the Policy Details section, specify the policy name.

  3. Specify the SnapMirror labels (maximum of 5) denoting the retention for each label.

  4. Specify the settings, including the transfer schedule and when to archive backups.

  5. (Optional) To move older backup files to a less expensive storage class or access tier after a certain number of days, select the Archive option and indicate the number of days that should elapse before the data is archived. Enter 0 as the "Archive After Days" to send your backup file directly to archival storage.

    Learn more about archival storage settings.

  6. (Optional) To protect your backups from being modified or deleted, select the DataLock & Ransomware protection option.

    If your cluster is using ONTAP 9.11.1 or greater, you can choose to protect your backups from deletion by configuring DataLock and Ransomware protection.

    Learn more about the available DataLock settings.

  7. Select Create.

Edit a policy

You can edit a custom Snapshot, replication, or backup policy.

Changing the backup policy affects all volumes that are using that policy.

Steps

  1. In the Policies management page, select the policy, select the Actions Actions icon icon, and select Edit policy.

    Note The process is the same for replication and backup policies.

  2. In the Edit Policy page, make the changes.

  3. Select Save.

Delete a policy

You can delete policies that are not associated with any volumes.

If a policy is associated with a volume and you want to delete the policy, you must remove the policy from the volume first.

Steps

  1. In the Policies management page, select the policy, select the Actions Actions icon icon, and select Delete Snapshot policy.

  2. Select Delete.

Find more information

For instructions on creating policies using System Manager or ONTAP CLI, see the following:

Create a Snapshot policy using System Manager
Create a Snapshot policy using the ONTAP CLI
Create a replication policy using System Manager
Create a replication policy using the ONTAP CLI
Create a backup to object storage policy using System Manager
Create a backup to object storage policy using the ONTAP CLI