ACRONIS Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server SBS Edition User Manual page 32

GFS as a tape rotation scheme
GFS was initially created and is often referred to as a tape rotation scheme. Tape rotation schemes,
as such, do not provide automation. They just determine:
 how many tapes you need to enable recovery with the desired resolution (time interval between
recovery points) and roll-back period
 which tapes you should overwrite with the forthcoming backup.
Tape rotation schemes enable you to get by with the minimal number of cartridges and not to be
buried in used tapes. A lot of Internet sources describe varieties of the GFS tape rotation scheme.
You are free to use any of the varieties when backing up to a locally attached tape device.
GFS by Acronis
With Acronis Backup & Recovery 10, you can easily set up a backup plan that will regularly back up
data and clean up the resulting archive according to the GFS scheme.
Create the backup plan as usual. For the backup destination, choose any storage device where
automatic cleanup can be performed, such as an HDD-based storage device or robotic tape library.
(Since the space freed on the tape after cleanup cannot be reused until all the tape becomes free,
take into account additional considerations when using GFS on a tape library (p. 133).)
The following is an explanation of the settings that are specific for the GFS backup scheme.
GFS-related settings of the backup plan
Start backup at:
Back up on:
This step creates the total backup schedule, that is, defines all the days you need to back up on.
Assume you select backing up at 8:00 PM on workdays. Here is the total schedule you have
defined.
"B" stands for "backup".
Weekly/Monthly
This step forms the daily, weekly and monthly cycles in the schedule.
Select a day of the week from the days selected in the previous step. Each 1st, 2nd and 3rd
backup created on this day of the week will be considered as a weekly backup. Each 4th backup
created on this day of the week will be considered as a monthly backup. Backups created on the
other days will be considered as daily backups.
Assume you select Friday for Weekly/Monthly backup. Here is the total schedule marked out
according to the selection.
"D" stands for the backup that is considered Daily. "W" stands for the backup that is considered
Weekly. "M" stands for the backup that is considered Monthly.
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The total schedule.
Schedule: Workdays at 8:00 PM
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