![](/images/new-backgrounds/1220471/22047159x1.webp)
Retention Time Restrictions
If you have a Virtual Lock license, you can set a retention time for virtual copies. The instance or database and the associated virtual copies created within the retention period cannot be removed during the retention period.
When setting a retention time, keep in mind the following restrictions:
•You must have a Virtual Lock license to set retention times.
•The minimum retention time is 1 hour; the maximum is 43,800 hours/1,825 days (5 years). The default maximum retention time is 336 hours (14 days).
•You can set a retention time for both
•The retention time cannot exceed the default maximum retention time set for the Storage Server.
•The retention time cannot be longer than the expiration time (if the policy is
•If you create a remote virtual copy and Remote Copy is set up in asynchronous periodic mode, the retention time is applied to the remote copy on the Remote Copy backup server only. If Remote Copy is set up in synchronous mode, the retention time is applied to both the remote copy on the Remote Copy backup server and the virtual copy on the primary server.
•After the retention time is set, it can be increased, but it cannot be removed or reduced.
Setting Recovery Manager Policies
1.In the node tree pane,
2.Depending on whether you want to set a maximum number of copies or you want to set an expiration time frame, do the following in the Policy Setup dialog box:
To set:
Maximum number of virtual copies
Expiration time frame for virtual copies
Follow these steps:
1.Select the Numeric radio button.
2.In the Maximum Instance level Virtual Copies and Maximum Database level Virtual Copies text boxes, enter the desired maximum for each as a number between 1 and 500.
3.To remove the oldest virtual copy each time a copy above the maximum is created, check the Remove the oldest Virtual Copies checkbox.
To keep the oldest virtual copy (and therefore prevent new virtual copies from being made after the maximum number is reached), uncheck the Remove the oldest Virtual Copies checkbox.
1.Select the Expiration radio button.
2.In the Expire In text box, enter the number of hours or days after which you want Recovery Manager to remove each virtual copy. The maximum expiration period is 43800 hours/1825 days (5 years).
3.In the
3.To modify the default retention time for the instance and its virtual copies, enter the number of hours or days you want to keep the instance and its contents.
The minimum retention period is 1 hour; the maximum is 43,800 hours/1,825 days (5 years). For more information about retention time restrictions, see “How Recovery Manager Policies Work” (page 29).
30 Using the Recovery Manager GUI